Vases and fillers

People do not take full advantage of this fun piece of home decoration. It’s simple, fun and so versatile that you can keep it around for years and just change out the filling.

First of all, pick a glass bowl or vase.  Look for something on the larger scale so you can easily fit many different object inside.  It can be an oval bowl or a tall rectangular vase.  Any of the following will work:

Row 1: (1) Water Lily Bowl, $24.95, Crate and Barrel
Row 2: (2) Square Vases, $29, Potterybarn (3) Sid Vase, $10.95, Crate and Barrel
Row 3: (4) Fin bowl vase, $24.95, CB2

Next, the fun begins!  There are so many options when it comes to vase fillers.  Let's start with the most popular: glass gems and stones.  You can usually buy these in just-the-right-size packaging at any local craft or home decor store.  I love the look of tiny clear balls or natural looking rocks.  You can also add some brightly colored gems for a popping effect or add a candle in the middle of the pebbles for a more serene setting.

One of my current favorite vase fillers is moss, real or fake.  It just looks so natural and elegant.  Get a bunch of differently sized moss balls or try having just one large moss ball for a big statement.

If you are a fan of the beach, water and sand, you can capture that scenery in a vase.  Try adding sand, shells, starfish, dried grasses.

For a dinner party, it's fun to play up the vases with food!  Brightly colored foods, such as green apples, yellow lemons or red cranberries always look delicious.  Food such as shelled nuts and cinnamon sticks create a natural, striking centerpiece.  You can also fill those large vases with a mouth-watering amount of colored candy, such as Jelly Bellys.

It's easy to create seasonal creations by simply adding the correct elements: orange oak tree leaves or candy corn for fall, pine cones or faux snow for winter, sliced limes for spring and green grasses or plastic butterflies for summer. 

Vases can also be used as a creative and stylish way to store some basic necessities, such as toilet paper or rubber bands.  Or as an adorable collectors bowl for your favorite knick-knacks, such as matchbooks or wine bottle corks.

This holiday season, use your left-over ornaments or jingle bells in a new way - as a vase filler.  It brings the holiday season into your home without the cheesy holiday music.

Most importantly, don't forget to put a little bit of YOU into your home decor.  So whether it's river rocks or apples, have fun and don't be afraid to experiment.  You never know where you'll find inspiration: a twig, a photo, coffee beans, cinnamon stick....