Decorate Your House with Beautiful Vases

So pretty, who needs flowers?

Tulips, tulips, tulips. Every year about this time, my favorite flower is in season, and they just tend to jump in my basket. I get them home and I start digging through cabinets trying to find a vase.

And why am I digging through cabinets? Why are my vases not out where I and others can see and enjoy them? Because they're boring, clear, ordinary, unworthy vases. The kind of vase that's only nice or special because of the flowers in it.

So began a quest to find beautiful vases - ones that I would want to display year round whether I had flowers or not. Many of the ones here came from two of my favorite online shopping sites - Wrapables and UncommonGoods.

I hope you can find your own piece of beautiful art here as well as some ideas for how to display them. I'll be adding great new vases as I find them.

Ceramic vases * Unusual vases * Whimsical vases * Elegant vases * Porcelain vases * Novelty vases * Art glass vases * Wood vases * Crystal vases * Metal vases

Angelica Floral Vase
Put some of your favorite flowers on display with the Black & Gray Angelica Floral Vase - flowers already included! These slender cylinder vases are enhanced with black and gray illustrations of the Angelica flower. The perfect accent in a monochromatic room scheme or even one that's already full of color.
On Sale Now!! $9.99 for small, $14.99 for large

Guns
Talk about flower power! White ceramic home accessories are all the rage right now and this pistol-packin' vase means stylish business. But in this case the pieces fire flowers, not bullets. Whether you're a James Bond fanatic or a former peace marcher, this vase will cover your table, mantel or windowsill in a fusillade of flowers. Includes artificial roses.
$50 at UncommonGoods

Paper Bag Vases
No, those aren't real paper bags, but they do bear a rather canny resemblance - in fact, some could call it uncanny. These vases are designed by Michel Harvey to look remarkably like real paper bags, though unlike their likenesses, they're ceramic and perfect for flowers. Go ahead and water them all you want - these accents can handle any liquid refreshment.
$35 for small, $70 for large at UncommonGoods

Jonathan Adler Trios
Each trio comes with three vases of different sizes, sized 8 1/4"h, 7"h and 5"h. Adler's work has been a favorite among hip and discerning consumers and celebrities and have adorned the sets of The Today Show, Will and Grace and Sex in the City.

Stripes Trio
This hand-painted Jonathan Adler Stripes Trio is one of the latest in the Jonathan Adler collection. Set these vases anywhere in the house and see the difference for yourself!
$39.95 at Wrapables

Italia Trio
Decorate, decorate, decorate with this Jonathan Adler Italia Trio. These colorful vases are inspired by colors of the Italian countryside, and are perfect for almost any room in your home.
$39.95 at Wrapables

Rosenthal Andy Warhol 7-Inch Empire Vase

Amazon Price: $198.00 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $198.00

Andy Warhol's Empire Collection interprets the pop artist's black and white photographs of New York landmarks and other major world cities in porcelain and crystal. Named after Warhol's 1964 film, Empire, the photos come alive in a series of trays, vases, mugs and paperweights. True works of art for collectors of Warhol and everyone looking for unique decorative items.

Usually ships in 24 hours

Outline vase
This airy and clever interpretation of a vase will freshen up the look of any home. This porcelain outline vase from the Museum of Modern Art is a unique way to display a single bloom without interrupting the space around it. 9.5 inches tall
$48 at Uncommon Goods

Porcelain Boot Vase
These boots were definitely not made for walking. Despite its ultra-realistic appearance, this lone garden galosh is a handmade, painted porcelain vase by artist Michel Harvey. An amusing way to display flowers indoors or out, it will definitely receive many comments and double-takes.
$90 at Uncommon Goods

Porcelain Gardening Glove
This ceramic glove is great as a planter and fantastic as a vase. And unlike some of your other gardening gloves, this one is waterproof and a fabulous accent for your home on a windowsill, on a porch, or anywhere else you can think of.
$35 at Uncommon Goods

Shopping Bags
Paper shopping bags are notorious for ripping and spilling your contents on the sidewalk at all the wrong times. But you'll never have such problems with these bags - they are really heavy-duty porcelain vases or object holders. These everyday art sculptures are functional, quirky and have dead-on design, right down to the creases, folds and rope handles. Available in two sizes.
$35-$50 at Uncommon Goods

Ceramic, Porcelain, Pottery - What's the Difference?

They may sometimes look the same, but there is a difference between ceramic, porcelain, pottery (also called earthenware) or stoneware. Some of it has to do with the material that goes into the vase - earthware tends to be clay, porcelain kaolin. Some of it has to do with the process used in the making - amount of heat, use of potters wheel, etc.

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Fill them with interesting items when you aren't filling them with flowers.

