Living

The 12 Best Vessels & Vases for Your Home

Our Favorite Pretty Pieces to Hold All of The Pretty Blooms
Filed Under > Get The Look

The best flower vases and vessels for your home via @waitingonmartha

One thing I’ve learned among other things from years on the WOM team is the beauty of amazing vases and vessels around the home.  I used to think a flower vase only ever meant a pretty glass bowl, but I’ve found that a whole world of options are out there.  Think antique pitchers, ginger jars, cache pots, deep planters and so much more. 

When building on your collection of the best flower vases and vessels, consider a variety of options to house flowers, foliage, greenery and herbs of all sizes.  I only recently have filled my need for more low-and-wide vases for the bunches of tulips I pick up at Whole Foods.  I only had tall, narrow options and that just wouldn’t do!. 

Check out a few of the best flower vases and vessels below.  We included a wide variety of styles and vibes that look just as pretty on your coffee table as they do on your bookshelf vignette.  And if getting fresh blooms isn’t in the cards this week and every week, these vases of faux peonies seen here, here and here are always, always a beautiful option too.  Cheers, Kat

14" Decorative Vase, Silver

One Kings Lane

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I’ve always loved the idea of pitchers as vases for flowers, especially when they have an antique feel to them.  (They’re also easy to find at an affordable price when found at vintage stores and estate sales!)  This decorative silver pitcher is a lovely option for a small bunch of wildflowers. 

10" Inverted Lambert Vase, White

One Kings Lane

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A slightly tapered vase like this is a must; it fits your taller flowers while centrally containing them.  You can never go wrong with a touch of gold, either.  This gorgeous white vase has a tasteful accent of shine. 

Black & Gold Bud Vase

Waiting On Martha Home

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A bud vase is an easy, and must have for any nightstand, bathroom and/or kitchen counter, and desk.  Of course I’m partial to our handmade black and gold or white and gold Honeycomb Studio vases which look beyond sweet with one simple stem also make the perfect gift!

Blue Willow Pitcher

One Kings Lane

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Here’s another beautiful pitcher that works as a simple vase in a second.  The blue and white chinoiserie details are timeless with a bunch of flowers like tulips, hyacinths and peonies. 

Kupio Handpainted Vase Set

Waiting On Martha Home

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These handpainted vases are anything but fussy; the imperfect lines and brush strokes lend a casual, minimalist vibe with a nod to the handmade.  The set works beautifully as accent pieces in vignettes on bookshelves, coffee tables and dressers. 

Vintage Hungarian Storage Jar, Large

Terrain

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Stunning in its simplicity, this large glass jar is a conversation starter…for what’s inside!  The reclaimed glass gives off a rustic feel, and allows a multitude of possibilities to grow inside.  I’m a huge fan of filling jars like these with succulents and moss,  but I also love to see tall branches and feathers inside them. 

Novus Bowl, Copper/White

One Kings Lane

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A roundup of vases and vessels would be incomplete without a sweet copper and white bowl like this one.  I’d fill this vessel with a succulent, and if/when I fail to keep it alive (it’s happened before, somehow), I’d use it as a catchall in my bathroom or on my nightstand.  Win-win!

Copper Geo Terrarium

World Market

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World Market wows us with great on-trend copper geo terrariums at a killer price. These guys look great on a bookshelf, coffee table, and just about everywhere.  Here’s a quick kit to get you started with your terrarium inside. 

Turned Wood Vessel

Anthropologie

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This gorgeous recycled wood planter is another gorgeous option to showcase succulents and greenery at home.  The natural, rustic finish lends a vintage feel to the piece, and the 8.5″ diameter easily houses a lot of your favorite greens. 

Luxe Moderne Octagonal Trophy Bowl

Waiting on Martha Home

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This sweet little trophy bowl is incredibly versatile; corralling jewelry and necessities but also giving little flowers the perfect home. Check out the rest of our trophy bowls HERE

Blue & White Canton Collection Bud Vases

Waiting on Martha Home

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I’m a huge, huge fan of anything and everything blue and white, so I’m of course obsessed with blue and white bud vases.  This trio has been a bestseller in our shoppe for years, and is still one of my favorite ways to display sweet little blooms. 

Handpainted Bamboo Cachepot

Waiting On Martha Home

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I love a low maintenance pop of greenery so I’ve recently become obsessed with round topiary balls placed in a cachepot such as this handpainted bamboo one.  Available in numerous colors this cachepot would also be great for a small house plant or a major arrangement.

