Karen talked to Murchison-Hume co-founder Max Kater, pictured above in her LA office, about how their brand new new candle range came about. 

Candles are a crowded sector of the market – what made Murchison-Hume decide to go there?
I know, right? We resisted for ages because we thought that there were so many candles already out there. But our customers kept asking us for them and we do what we're told!

Luckily, they've been hugely popular both at home in Australia and here in the States. We can't pour them fast enough at the moment. I think people are really into our signature fragrances and that's what scented candles are all about, really.



The planet-based, eco cleaning products have a strong sense of authenticity. How does this manifest in the candle range?
At Murchison-Hume, if we can't do a product better than our competition, we don't do it at all. We've held our candles to that same high standard because that's what our customers expect from us. Our candles employ a proprietary, soy-blend wax composition that holds together and can still throw a scent just as well as any paraffin candle out there.



What was the process of creating the candles and the fragrances?
We didn't leave anything to chance and went straight to the best in the business. I trained with one of the most famous candle makers in Los Angeles. He designs candles for some of the biggest brands out there. Fragrance, wax composition and "throw" are the most important factors in a candle build. We customised all three.

Australian White Grapefruit and Mediterranean Fig are two of the fragrances – what are the others – and what inspired these particular choices?
We were lucky in that we already had two popular fragrances although we had to tweak our Original Fig fragrance for the candles because it was too light in wax. I think when you light a candle; you really want it to smell! With expert supervision, I was able to confidently add a new Gooseberry scent to our stable (which is everyone's favourite in the office right now). Going through the process was arduous; a bit like learning a new language, but it taught me how to build a great candle and I was involved in every step, so now I can legitimately add, "candle maker" to my skill set!



The amber glass links it visually with the existing brand. Was that a given or did you experiment with other types of vessel?
We never even considered changing it from amber tinted glass. It has become so much a part of the Murchison-Hume aesthetic. I love glass. It's durable, practical and you can re-use it as a chic little vase!

The Murchison-Hume products have made the crossover from something hidden to something displayed. Was it fun to work on something that you knew from the outset people would be proud to show in their homes?
Ah, Karen, you flatter me. I'd love to say that it was all part of some brilliant long-term strategy! But to be perfectly honest, I just designed bottles that I thought were handsome and fit well together under (or over) the sink. I am still constantly charmed by how much people love our packaging!



In the USA the idea of the hostess gift is big. Do you see your candle as part of that small-scale gift-giving scenario? And do you think we have a way to go with this in Australia?
I don't know that the idea of a hostess gift is all that strange to Australians. It's probably just the term that's a bit foreign to ears here. We Americans tend to be very literal! My Australian tribe would never show up to someone's house for dinner empty-handed. But yes, we definitely see the candles as the perfect addition to the traditional bottle. And will undoubtedly last a lot longer, too!

I like that your blog 'The Practical Aesthete' marries your worlds of beauty and utility. Will we be seeing more of the 'beauty' side from Murchison-Hume, as well as more utility?
Absolutely! We have some pretty exciting irons in development fire at the moment. I am really looking forward to flexing my old beauty editor's muscles again. With offices in both Sydney and Los Angeles, we have amazing access to some of the best people and products in the industry. When we finally dip our toes into the beauty pool next year, we'll start with the best and do it better than anyone else out there. We've been very careful about our expansion, but I promise, it will be worth the wait!