Which design vase to choose? Size, colour and place in the room
You choose a design vase with three questions: where it stands, what it holds, and whether it stands alone or with others. The heights that work, the colours, and what each material accepts.
In this guide
A design vase is a vase that sets the decor by itself, even when empty. To choose one, answer three questions in this order: where it stands, what it holds, and whether it stands alone or with others. Colour comes after.
One point before we start. "Design" does not mean "signed". Our vases are new, mass-produced pieces. None of them was drawn by a designer or an architect. They are objects with a shape or a colour bold enough to hold a shelf with nothing around them.
1. Where does the vase stand?
The place decides the height.
| Place | Vase height | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Shelf, bookcase | 10 to 20 cm | There is air left above the vase |
| Desk, bedside table | 10 to 18 cm | It does not hide the screen or the lamp |
| Console table, sideboard | 20 to 30 cm | The furniture is low, so the vase can go taller |
| Dining table | Under 20 cm, or remove the vase during the meal | People must be able to see each other over it |
Measure the free space before you order. On a shelf, leave at least a hand's width of empty space between the top of the bouquet and the shelf above.
2. What goes in it?
This is the question people forget. Yet it rules out half of the vases.
- Dried flowers, branches or artificial flowers: every vase works. This is the simplest case, with no water and no upkeep.
- Fresh flowers: you need a vase that the maker states is for water. Our porcelain vases are not: the maker intends them for a dry display. Among our face vases, only one model is stated to be water-resistant, and its product page says so.
- Living plants: a vase is not a plant pot. It usually has no hole in the bottom. Succulents can cope, as long as they stay in their grow pot. Our guide to planting succulents in a face vase explains how.
Nothing inside is also an answer. A vase in a single plain colour looks very good empty.
3. Alone, or with others?
A vase with a strong personality stands alone. A face vase is one: a bust of a woman, 24 to 30 cm tall, with her glasses and her colours. Two side by side compete.
A plain-coloured vase is better with company. Three vases in the same colour, at three heights, make a group that the eye reads in one go. Our yellow porcelain vases are 15, 18 and 20.5 cm tall: they are made for this.
Our guide to arranging a duo or trio of vases gives the rules for height and colour.
Colour comes last
There are two ways to do it, and both work.
- The echo: the vase picks up a colour already in the room, from a cushion, a frame or a rug. The decor looks planned.
- The accent: the vase brings the only bright colour to a neutral room. A yellow vase on a white shelf can be seen from far away.
Our porcelain vases come in yellow, pink and green, from 10.5 to 27.5 cm. The tall pink vase is 27.5 cm: it holds a console table on its own.
If you like bold colours and round shapes, also read our guide to 70s-style decor.
The materials, in short
- Porcelain is smooth and is cleaned with a soft cloth, dry or barely damp.
- Polyresin, the material of several of our face vases, allows fine details and painted colours. It does not like knocks.
- Ceramic (earthenware, dolomite) is heavier and more stable.
The material of each vase is written on its product page. When the maker does not give it, the page says that too.
In summary
- Measure the spot: it gives the height.
- Decide what the vase will hold: it gives the material.
- Choose one strong vase on its own, or three simple vases together.
- Pick the colour last.
All our models are on the design vases page.
Sources
- The Bloom Room: Floral Design Basics, West Virginia University Extension
- How to grow cacti and succulent houseplants, Royal Horticultural Society
- Vase manufacturer's technical data sheets (dimensions, materials, intended use)
Frequently asked questions
What size of vase for a shelf?
A vase 10 to 20 cm tall. It leaves air above it and does not touch the shelf above. Above 25 cm, the vase suits a console table, a sideboard or a table better.
Does a design vase have to be signed by a designer?
No. A design vase is a vase that holds the decor by itself, through its shape or its colour. Our vases are new, mass-produced pieces, and none of them is signed by a designer or an architect.
Can you put water in every vase?
No. Read the product page first. Our porcelain vases are stated by the maker to be for a dry display: dried flowers, branches, artificial flowers. Only one of our face vases is stated to be water-resistant.
Is it better to have one big vase or several small ones?
One big vase is enough on a clear piece of furniture. On a shelf or a low table, three small vases at three heights make a livelier display than a single one.
