A glass vase – even one with simple shapes – can be a wonderful base for decorating a table or chest of drawers at any time of year. It's worth getting inspired and creating unique arrangements that reflect what's happening outside. What to fill a large glass vase with, and how to use smaller ones? How and with what to decorate the glass itself to adorn the interior in summer, autumn, winter, and spring?
Ancient Ikebanas
Vase decorations are often called ikebanas. This name refers to the Japanese art of arranging flowers and ornaments in glass vessels. The first mentions of it date back to the 8th century, although it developed as an art form only around the 14th century. Besides their decorative function, ikebanas also served as offerings to Buddha and the souls of the deceased.
The art of creating vase decorations is still alive in today's Japan. It is even taught at universities! Various ikebana techniques have emerged. The most popular include: Rikka, Shoka, Heika, and Moribena. They differ, among other things, in the type of flowers used, the origin of branches, or the type of glass vessel used.
In Poland, all decorations in a glass vase are colloquially called ikebanas, although this term doesn't always fit the achieved effect by definition. Nevertheless, you don't need to graduate from a floral design school in Japan to create impressive and elegant vase decorations perfect for any time of year!
Summer
Summer is when nature is full of lush greenery and colorful flowers. Rich bouquets of color-coordinated plants themselves improve mood and make an impression. However, plants quickly wilt, so if you want to make lasting vase decorations, you need to look for another solution.
Recently, it has become fashionable to create miniature forests in jars and large vases. In the former case, closing the vessel with a lid creates a closed water cycle, and the mini-forest becomes self-sufficient. When creating it in a vase, simply mist the plants with water from time to time to create an evergreen decoration.
To prepare a forest in a vase, you will need stones, crushed charcoal (e.g., crushed activated charcoal), potting soil, moss, plants naturally living in the forest (ferns, peace lilies, ivy, and others that don't need constant access to light), and decorative additions such as pine cones, bark, stones, or small branches. The bottom of the vase should be lined with stones, and charcoal scattered on top. Then, soil should be placed on this. Next, plants are planted, the soil is covered with moss and bark, and the remaining elements are arranged. Half an hour is enough to create an impressive decoration that will last all year, and which will look especially unique in summer!
Another idea is to fill a large glass vase with succulents. These elegant plants do not need much access to light and water. Just line the bottom with stones and hide tiny pots with these plants of various sizes among them. The whole can be finished with pine cones, bark, and large stones. This creates a vase decoration reminiscent of exotic places, which will survive even in a dark bathroom!
Autumn
We wrote more about how to make autumn decorations in a separate article. This season is a true wealth of unique colors that can inspire you to create unique decorations for a glass vase!
A classic vase with transparent glass will be the basis for many of them. You can fill it with, for example, pine cones, rowan berries, slices of dried fruit, colorful leaves, warming spices... However, it should be remembered that such decorations can rot, so they should be thoroughly dried before being placed in the glass!
Autumn is also the time for harvesting seeds, which can be successfully used as decorations for a tall vase. You can place branches with colorful leaves, dried grass, or even artificial flowers with autumnal colors in it. Then, the interior should be filled with hazelnuts, chestnuts, or acorns so that they stably embrace the plants. Colorful LED lights operating on batteries can also be placed along the outer walls to create a charming atmosphere in the evenings.
Vase decorations can be functional. For example, you can pour… corn kernels into the middle – the same ones used to make popcorn. On top of this – or between the kernels – simply place a cylindrical white or colored scented candle. You can also use dry seeds, creating alternating layers in autumn colors in the vessel: green and red lentils, chickpeas, white and black beans, the aforementioned nuts, chestnuts... The vase itself can also be decorated with jute strings or elegant bows in the trendiest colors of bottle green, sea blue, old gold, or deep red.
Winter
Winter is primarily a time for holiday arrangements. Vase decoration should therefore refer to these special days. Contrary to appearances, it is during this time that it is easiest to find a filling for glass, because most natural elements are already dried and devoid of rot-causing juices!
The simplest ideas are always the best. An effective winter decoration for a glass vase can be made from pine cones and LED lights that will fill its interior! You can also spray paint small pine cones in various colors: gold, red, silver, to achieve a holiday-themed effect. The glass can also be filled with small baubles.
If you have an unusually shaped vase in your kitchen, you can fill it with the aforementioned lights, pine cones, and nuts, and place spruce twigs or sticks painted gold, found during a winter walk, between them. You just need to hang baubles on them, creating an ecological alternative to a traditional Christmas tree.
The most fashionable vase decorations in recent seasons for winter will also be artificial flowers, branches, leaves, and other floral ornaments delicately painted white. A simple light-colored spray will suffice. The entire composition should be placed in a classic matte vase, which itself looks like frosted glass. This type of decoration is very elegant and will appeal to people with the most refined taste.
Spring
Spring is a time when fresh, colorful, and lush green flowers are abundant, even wildflowers make an impression – so additional vase decorations seem unnecessary. Meanwhile – especially around Easter – with a little effort, beautiful effects can be achieved with fabric flowers.
An interesting idea, for example, is to fill the inside of a transparent glass vessel with plastic Easter eggs in pastel colors, colorful balls, or hard candies. You can then place fabric spring bouquets into this. An inspiring idea for live flower enthusiasts, in turn, would be to place dense hay at the bottom of a wide vase and put pots with miniature daffodils or crocuses into it.
Spontaneous decorations in glass vases in spring, besides fresh flowers, also include young tree and shrub branches or soft pussy willows. If you want to diversify the arrangement a bit, it's worth decorating the vase itself. You can tightly wrap it with jute string to give it a rustic character. You can also wrap it with a piece of fabric in pastel colors and tie it at its narrowest point with a thin white string finished with a bow.
Another interesting idea is to fill the vessel with fresh flowers with thin slices of citrus fruits – grapefruits, lemons, or limes. However, it should be remembered that such a decoration is rather short-lived and will work, for example, as a table decoration during a party or family gathering.