Old Vase Ideas

Candle Holder

• Add sand, gravel or river rocks to the bottom of wide-brimmed vases to create a solid foundation for a candle. This can be done with clear or colored vases, and the candle holder can be your featured table centerpiece or an accent decoration. Teleflora even suggests using brightly colored beads or coffee beans to add texture and originality to your unique new candle holder.

Seasonal Decorations

• Use large, clear vases to feature seasonal decorations around your house. For example, you could put lemons and limes in a tall vase to add a pop of color to your home during the springtime. Add sand and seashells to a clear vase and then top it off with a white votive candle during the summertime. Bright red cranberries or pine cones can add a festive touch to a holiday table, while miniature pumpkins can bring autumn into the home.

Bookends

• Some people use old vases as decorative, yet functional, bookends. You'll want to make sure to fill the vases with a heavy material, such as sand, to ensure they can sustain the weight of your books. You can paint the outside of the vases to blend in with your books or bookshelves, or simply leave them blank. Make this use of the old vase a project for your kids, and let them paint the old vases with their own artwork.

Organizers

• Make the most out of smaller vases by using them as organizational tools. Throw out that dingy coffee cup you've been using as a pencil holder, and replace it with one of your clean vases. You can use larger vases to hold your gardening tools. Use smaller ones to hold nails or screws. If you have a pretty, decorative circle vase, use it to hold cotton balls or pretty wrapped soaps in your bathroom.

Fish Tank

• If you have a fish that doesn't need an air pump, such as a beta fish, use an extra-large vase as a fish tank. Simply fill the bottom of the vase with marbles or colored glass beads and fill it with water. The fish tank can be a part of your living room decorations. Some people even add water-root plants, such as a peace lily or lucky bamboo, to the top of the vase to create a fish-tank novelty plant.