Photography, Kathryn McCrary for Waiting on Martha

Refresh: 12 Home Organization Essentials You Need

A Few Must-Haves While You Marie-Kondo Your Home
Filed Under > Living

Linen closet organization tricks via Waiting on Martha

With the new year comes the inevitable itch to tidy up around the home.  And ever since we read Marie Kondo’s life-changing book, we’re craving a bit of an overhaul with organization solutions that actually work.  Bonus points if they look gorgeous, too. 

Fortunately, so many of the best home organization essentials are just as pretty as they are functional; I’m a huge fan of woven baskets, trays (I am obsessed with a good coffee table tray) and acrylic organizers for nailing in both categories.  I rounded up a dozen of our top home organization essentials below, and I’m sure you won’t be surprised to see a lot of them are Pottery Barn, The Container Store and One Kings Lane; three of our go-to sources for all things home organization.  

What would you add to the list?!  I’d love to try it!  Cheers, Kat

Jacquelyn Recycling Bin Basket

Pottery Barn

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This deep woven basket on wheels is a great solution for large stowaway items, specifically extra linens, towels and items like toilet paper and paper towels in the closet. Most closets allow for a basket of this size to fit under the last shelf, making this basket from Pottery Barn one of our first and forever favorite organization essentials.  It’s timeless, is easy on the eye, and holds up for years. 

Acrylic File Box

One Kings Lane

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I’m guilty of hoarding papers, receipts and anything and everything for work.  This gorgeous acrylic file box is nice enough to land a visible home beside my desk, and it allows for me to stash all the important stuff for later. 

Rattan Square Tray Basket

Wayfair

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MKR introduced us to these lovelies in her holiday house guest prep post.  These shallow rattan trays work wonderfully to corral bedside necessities, as well as beauty and skincare favorites on the bathroom counter. They’re handwoven with a super tight weave to hold even the most delicate and small details. 

Stackable Bamboo Drawer Organizer

The Container Store

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There’s nothing worse than a jumbled up drawer (it’s called a junk drawer), and there’s no excuse to let that happen with highly used items like silverware and serving pieces.  These stackable bamboo drawer organizers are the perfect solution to all of the above.  We LOVE the look (they’re elevated from the usual plastic) and we love that they’re environmentally friendly and made from easily renewable sources of natural bamboo. 

Nate Berkus Gold Pencil Holder

Target

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A chic must-have on any desk (or bathroom counter) really, this gold pencil holder by none other than Nate Berkus for Target of course made the list.  We envision pens, pencils, makeup brushes and more to make their way into this stylish catchall.  

Linen Drawer Organizer

The Container Store

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Once we master the art of the fold, we’re snagging a few of these linen drawer organizers for all of the dressers and closets (available in four different sizes).  They’re perfect for lingerie, undergarments, hosiery and accessories because they keep it all organized AND visible (I’m huge on that aspect of it). 

Faux Bamboo Tray

Society Social

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When it comes to organizing and styling, you really can never have too many trays.  We love this faux bamboo tray from our friends at Society Social for a chic tabletop and countertop solution (how great would it look on a coffee table?!).  It effortlessly corrals your candles, coffee table books and accents. 

Beachcomber Large Tote

Pottery Barn

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These beautiful Beachcomber baskets are almost too pretty to hideaway in the closet.  I love the idea of keeping these baskets visible in the living room to house throw blankets, pillows and anything cozy within an arm’s reach.  

2-Tier Acrylic Tower

The Container Store

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The area under my bathroom sink is straight scary, and actually loses a lot to dead-space where I could be stashing my ever-growing collection of organic beauty and wellness products.  This acrylic tower is a nice solution; it allows for me to corral products on two levels to maximize the space. Doesn’t hurt that it’s pretty to look at, either! 

Polder Chrome 18-Bottle Spice Rack

The Container Store

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This chrome spice rack solves the problem of an untidy pantry or kitchen cabinet, that’s for sure. Take away the ugly, brand labels and mismatched collection of spices and say hello to the feeling of having your life together via the kitchen.  Its sleek design settles in nicely atop the kitchen counter too, making it anything but an eyesore in the space. Talk about form and function. 

