Your Guide to Buying the Best Flower Vases

Urn vases are beloved for their classic, sculptural shape and the way they make any arrangement feel instantly elevated. This low, wide ceramic version stands out for its artisanal texture and hand-carved, hand-glazed details. It’s the kind of piece that looks especially good filled with loose greenery, hydrangeas, or styled solo on a shelf or mantel.

Fishbowl vases are known for creating full, sculptural arrangements with very little effort, and this globe-style design takes that idea a step further. Originally created for an Italian ceramics company in the early 1980s, this timeless beauty combines the best of both worlds with a rounded glass exterior and a frosted inner cylinder that neatly hides stems to let the flowers take center stage. It looks especially striking with loose bouquets, single-variety blooms, or even minimal greenery.

If your goal is to let a stunning selection of florals do the talking, you can’t beat the simplicity of a glass hurricane vase. One of the best types of flower vases on the market, this elegant beauty touts a long body for stems and a wide base for extra stability. The generous width of the mouth (it’s 7 inches) gives your stems room to breathe and ensures they splay out perfectly.

With graphic ribbing and a geometric shape, this durable glass vase adds an eye-catchingly modern vibe to a simple collection of tulips or fluttery greenery. Even better, it’s available in a wide range of sizes, from medium to extra large, so you can easily fit in as many stems as your heart desires.

Never underestimate the power of a bud vase. Though they’re tiny, these petite floral vases can deliver a major impact, especially when grouped together in an arrangement. This collection from West Elm comes with three pieces that vary slightly in design, mouth blown by artisans and made from recycled glass, giving them a very slight green hue.

Ceramic material adds a nice juxtaposition to the fresh liveliness of florals, combining a variety of textures for a look that feels natural and sophisticated. This hand-crafted ceramic flower vase is made from red clay and finished with a faux cement texture that would be beautiful in both traditional or industrial-style spaces. 

Whether you’re building out your wedding registry or shopping for a sentimental gift, you can’t go wrong with a personalized flower vase. We love this classic julep vase, which is made from glimmering nickel-plated stainless steel and features a subtle beading detail at both the top and the bottom. Best of all, the piece can be customized with your choice of 14 stunning monograms for a sophisticated finish.

If you prefer a more-is-more look when it comes to your blooms, a colorful glass vase could be just the complement you need for a bold and bountiful arrangement. This two-piece vase from Etsy maker Cloudnola combines vibrant green and pretty pink into a funky flower holder. Even better, the two pieces can be arranged in a variety of ways, giving you the option to create a different look every time.

How’s this for charming? This unique vase mimics the size and shape of a book, with a “title” and wording on the spine, just like the real deal. Gift it to a friend as a clever nod to their towering to-be-read pile or purchase it for your own home and then style it on your shelf as a living bookend.

When you look to buy something as simple as a white flower vase, you want to shop for a piece that boasts special features that increase its uniqueness. This pinch-top vase is hand thrown to resemble a paper bag, and touts little nooks and crannies to stick stems into. Available in seven different sizes, it’s finished with dual glazes—a high gloss on the inside and creamy satin alabaster on the outside.

Antiques are a foolproof way to add a timeless patina to any room in your home, and vases are often incredibly easy to find. Still, if you haven’t had any luck combing local estate sales or vintage shops, Pottery Barn has created a worthwhile option in its Montrose vase. The terracotta piece—which is covered with a chinoiserie-inspired bird print—touts a timeworn crackle glaze and chips to lend the effect of age.

If you’re not all that confident about your floristry skills, an Ikebana-style vase will help you cheat your way to the perfect arrangement. Modeled after the popular minimalistic Japanese arranging style, Ikebana-style vases often tout holes where you can insert stems, allowing them to be held in place and giving your flower arrangement a sculptural look.