How to Choose a Vase: 6 Types and How to Style Each One
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Time to read 7 min
Learning how to choose a vase is like learning how to choose art — it's less about matching everything, and more about finding pieces that feel quietly, unmistakably right
Introduction - How to choose a vase
A beautiful vase does more than hold flowers. In the right space, the right piece adds height, texture, warmth, and personality — without a single stem in sight. The challenge is knowing which vase will actually work in your home, on your surfaces, in your rooms.
This guide to help how to choose a vase brings together six of our favourite vases from the Artanna collection — each one chosen for its character, its versatility, and its ability to hold its own as a piece of considered home decor. Whether you’re styling a hallway console, a mantelpiece, or a quiet corner shelf, there’s something here worth knowing about.
1. The tall statement vase — for height, presence, and drama
Some vases sit quietly on a shelf. This one commands the room. Standing at 45cm with a cylindrical silhouette and beautifully weathered stone-effect finish, the Aged Stone Tall Grey Rustic Ceramic Vase has the kind of presence that makes a space feel immediately more considered.
Its mottled grey tone works equally well in cool contemporary interiors and warm, earthy rooms — and the textured surface adds a depth that a plain glaze simply cannot replicate. Style it with a few long stems, a single eucalyptus branch, or leave it completely bare. Either way, it holds its own.
Styling tip: Before buying any vase, decide whether you want it to hold stems or stand alone — this single question will tell you whether you need an opening that works with flowers or a form that is strong enough to carry the piece on its own.
2. The wide, low vase — for dining tables, coffee tables, and kitchen islands
When thinking about how to choose a vase for a dining table or coffee table, width and proportion matter as much as height.
Not every vase needs to reach upward. The Tava Wide Hewn Ceramic Vase makes its statement through width and weight — a broad, sculptural form that grounds a surface rather than drawing the eye up. On a dining table, coffee table, or kitchen island, it reads as something genuinely intentional rather than a filler piece.
The hewn finish gives it an organic, handcrafted quality that sits beautifully alongside natural materials like linen, wood, and stone. Use it with a small handful of short stems, or leave it empty — its form is strong enough to carry the space on its own.
3. The textured rustic vase — for adding warmth to neutral rooms
This is the quieter sibling of the tall statement vase — and in the right spot, it’s just as beautiful. At 30cm, the Aged Stone Ceramic Vase in grey rustic style is the ideal size for a shelf, side table, or windowsill. It adds texture and warmth without asking too much of the space around it.
Its mottled stone finish changes subtly as the light moves throughout the day, which keeps it visually interesting in a way that a uniform glaze never quite manages. If your home leans neutral — white walls, natural wood, cream textiles — this is exactly the kind of piece that stops a room from feeling flat.
4. The urn vase — for sculptural impact and focal points
There are vases, and then there are pieces. The Terra Large Beige Ceramic Urn Vase with handles sits firmly in the second category. Its curved silhouette, generous proportions, and decorative handles give it a sculptural presence that anchors a surface rather than simply sitting on it.
The warm beige tone feels at home in earthy, neutral interiors, and the handled form elevates it well beyond a functional vessel into something with real decorative intention. It needs no flowers to justify its place — this is the kind of piece you buy once and keep for years.
How to choose a vase that earns its place permanently? Look for pieces with sculptural form that need no flowers to justify their presence.
5. The console table vase — for hallways and entryways that make a first impression
A hallway console is one of the most powerful styling surfaces in a home — the first thing you see when you walk in, the last thing you pass when you leave. The Morrow Large Cream Ceramic Urn Vase is made for exactly this role. Its soft cream tone and gently curved form feel welcoming rather than imposing, making it a natural fit for an entryway where warmth matters as much as style.
At a generous size it fills a console with quiet confidence, and its urn silhouette works equally well beside a lamp, a stack of books, or a smaller decorative object without competing. It is the kind of piece that makes a hallway look effortlessly considered.
6. The wide decorative bowl vase — for shelves, mantels, and unexpected elegance
The Regola Large Matt White Ceramic Vase surprises people. In photographs it can look like a standard wide vase; in person, its generous proportions — 35cm wide, 31cm tall — and beautifully matte white finish make it feel far more like a sculpture than a vessel. On a mantelpiece it becomes the centrepiece without trying. On a wide shelf it anchors one end and creates a natural focal point.
A few short stems laid loosely inside, a single dried flower head resting at the rim, or nothing at all — all three work beautifully. This is restraint and scale done well, and it suits someone who understands that confidence in home styling comes from choosing fewer, better things.
Summary
Match vase height to the surface it will sit on: Tall vases suit floors and wide consoles; low, wide pieces work best on dining and coffee tables where height would interrupt the space.
Texture adds warmth that colour alone cannot: Stone-effect and hewn finishes introduce organic depth and work especially well in neutral rooms that risk feeling flat.
Urn and sculptural shapes are focal points, not accents: Choose them for hallways, mantelpieces, and consoles where you want a surface to have genuine visual weight and presence.
The strongest vases work just as well empty as filled: If a piece relies on flowers to look good it is depending on the stems rather than its own form — the best pieces hold their own either way.
Conclusion:
Choosing the right vase comes down to understanding three things: the surface it will live on, the role you want it to play, and whether the form is strong enough to stand alone. Get those right — whether you go tall or low, textured or smooth, narrow or wide — and the result will feel considered rather than accidental.
Ultimately, knowing how to choose a vase comes down to understanding your space — the surface, the light, and the other objects around it.
Explore the our full artificial vase and decorative vessel collection here
The author : Anna
Anna is the founder of Artanna, with a long-standing appreciation for interiors, art, and florals, and a natural eye for balance and visual impact. Through Artanna’s blog, Anna shares styling insights and considered ideas designed to help make everyday living spaces feel more refined, cohesive, and effortlessly styled.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What size vase should I choose?
Match the scale of the vase to the surface it will sit on. A large console or mantelpiece can carry a tall or wide statement piece; a shelf or side table generally suits something mid-height. As a rough guide, the vase should feel substantial on the surface without occupying more than a third of the total width when viewed from the front.
2. Do I need to put flowers in a decorative vase?
No — and the best decorative vases are designed to stand alone. Sculptural pieces like urn-shaped or stone-effect vases work particularly well as standalone objects. A single bare branch, a handful of dried grass, or nothing at all can each look completely intentional depending on the piece and the room.
3. Which vase finish works best in a neutral home?
Matte, stone-effect, and raw ceramic finishes tend to work best in neutral interiors because they add texture and warmth without introducing colour contrast. Smooth white or cream glaze also works well and gives a cleaner, more contemporary feel. The choice comes down to whether you want the vase to add warmth or crispness to the space.
4. Can a wide, low vase work as a statement piece?
Absolutely — a wide decorative bowl vase like the Regola can be more impactful than a tall piece in the right context. On a mantelpiece or wide shelf, generous proportions at a lower height create a sculptural focal point that commands the surface without overwhelming the wall space above it.
5. How to choose a vase for my home?
When deciding how to choose a vase, consider the surface it will sit on, the height of the space above it, and the interior style of the room
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