About Us

Colette and Alan Pemberton

Based in remote and picturesque North Middleton, Scotland, Colette and Alan met some twenty eight past whilst studying Law and Chemistry respectively at Edinburgh University. Married since 1988 they have three children; Oliver, Elliot and Lucy and juggle their time between family life and a busy nine to five. That said, they still find plenty of time for their beloved cats, Mac and Penny, and for a clutch of egg laying chickens that stride purposefully around their country garden. Both have a keen interest in film, television and the arts and relish this new opportunity to make the world smell that little bit lovelier. As Colette says; “Working with the boys has been a great experience. Blimey; they’re demanding but we keep their feet firmly on the ground in the way only family can”. Alan adds; “The ‘C&J Home’ range has taken some time to perfect, but now our product range is available, it’s a joy to see it being so well received. As time moves on we’ll be adding to the range with further exciting candles and a collection of ancillary home scenting products ”

Colin and Justin

Colin and Justin met in Glasgow some twenty six years past. Their relationship quickly developed into a successful media pairing and before long they moved through the magazine and newspaper industry until landing their first TV job with Scottish Television some fifteen years past. Soon, network TV beckoned and they launched a host of popular TV shows such as ‘Trading Up’, ‘The Million Pound Property Experiment’ and ‘How Not To Decorate’. Recently, they hosted ‘Sixty Minute Makeover’ on ITV and ‘Colin and Justin’s Home Heist’ which launched in Canada and which now airs in more than thirty countries. As published authors and product designers, scented candles are a lovely new arm to their business portfolio. “Working with Colette and Alan is the dream professional set up,” explains Colin, “and their ability to hone the C&J Home brand is staggering.” Justin adds; “We’ve worked together as a family unit on every aspect of manufacture and are thrilled to finally launch our product range. As designers working across the globe, we demand the best from every element of home styling. And we know this range is absolutely spot on…”.

So how did C&J Home come about?

At the beginning of 2011, when holidaying as a family in the North of Scotland, a lovely dream was birthed. Over dinner and animated discussions in Beauly, we talked first of absent friends and then of our plans for the year ahead. Relaxing into the family vibe, conversation soon turned to the little things in life that make us tick; holidays, work, food and design. All four of us love natural, organic products (soaps, perfumes and food to name but a few) and, as we chatted, an expensive scented candle flickered gently at the centre of the dinner table. An aromatic delight purchased in an exclusive London boutique, we remarked on the lovely smell and how its aroma gently suffused the atmosphere with clean fresh ‘notes’. As the wine flowed, conversation turned to the candle’s price tag; just shy of £60. With a burn time of just 25 hours, we started to do the maths. Sure, the scent was lovely but the price point detracted from its aromatic charm…

As we watched the candle slowly disappear, the cogs of business potential started rolling forward. Wouldn’t it be nice to bring to the market a range of candles with a fairer price point and a longer burn time? Could we chart demand and then establish a business model that would satisfy the needs of consumers who demand a top quality product without the associated costs? Hmm…

Back in our respective cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, we set the wheels of research in motion. Colette and Alan’s business minds scoured the internet to assess competition, while we started to story board packaging, style and aromas. A true cottage industry venture, we became collectively excited at the prospect of bringing to the market a range of candles that would deliver value and quality in equal measure. Calling in product from all over the country, it soon transpired that Alan has a remarkable ‘nose’ for smell combinations. While Colette researched ingredients, costs and packaging, her husband coordinated all manner of trials to establish olfactory combinations with optimum appeal. In their East coast studio the oils of Bergamot, Grapefruit, Ylang Ylang and many others were assessed in various cocktails. Lavender notes punched through the air and danced with Patchouli and Lime, as Basil and Lemon pairings made their mark on Alan’s aromatically inclined brain.

Months of trials, multiple creative meetings and dozens of combinations later we finally settled on the various combinations we can now reveal. High volume sales and colossal turnover are less important to us than top quality, environmentally sound manufacture. Our ‘boutique’ output, we hope, will grow… but in the meantime ‘small, but perfectly formed’ is order of the day. We promise to deliver luxurious candles, each one lovingly manufactured from essential oils and environmentally sound soy wax. Each candle is hand poured and packaged by our dedicated team and made with affection and a warm Scottish smile. They represent the culmination of serious planning and careful deliberation. Now they’re market ready we hope you’ll love our candles as much as we love them. Which one will be your favourite?