The House Dressing Company

Most of you probably have glass vases stashed around your home that your not really sure what to do with. They most likely will come out and get used when you get given fresh flowers……..but don’t just stop there. You can have fun with your vases and instead of just using them for flower arrangements, why not get a little creative!!!

I love the versatility of glass, and the way it sparkles! No matter what filler you put in the glass it will always look great! I happen to have about 4 shelves in my garage dedicated to my “vase collection”, with the majority being clear glass.  I also have all sorts of different items/fillers that I can choose from to accessorize my vases with! I have collected these vases over the years and I always try to find different shapes and sizes to work with.

Glass will always work with any colour scheme or design style you have in your home. The great thing is…you can change the items in your vases seasonally! You can also place them anywhere in your home. I like to do groupings on my mantle, one larger piece on a bathroom counter or a longer shorter vase on a sideboard or down the center of my dining table. These are just a few ways to really show your creations off! Today I’m going to share with you some great ideas for a tropical, beach theme for your glass vases!

Layered Effect

This vase is quite narrow, but very high. This shape makes it ideal for layering. I have put sand as a base at the bottom and added some larger shells on top and then poured in an assortment of smaller shells. Then I finished off with a mini starfish and a tropical plant stem. Its important to put any fine mixture like sand, sugar, salt, mini gravel on the bottom as it will sift through everything if placed on top. This will create an uneven look…You could also use for layering…….mini shells, river rock, coloured gravel, small stones, crushed coral, coloured glass chips….etc…..the list goes on. Use what you have around your house, in your garden or at the beach. Have fun with the different layering combinations!

Nautical Bottle Vases

These Nautical Bottle vases are alot of fun. I wanted to play up the nautical feel of the item so I purchased some rope from a local boating store to add to the vases….I poured some sand in the bottom and shells on top..Then wove the rope into the glass and fiddled with the placement until I liked the position. I love the texture of the rope with the smooth sand! It was so easy!

Glass with more glass!

This long narrow vase is so perfect for placing down the middle of your dining table. I added small candles to this arrangement to show that not only can it be fabulous looking but also serve a purpose! This one is super simple. I used flat round glass stones on the bottom to act as a light, airy, sparkly base. I then placed small round candles on top. An odd number is always best. The starfish adds some height and interest if you feel you need it. The glass stones are so sparkly when the candles are lit! You will love it.

Don’t forget square vases

This square vase is my favourite. This arrangement would look great in a bookcase, on a bedside table or on small entry table…I have mixed small river pebbles with flat smooth white rocks. The sand dollar sprig adds some whimsy to this fresh, calming arrangement. Don’t be afraid to try new materials…..you may play around with the arrangement for a while until you love ! There is no right or wrong way to do it.

Small is great too

If you happen to only have small vases…that’s okay! Use fillers that are proportioned with the size of container. For example these tiny shells are perfect for this small vase…They are able to fit around the candle creating a wonderful, simple display. You could remove the large candle and stick in a bunch of small taper candles into the shells. Use many of these vases out on your patio, when the sun goes down.

I will being sharing my creative glass vase decorating ideas throughout the year, to show you seasonally what you can create! I would love to hear what great ideas and creations you have done with your glass vases.

Have a great Long Weekend!