Parable Designs

Creators of handcrafted luxury patterned candles, pots and lamps with raised designs in relief, replicated from and inspired by a unique collection of vintage wallpaper printing rollers. Made in our Devon workshop in a selection of exquisite designs, colours and for the candles, handpainted finishes and fragrance options.

It all started with a chance discovery in 1989 of 1200 American vintage wallpaper printing rollers. Instinctively recognising the skill required to create such intricate design detail, Parable co-founder Nigel Parker set about saving the rollers, already with thoughts of how they might be replicated for contemporary spaces.

Later Nigel acquired a further 600 British rollers and in 2003, with his partner in life and work Amanda Barry, set-up the Parable workshop in the heart of the Devonshire countryside.

We have appeared on TV with Kirstie Allsopp (Kirstie's Homemade Christmas, Channel 4 December 2009) and our candles feature on Laurence of Suburbia on ITV's This Morning, 2nd and 23rd May 2012 (http://www.itv.com/thismorning/homeandgarden/laurence-of-suburbia-banstead/)

We have candles in Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's book, Decorating, and we are very proud of his quote, "Although there's nothing as romantic as candlelight, I'm often disappointed that candles couldn't look better when unlit ... But then came Parable - with what can only be described as Candle Fine Art. Voluptuous on the eye lit or unlit. Parable make candles that are at home in the world's sexiest rooms".

We were nominated by local MP, Hugo Swire, for the Made by Britain project, which is a showcase for manufacturing in Britain.

We're now delighted to receive the award from Theo Paphitis for #SBS and have also been tweeted by another Dragon, Deborah Meaden, who described our candles as 'Gorgeous and Unique'.