Just as every woman should have at least one little black dress in her wardrobe, there’s a perfect vase that will complement every flower’s natural beauty – a clear glass vase.
What is that I hear you saying? A clear glass vase is boring? Nope, quite the contrary – a clear glass vase is unfussy, timeless, fits with any design style, and perfectly showcases the color and texture of every blossom and stem.
It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for clear glass vases, as I’ve shown here and here. Still not convinced? Take a look at these beautiful buds to see how any clear glass vase can be accessorized to achieve any look.
Modern design. By leaning the stems, the shape of these clear vases is used to enhance the gorgeous shape of these blossoms and natural elements, and the addition of small pebbles adds texture and visual interest.
Traditional style. These simple glass vessels with barely-there stems are the perfect counterpoint to elegant and timeless roses in a subtle color palette:
Just beachy. With the addition of a little sand and a few monochromatic shells, this simple glass vase provides the perfect vessel for a stunning coastal centerpiece.
Romantic. By using simple vases, the vessel disappears and allows pink hues and fluffy blossoms to be the stars of these centerpieces.
Simple and elegant. Understated white and pale pink blooms pop against bright green leaves and stems.
Cottage chic. The transparent vase allows beautiful mother-of-pearl buttons to accent gorgeous blooms.
Laid-back vibe. Playful flowers are the focus of these simple arrangements.
Blooms on a budget. These sparse and simple stems could have been plucked straight from the garden. Displaying single stems in assorted vases is a gorgeous way to stretch your dollar.
Dramatic flair. These vessels all but disappear, allowing these statement arrangements look like they are floating.
I love to place single stems of the same flower, like daises, into a line of similarly-sized glass vases – an arrangement like this is perfect for an island or against the backsplash. How do you like to show off your blooms?
[Visit Ikea for a huge selection of affordable glass vases.]
Images courtesy of Crate & Barrel, PointClickHome, MarthaStewart.com, and Pottery Barn.
Oh I love these images. And the vases at the top of your post are just gorgeous. I have a bunch of clear glass vases, but I always have trouble making the flowers look naturally beautiful in them. To me, flower arranging is an art I haven’t quite mastered!
I LOVE the look of fresh flowers. I’m also a fan of glass vases. I recently acquired a liking to milk glass as well. When I was last at my parents home, I noticed my mom’s huge collection of vases (milk glass included). Seeing those and these images makes me want to start arranging and displaying!
Christy,
One thing I’ve learned is that it’s easiest to arrange flowers with long, straight stems in your hand (and then place them in the vase), rather than placing them one by one into the vase. That way you can get everything looking “just so”, and you don’t have to worry about knocking everything askew as you place each stem.
Flowers with big, bushy blooms (such as peonies) typically look best in tight arrangements in low vases, while flowers with long, straight stems are stunning either in singles in tall vases or clustered together in a tall vase. I prefer vases with small necks to keep the blooms close for a big colorful impact, while vases with wide necks will allow the flowers to fall gracefully to each side for a more laid-back look – wide necks are best for flowers that have lots of leaves or wide blossoms to take up visual space and keep the arrangement from looking sparse.
The list could go on and on but honestly, it’s hard to go wrong when you’re dealing with fresh flowers – whatever you do will look great! Hope this helps. :)
Nicole,
I totally agree – using milk glass is a gorgeous way to display flowers – the flowers and green stems really pop against the white of the glass! Have fun arranging. :)
~ Liz
Liz,
I have an ongoing collection of little clear glass vases with small openings. I sometimes put one little vase at each table setting with one flower and parsley (!) as the greenery. It works well because it is small (no huge, can’t see over masses in the middle of the table), fast, easy, inexpensive, and people seem to enjoy having their “own” arrangement.
LOVE your beautiful and fun site!
You definitely can’t go wrong with a clear vase.
You have put me in the mood for flowers! I’m going to pull out the ol’ vases and get a little spring action in our loft. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
So lovely. Now if only I had some flowers [*ahem* Dave *ahem*] to put in all my glass vases. :)
I have looked all over for the clear glass vase you show above. It is on the second row, fourth vase to the right. It has a pretty pedestal that I love. If you have a resource, please let me know. My daughter is getting married 12/11/10 and I would love to include some of this type. Thanks.
Cheryl Ellenburg
Cheryl,
If I’m looking at the correct vases, they were the Fleur & Lorna vases from Crate & Barrel that are no longer available: http://reviews.crateandbarrel.com/7258/24546/fleur-lorna-vases-reviews/reviews.htm. Congratulations to your daughter on her upcoming wedding!!
~ Liz