Floral Collar glossy white ceramic vase with a sculpted gold and silver leaf-and-petal collar

How to Style White and Gold Vases

White and gold is the most forgiving colour combination in decorating. White goes with every room, and gold catches the light and warms it. Put the two together on a sculptural vase and you get a piece that works in a modern condo or a traditional dining room, and with fresh flowers or with none at all.

Our new white-and-gold vases come in two families: the Butterfly vases, with sculpted gold butterflies resting on a glossy white body, and the Floral Collar vase, a classic jar shape with a band of gold and silver leaves and petals around the shoulder. Here's how to style each.

The Butterfly vases

Butterfly 8-inch round glossy white ceramic vase with two sculpted gold butterflies
The Butterfly 8" Bulb: round, with a small flared neck.

There are two shapes. The 8" Bulb is round with a small flared neck. The 10" Sleek is taller and slimmer. Both are decorative ceramic in a high-gloss glaze.

Less is more

A narrow neck is made for a few stems, not a bouquet. The butterflies are the decoration, so the flowers only need to finish the line. Some ideas:

  • A single stem in the 8" Bulb: one ranunculus, one garden rose, one tulip or a sprig of blossom. Small vases are ideal for "single flowers that have come loose from a bouquet" (Nordic Nest).
  • Three long stems in the 10" Sleek: eucalyptus, a branch of cherry blossom or a faux orchid.
  • Nothing at all. The butterflies make it a finished object on a shelf.

Getting the height right. Florists use a simple proportion: the arrangement should be about one and a half times the height of the vase (Floral Art School of Australia; Nordic Nest). For the 8" Bulb that's a stem of about 30 cm. For the 10" Sleek, closer to 38 cm.

Butterfly 10-inch slim glossy white ceramic vase with sculpted gold butterflies and a gold rim
The Butterfly 10" Sleek: taller, for long stems.

Where to put them

  • As a pair. The 8" and 10" together, one slightly behind the other, give two heights in one matched look. They suit a mantel, a dresser or a windowsill.
  • In the bathroom. A vase on the vanity with the Double Seashell Lustre Dish beside it for rings. Both are small, and the pair makes the counter look finished.
  • On a bedside table, with one fresh stem that you change every few days.
  • On a tray. Set the 8" Bulb on the Gold Ray 12" Square Tray with a candle for a coffee-table vignette that repeats the gold.

A gift with a meaning

Butterflies have long stood for transformation. In ancient Greece the word psyche meant both "butterfly" and "soul" (Gardens with Wings). That makes the Butterfly vases a thoughtful present for a new chapter: a first home, a graduation, a new baby or a milestone birthday. Add a single flower and it's ready to give.

The Floral Collar vase

Floral Collar glossy white ceramic vase with a sculpted gold and silver leaf-and-petal band around the neck
The Floral Collar Vase, in three sizes.

The Floral Collar borrows the outline of the ginger jar. In China, these rounded jars were everyday storage for salt, oil, spices and ginger. They were also a traditional gift: many blue-and-white jars carry the "double happiness" character and were given at weddings (Kathy Kuo Home; Homes & Antiques). Ours keeps the shape and swaps the blue and white for glossy white with a sculpted collar of gold and silver leaves.

Styling a wide mouth

Unlike the Butterfly vases, the Floral Collar has a wide opening, so it wants a full, generous arrangement. A wide-mouth vase lets flowers "fall outward naturally" and "creates volume without overcrowding" (Nordic Nest). The one difficulty is stems slumping to the sides. The florist's fix is a ball of crumpled chicken wire set inside, below the rim, to hold every stem where you put it (Sunset). Start with greenery, then add the big blooms, then the small accents.

Flowers that suit it:

  • Hydrangeas. Three heads fill the medium size on their own.
  • Peonies or garden roses, loose and a little open.
  • White and green: white roses, lisianthus and eucalyptus, to let the gold collar do the talking.
  • A good faux arrangement, for a look that lasts all year in the dining room.

One, two or three

The Floral Collar comes in three sizes: 6", 8" and 11" tall. The largest is a dining-table or console centrepiece on its own. The smallest holds a posy on a nightstand. All three grouped together on a sideboard, stepped from tall to small, make the most impact of anything in this collection. It's a trick borrowed straight from the way ginger jars have been displayed for centuries.

Caring for white-and-gold vases

  • Dust with a dry microfibre cloth. The glaze shows fingerprints, and a quick wipe keeps it bright.
  • Avoid abrasive sponges, polishes and chemical cleaners, which dull the gold.
  • For fresh flowers, fill with a narrow-spout jug so water doesn't run over the gold detail, and change the water every couple of days.
  • Don't submerge the vase to wash it. Rinse the inside only.

The Butterfly and Floral Collar vases are in New Arrivals and Home Decor. For more on the serving side of the collection, read our guide to gold serving trays. Visit us in Toronto, or order online with free shipping on orders over $50.

References

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