Remember when candles were boring? Now they look good enough to eat
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A heart-shaped candle that looks like cake. A lamp made from a real croissant. Even sardines are having a homeware moment.
It’s the interior design trend no one saw coming—and everyone suddenly wants a slice of.
Food-themed decor has taken over our homes, one whimsical, edible-looking object at a time.
Originally gaining traction during the pandemic, the trend exploded thanks to viral content on social media that spotlighted adorable, offbeat food-inspired decor—think dumpling candles and pickle-shaped birthday accessories.
Retailers across Australia jumped in on the action. Kmart’s $13 cake-shaped candles, available in both circular and heart-shaped styles, flew off the shelves with more than 2000 sold in just one day.
A spokesperson for the brand said: ‘Customers are absolutely loving them—not just for their cosy glow and subtle scent, but for how they add a touch of whimsy and joy to their homes.’
Another crowd-pleaser was their pancake stack candle, also priced at $13.
Home decor shop Hands joined the movement with a variety of delectable designs. Its dumpling baozi candles sold out quickly, with prices ranging from $18 for a single piece to $32 for a triple set. The shop also offered pasta-shaped candles—Farfalle, Rigatoni, Fusilli and Penne—alongside quirky options like olives, pickles, corn and fruit-shaped candles.
It wasn’t just Australian shoppers catching on. Pop star Selena Gomez recently posted a picture of her birthday cake surrounded by pickle-shaped candles, signalling the trend's global appeal.
But among the most surprising entrants in the food-themed frenzy was fish—specifically, sardines.
Sardine decor cropped up everywhere, from Etsy and Adairs to mega-retailers like Temu, Shein and Temple and Webster. Options included sardine prints, coasters, plates, serving platters, tea towels and pillows. Hands stocked a sardine print for $72, while Adairs offered a sardine-themed serving plate for $19.95.
A spokesperson for The Reject Shop said the popularity of Euro-summer trends had driven a surge in food decor sales, especially fruit-themed pieces.
Mushroom-inspired decor also flourished, thanks to the rise of cottagecore aesthetics. The Reject Shop featured a full collection, including a $7 mushroom vase, an $18 cookie jar, a $5.50 faux succulent, a $3.50 trinket tray and a $5 mushroom plate. ‘Highlights include mushroom mugs, strawberry collections and even cabbage bowls,’ a spokesperson said, noting that the move away from minimalist styles had sparked a renewed love for maximalist and playful pieces.
Kmart followed suit with mushroom reed diffusers for $12 and a portable mushroom lamp for $19.
Lamps in general were another surprising category in the trend. One croissant-shaped lamp from Temu went viral after it was revealed to be made from actual bread. Hands in Newtown stocked several bread-inspired lamps including a croissant, a Batard loaf, a baguette and a bread roll, priced between $125 and $248.
For those on a budget, Amazon listed a croissant lamp for $27, alongside a tomato version for $95 and a strawberry lamp for $26.
If you’re loving the quirky charm of food-themed decor, there’s another playful homeware trend making waves right now.
It blends retro diner vibes with everyday function—and it’s catching eyes for all the right reasons.
Read more: Shoppers are obsessed with this $15 find–and here’s why you need it too
Would you style your space with a sardine platter or a strawberry lamp…or is this trend just too tasty to last?
It’s the interior design trend no one saw coming—and everyone suddenly wants a slice of.
Food-themed decor has taken over our homes, one whimsical, edible-looking object at a time.
Originally gaining traction during the pandemic, the trend exploded thanks to viral content on social media that spotlighted adorable, offbeat food-inspired decor—think dumpling candles and pickle-shaped birthday accessories.
Retailers across Australia jumped in on the action. Kmart’s $13 cake-shaped candles, available in both circular and heart-shaped styles, flew off the shelves with more than 2000 sold in just one day.
Cake-shaped candles fly off Aussie shelves. Image source: Kmart
A spokesperson for the brand said: ‘Customers are absolutely loving them—not just for their cosy glow and subtle scent, but for how they add a touch of whimsy and joy to their homes.’
Another crowd-pleaser was their pancake stack candle, also priced at $13.
Home decor shop Hands joined the movement with a variety of delectable designs. Its dumpling baozi candles sold out quickly, with prices ranging from $18 for a single piece to $32 for a triple set. The shop also offered pasta-shaped candles—Farfalle, Rigatoni, Fusilli and Penne—alongside quirky options like olives, pickles, corn and fruit-shaped candles.
Quirky candle designs spark buyer interest. Image source: Hands
It wasn’t just Australian shoppers catching on. Pop star Selena Gomez recently posted a picture of her birthday cake surrounded by pickle-shaped candles, signalling the trend's global appeal.
But among the most surprising entrants in the food-themed frenzy was fish—specifically, sardines.
Sardine decor cropped up everywhere, from Etsy and Adairs to mega-retailers like Temu, Shein and Temple and Webster. Options included sardine prints, coasters, plates, serving platters, tea towels and pillows. Hands stocked a sardine print for $72, while Adairs offered a sardine-themed serving plate for $19.95.
A spokesperson for The Reject Shop said the popularity of Euro-summer trends had driven a surge in food decor sales, especially fruit-themed pieces.
Mushroom-inspired decor also flourished, thanks to the rise of cottagecore aesthetics. The Reject Shop featured a full collection, including a $7 mushroom vase, an $18 cookie jar, a $5.50 faux succulent, a $3.50 trinket tray and a $5 mushroom plate. ‘Highlights include mushroom mugs, strawberry collections and even cabbage bowls,’ a spokesperson said, noting that the move away from minimalist styles had sparked a renewed love for maximalist and playful pieces.
Mushroom decor blooms as cottagecore trend grows. Image source: The Reject Shop
Kmart followed suit with mushroom reed diffusers for $12 and a portable mushroom lamp for $19.
Lamps in general were another surprising category in the trend. One croissant-shaped lamp from Temu went viral after it was revealed to be made from actual bread. Hands in Newtown stocked several bread-inspired lamps including a croissant, a Batard loaf, a baguette and a bread roll, priced between $125 and $248.
For those on a budget, Amazon listed a croissant lamp for $27, alongside a tomato version for $95 and a strawberry lamp for $26.
If you’re loving the quirky charm of food-themed decor, there’s another playful homeware trend making waves right now.
It blends retro diner vibes with everyday function—and it’s catching eyes for all the right reasons.
Read more: Shoppers are obsessed with this $15 find–and here’s why you need it too
Would you style your space with a sardine platter or a strawberry lamp…or is this trend just too tasty to last?
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Hope they come with a warning” keep away from dogs 
and kidlets”
