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Five of the Best: Vases

Sennen recycled glass vase from Garden Trading for £24
Sennen recycled glass vase from Garden Trading for £24

I have never really paid much attention to vases having been quite happy to use the nearest jam jar or wine carafe but sometimes something a bit special is called for and when I backed the hoover into a large glass vase that had come with a bouquet from Bloomon I realised that random glass jars wasn’t cutting it. I have, if look on today’s instagram, also got a large white jug from Homesense but it’s quite fussy about what goes in it. A large swathe of eucaplyptus fine, a large coloured bouquet of something more cultivated not so fine.

hubsch visage vase from Trouva £16 for the large
hubsch visage vase from Trouva £16 for the large

In addition to a vase shortage I recently signed up to one of those monthly flower deliveries. It’s £20 a month but the flowers really do seem to last for three weeks so while it’s an indulgence it feels like good value for the size of the bunch and the price. This isn’t sponsored by the way – they were standing outside Waitrose and talked me into signing up when I was weak from hunger and desperate to get home and eat the sandwich I had just bought so I thought I’d give it a go. Then, of course I ate the sandwich and forgot to cancel and when the flowers turned up they were rather lovely so I have carried on.

set of five bud vases from cox and cox £50
set of five bud vases from cox and cox £50

There’s something so cheering about fresh flowers on the kitchen table and I’m a colour militant so while everyone is currently raving about the daffodils I can’t get on with that particular shade of yellow so will wait for the tulips or seek out the Narcissi.

But enough about the flowers. Worrabout the containers. Well, yes in addition to a charming array of jars and pots sometimes you need something a bit special. I do love a glass container although you do have to remember to change water as it does go brown after a few days. Mind you, if you can’t see the water, you won’t necessarily remember to replenish it and then then the flowers go brown.

I never realised till I started writing this what a business it all is. Maybe I should just go back to plants. Plastic ones. I have both plants and flowers, real and fake and that’s probably the best way.

trio of vases with brass wrap from graham & green £19
trio of vases with brass wrap from graham & green £19

So here are a selection of vases. I’m currently quite keen on the smaller ones in a group. They look pretty when empty too. The Mad Husband gave me the gorgeous Aalto vase for my recent birthday. Mine is the short one and it’s green. I love it. I may need a tall one now too. The coloured glass shows off the flowers and hides the dirty water. It’s a design classic that looks gorgeous when empty too.

aalto vase via connox
aalto vase via connox £114

 

Winning all round.

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

4 Comments

  1. I have the Aalto vase and I love it. I got it as wedding present over 30 years ago and now it’s one of my go-to wedding gifts.

  2. I agree that vases an be statement objects in their own right which is worth the in
    vestment. Most impressed that your husband was brave enough to buy one for you as a gift … a good man! Looking forward to the next installment …

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