Asian Characters & Butterfly Green Glass Vase
Got an Asian flair going in your home? Add to it with a little Asian inspiration with this vase. This work of art features a frosted green panel with a black and yellow-tinted butterfly and Asian calligraphy. Perfect as a display piece or for flowers.
$59.95 at Wrapables

Ying Yang Vases
These handmade vases articulate Yin-Yang's dualistic nature with sinewy black or white cavities sunk into crystal-clear glass. Their outlines play with the outlines of the surrounding glass, creating a strikingly graphic effect when viewed from the front. The vases fit together to form an elongated oval, adding harmony to any room whether they are placed side-to-side or slightly askew. Sold as a set. 9 inches tall.
SALE! $199.20 (originally $320) at Uncommon Goods icon

Tangerine Vortex
The striking curves of this tall vase are lent a sculptural element by the container's flattened shape. Glowing orange glass is brightened by feathery swirls of vibrant color, while the vase's compact depth makes it perfect for shallow spaces. 12 inches tall and 8 inches wide.
$250 at Uncommon Goods

Zen Inspiration Rock Garden Test Tube Vases
Aren't these just the coolest? These unique test tube vases are nestled in a wooden box filled with rocks. Eight test tubes included. Perfect to put your favorite buds on display.
$64.95 at Wrapables

Studio Silversmiths 43570 12 INCH S SHAPED GLASS VASE

Studio Silversmiths
$26.60 at UnbeatableSale

Fringe Brand Vases

Fringe vases are truly unique. Each glass vase is made from hand blown glass. When art is fired onto the glass it turns transparent, allowing overlapping color and patterns to be viewed in multiple ways. Weighted bottoms support flowers and clippings.

Fringe Papillon Rectangle Vase
I love the idea of this particular vase mixed with dark wood pieces. Great drama to add to an Asian-themed decor. Measures 8" tall.
Click here to order

Fringe Tiffany Walden Transparent Printed Glass Vase
This vase features a pairing of antique images and vintage patterns that result in a beautiful piece of art.
Click here to order

Fringe Papillon Square Vase
This one is just darling, probably a great addition to the right bathroom as it has a smaller footprint. I'd also love it in a windowsill where the light could really show it off. Measures 14" high.
Click here to order

Fringe Oceanic Coral Vase
The corals here are not for everyone, but they're decidedly more sophisticated than your typical "undersea" themed items. I wonder if you could fill it with water and put a fish in? Measures 8" tall.
Click here to order

Fringe Dot Transparent Printed Glass Vase
No, you're not seeing spots. Dots!! Dots with various patterns cover one side, graceful long-stemmed flowers the other.
Click here to order

Fringe Tiffany Papilio Glass Vase
In case you haven't noticed, Fringe has a thing for butterflies. And this piece shows them off best. A beautiful assortment in all of nature's colors.
Click here to order

Use them as bookends. Just make sure you weight them down first to keep them from sliding!

Could not locate item B000OGKHNU. Please try again.Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.

Could not locate item B000PSW0XW. Please try again.Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.

Waterford Evolution by Waterford Skydiver Vase, 15"

Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price:

Not your typical crystal vase - look at those colors!! Beautiful thing! 15 inches tall.

Avg. Customer Rating:

Looking To Fit a Particular Style?

Vases and other accent pieces serve to either complete or create a stylistic direction in a room. For example, a plain room can be given an Asian flavor with some of the vases here or taken in a shabby chic direction with the Fringe vases. Other vases are equally at home in a traditional or modern setting, while some of the ones featured here would only be at home within a specific style.

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Bamboo Vase Collection
This Bamboo Vase Collection is actually made of wood, but it certainly looks like bamboo. Each wooden vase comes with a clear glass insert, and is accented with hand-painted designs that give the piece unique character. Available in different designs with various themes.
Click here to order

Teakwood Towers
Inspired by nuts and bolts, each vase is hand carved from durable and richly hued Teak wood. The nut vase is a vertical stack of rounded squares, while the bolt vase is a stack of sharp squares set at diagonals. Each contains a small test tube vase for one to two blooms. Sold individually. 16 inches tall.
Click here to order

Wooden Wiggle Vases
Shapes and curves are the themes for this line of contemporary Shaped Wooden Vases. These vases can be best displayed with a minimalist approach, perhaps a favorite flower. Don't be fooled, all of these vases can really hold water. Available in Orange only.
Only Orange Left - Previously $52.95, now $28.99

About the Vase

The vase (, , or ) is an open container, often used to hold cut flowers. It can be made from a number of materials including ceramics and glass. The vase is often decorated and thus used to extend the beauty of its contents.

Vases are defined as having a certain anatomy. Lowest is the foot, a distinguishable base to the piece. The design of the base may be bulbous, flat, carinateEmmanuel Cooper. 2000. Ten Thousand Years of Pottery, fourth edition, University of Pennsylvania Press, ISBN 0812235541, 9780812235548, 352 pages or another shape. Next, the body, which forms the main and often largest portion of the piece. Resting atop the body is the shoulder, where the body curves inward. Then the neck, where the vase is given more height. Lastly, the lip, where the vase flares back out at the top. All these attributes can be seen in the pictures at right. Many vases are also given handles, though no examples are shown here.

Today, the shapes of vases have evolved from the conventional ones to modern designs and shapes.

The vase has also developed as an art medium unto itself. The ancient Greeks famously used vases to depict scenes. It has since been developed and in 2003 the winner of the Turner Prize was Grayson Perry, for vase art.

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

Striped Tower Vase
This stunning vase is handcrafted vase with fused glass in a glass studio in Mexico using an innovative process that traps transparent glass between layers of vibrant color for striking results. Hand assembled and hand signed by the artist, each piece is one of a kind, with varying color densities and idiosyncrasies. 14 inches tall
Click here to order

Cobalt Blue Art Glass Vase X452

Amazon Price: $51.00 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $170.00

This is a very beautiful 100% mouth-blown art glass piece made by a talented glassmaker with over 20 years experience. You will never find two of the same pieces! As handmade products, artist will not be able to make exactly same size and color each time, they only can say that they had made each style of glass art are very similar but not 100% exactly same.