We all ask ourselves that question on the daily. Okay maybe not. But when we do, we have no idea how to answer ourselves. We usually just inherit the vase from the florist or whatever we can find from a previous gifting scenario.
I mean, raise your hand if you’ve ever gifted a vase to someone. Okay put your hand down. Truth is, it’s not something we give to our loved ones on the regular. Vases are usually tied to the gift of a beautiful floral arrangement (which can be a rare occasion). An arrangement we probably put some thought into. So much so that we didn’t really even pay attention to the vase.
The vases are actually the item that sticks around. And get reused. We don’t throw away our gift vases. We even save the generic bad ones from the florist (sorry florists, but it’s not really your strong suit).
Let’s assume for the sake of this conversation we all respect the vase from this point forward. That we can all see that the vase can be the actual gift. Most vases that we are going to talk about are works of art anyway. Some of them are in museums. Some have been in art galleries. And most of them have been internationally awarded designers that decide what goes into museums and galleries.
So. Vases are an amazing and unique gift. And they are the perfect answer for “what do I get someone that has everything?” Which IS a question we asked ourselves a ton.
Taller vases.
Let’s get started. First question. What are you gifting a vase for? If it’s for tall flowers like lilies, roses, orchids and sunflowers, there are a couple things to consider. For a small bouquet like a single or coupled stem, make sure the opening, or mouth, is rather small like this Beatriz Ball Alabaster Vase. You obviously won’t be able to fit much of a bouquet in a smaller mouth and it’s a much more simplistic and elegant look. But there are plenty of column, hurricane or cylindrical vases that can accomplish this look. Try the Orrefors Carat Lower Cut Vase or the Kosta Boda Saraband Vase. If you are looking for something to hold a fuller bouquet try a wider mouth column base like this NUDE Glass Clear Tall Blade Vase. It is made of 100% lead free crystal. It also comes in a short caramel colored glass.
Shorter vases.
If you are looking to gift a short vase for shorter stems like cut roses, delphiniums, hydrangeas or petite greens you can look at a round, bowl or bulb vase. Bowl vases allow the stems to spread at the bottom and coupled with the greenhouse effect the shape makes, florals are known to last longer. You can choose from the Orrefors Carat Globe Vases or the uniquely shaped Kosta Boda Kappa Vase. The shorter Beatriz Ball Alabaster Vase and the Zone Denmark Inu Vase will be adequate for the shorter cut florals and it is opaque if you don’t like the look of a clear vase.
And for all you Golilocks admirers, the perfect medium sized vase is the Kähler Hammershøi Vase. It is equally clean-lined and organic. And that’s hard to do. This elegant line is inspired by the studio of Svend Hammershøi, famous Danish painter and ceramist.
Colorful vases.
If florals aren’t a huge gifting concern for you, there are plenty of statement vases that are not really flower dependent. Especially if pops of color might be more important to your loved one. After all, a vase can spend half of its home life empty. So this Kosta Boda Contrast Vase or its counterpart the Mirage could be a nice showcase piece to have out even when it’s empty. Actually check out any of the vases from Kosta Boda. They are absolutely stunning.
Glam vases.
If your gift recipient is trying to make a little more of a glam statement and appreciates the more gilded side of decor, look at the Michael Wainwright Truro Platinum or Truro Gold Series. They are a crystalline glass clear vase collection for those that would appreciate a transparent look. You could easily accomplish the same gilded look in a more opaque vase like this Caesarea White Porcelain Collection that has these amazingly organic gold wavy vertical lines. They almost look like ancient Greek columns in a Dali painting.
Concept vases.
And if you, or your gift recipient are looking for more sculptural or conceptual pieces you should check out the Nambe Face Vases that are a modern interpretation of the monolithic face sculptures on Easter Island. They are made of a proprietary alloy by Nambe which is also the material used for their Solarium Moon Collection that resemble 3 phases of the moon. They can definitely be used as decor pieces and almost never see a stem.
Repurposed vases.
Some of us have been gifted several flowers in our lives and we might or might not have a secret collection of vases somewhere. And they are perfectly fine sculptures of glass, ceramic or metal that should be displayed somewhere. And if you are gifting a vase without florals you might appreciate a few suggestions. That is actually a huge trend in gifting - add-ons to your actual gift. Or perhaps you could use the suggestions for your own secret gift vase stash. Here’s a brief list.
Large opaque vases.
Centerpiece for dining table
Fill with large decor branches or pampas grass
Fireplace tools
Umbrella holders
Repurpose with soil plants.
Smaller transparent vases.
Fill with candy
Fill with sand or vacation pebbles (don’t overfill unless you want to have a house shardy)
Candle(s) holder
Terrarium
Fish bowl!
Smaller opaque vases.
Desktop organizer
Bathroom organizer
Change holder
Keys holder
Dog treats
Repurpose with soil plants.
That’s basically it. Like any good design decision, we get to choose form, function or anywhere on that scale. If gifting florals matter, think about height first, then shape, then clear vs. opaque.
If florals don’t matter that much and a decor statement is all you are looking for, the options open up like a white corydalis in mid-May.
