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At home with the Voluspa candlemakers

Troy and Traci Arntsen started their booming business by wrecking their kitchen stove.

For Troy and Traci Arntsen, theirs is a love that makes scents. Literally.

They met on the job, in 1998. She was working for an aromatherapy company, learning about the chemistry of plants and how fragrances blend. He worked for a company importing essential oils used to make perfumes.

They fell in love and, a year later, decided to combine their skills by making and hand-pouring candles in their Costa Mesa, Calif., home.

"We started cooking candles in our kitchen," says Traci Arntsen. "We destroyed the microwave and stove in the process. But we learned to make candles."

It took a year of experimenting before they got it right, and they began packaging the candles in gift totes for which Traci hand-sewed velvet bags. Saks Fifth Avenue was their first major client. It took three days for Traci to sew 500 bags to complete the order.

Now, the Arntsens sit atop a growing empire with their Voluspa candles, arguably one of the hottest names in luxury candles.

The name, pronounced Vuh-lus-pa, means "Scandinavian goddess of wisdom." Traci came across it in a library while searching for possible names. It took a while for people to warm to it, though Traci says the candles also have a big fan base in - where else? - Scandinavia.

Though most candles today are filled by machine injection, the Arntsens use an age-old technique of hand-pouring from large pitchers. The wick also is inserted by hand.

Troy Arntsen has been credited with developing one of the purest-burning wax formulas in the industry. Voluspa candles are designed so they don't smoke when burning. The wax is warm, never hot, to the touch.

"The wax also has to hold lots of fragrance. How long a fragrance lasts, that's what's propelled our brand," says Troy.

Traci is responsible for crafting fragrances and package design. She's created more than 200 scents, drawing from a library of more than 1,000 ingredients like sandalwood and assorted Indian and European botanicals. Inspiration, she says, comes from everywhere.

"What's happening in fashion inspires me. For example, there were florals all over the runway for spring, so I decided on a floral base for all the fragrances.

"And sometimes colors, too. For gray, I think maybe I could use charcoal and a gray lavender. And when I see fabric patterns, I think about whether I could use [them] for packaging."

Before the Arntsens nabbed Saks as a client, they sold their homemade candles (then called Flame & Wax) to local businesses. They were on such a shoestring budget that every check they brought in went back out immediately to make more candles.

Still, Voluspa was relatively successful the first two years. The company moved from the couple's home to a 30,000-square-foot warehouse in Lake Forest, Calif. And it found marketing niches in places such as the elite Fred Segal boutique in Los Angeles.

But it wasn't until InStyle magazine mentioned the candles in 2001 that the company established some coveted brand recognition.

"Sarah Michelle Gellar said she loved Voluspa candles in InStyle," Traci recalls. "When I saw that, I cried."

That was just a start.

These days, fans of Voluspa include Halle Berry, Adam Sandler, Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere. At the company's offices, the lobby walls are covered with clippings from glossy magazines.

"We still get so excited when we hear a celebrity likes our products," Traci says. "It never gets old."

Troy says they get a kick when everyday people recognize their candles, too. "Our FedEx guy even knew our candles and said his wife loved them; that was really nice."

The couple recently moved to Ladera Ranch, Calif., with their daughters, 2-year-old Anais and 1-year old Paloma. The kids come to work with them - there's a big play area upstairs and nannies to look after them while Mom and Dad run their business.

Sales have grown from an average $200 to $300 per order to $1,000 to $1,500. The company employs sales staff around the country.

In January, the Arntsens launched a fragrance collection, and they have plans to add bath and body products. They're also in the midst of partnering with a yet-to-be revealed celebrity chef for a gourmet kitchen collection.

Voluspa is being carried by major retailers such as Anthropologie, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's; Traci says she recently turned down an offer from Forever 21.

"Two years ago, Target knocked off our basic collection," she says, laughing. "Hey, if they want to sell our stuff, I'm totally open to partnering with them, as long as our company name is on it."