Savannah Underbed Baskets

Pottery Barn

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Forget the plastic bins under the bed; opt for these stylish woven baskets instead.  They’re the perfect size to nestle easily under the bed frame, offering plenty of storage space for anything and everything needing stowing. 

Chrome Cookware Organizer

The Container Store

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I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t own one of these (yet).  But that’s about to change because this cookware organizer sounds like a God-send. You’re able to conveniently store baking pans and serving ware horizontally or vertically (!) to maximize the space in your cabinets.  And the dividers are adjustable (and removable) so you can be sure to fit everything needed. 

Featured image, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

5 Ways To Prepare For Holiday House Guests

Welcome Friends & Family with Thoughtful Details This Holiday
Filed Under > Entertaining

Holiday entertaining tips via @waitingonmartha Holiday entertaining ideas by @waitingonmartha How to prepare for holiday house guests via @waitingonmartha Preparing a tray for house guests, @waitingonmartha Welcoming out-of-towners for the holidays by @waitingonmartha Holiday entertaining ideas for the nightstand, @waitingonmartha

I’ve always looked forward to hosting overnight guests.  Yes, I’m admittedly a homebody, but I relish the opportunity to have loved ones here with us at home, especially this time of year.  

As you may remember, I shared my five steps to get the house “guest ready” a few years ago.  It’s one of our most popular posts with its easy entertaining inspiration and hotel-like details to replicate at home.  It’s still a favorite of mine as well, but I’d like to say I’ve honed my house guests prep game even more since then.  Today’s post is the proof.  

The secret to hosting friends and family throughout the holidays (and really any time of year) is in the details and little luxuries that so many people overlook; include things that make them feel like they’re staying at a 5-star hotel.  Think of the necessities you need and the extras you would want, but wouldn’t want to ask for!  I’ve broken the details down to five separate areas below with none being outlandish or fussy, but instead achieving that warm welcome and feelings that will make guests never want to leave.  Truly, MKR

P.S. As you prepare the guest room, find these 8 easy steps to properly dress the bed. xo

SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE

 

Fresh Linens

Because beautiful bedding makes all the difference

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Nothing beats clean sheets and gorgeous bedding…it’s the obvious statement of the room that can always easily be changed.  I recently bought a new comforter; I realized I was sort of over duvets in general and how they lay. So being ready for a fresh change, I ordered this punchy comforter and sham set.  I’d say it was just the refresh the room needed!

The personalized sheets are a detail I just love too; they’re subtle, crisp and simply timeless. 

The Basics

Everything they don't want to ask for

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I always like to prepare a tray or two with the necessities that people never want to ask for.  That includes things like Advil, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, razors, and even your wifi password written out on a piece of paper. 

These rattan trays are great because they’re easy and functional as they organize and corral all of these necessities. They don’t have huge handles, so they add just the right amount of texture without being overpowering to the overall design.
 

Cozy Details

Create a welcoming escape

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You want to make your guests feel welcome—almost as good as home—and one of the easiest ways of doing that is by providing cozy details.  A huggable throw blanket and sets of pajamas are two of my go-to’s when creating am oasis for guests.  But remember: when buying pajamas, you’ll always want to have them bigger than smaller, so size up if you want to offer a standard pair. 

More cozy details to include: offer a waffle pique bath robe, a pair of cashmere slippers or a silk sleep mask for the best beauty sleep they’ve had in awhile. 

Refreshments

Water, snacks & treats

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One of the reasons being away from home gets wearisome sometimes is the feeling of dependency over the little things.  By offering plenty of refreshments in the bedroom, you give your guests the chance to feel more at home…on their own.  

I like to stock up on distilled or sparkling water, healthy snacks (my favorite are from Nourish Snacks), and of course, little seasonal treats like these gourmet candied pecans

The Final Touches

Seasonal details & design

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To celebrate the season, I knew I wanted to hang a giant boxwood wreath above the bed.  Hanging a wreath is nothing new, I know.  But unlike other wreaths, boxwood won’t allow trimmings to fall on your guests’ heads in bed.  Boxwood and eucalyptus are my preferred greens whenever hanging a wreath like this one. I hung this one with a gorgeous green velvet ribbon; one that was substantial enough to hold the large wreath and had wire to make a nice bow.  And to keep things fresh, spritz frequently with a homemade Balsam Fir spray (check out @thewellcode) for more on that. 

I also displayed paperwhites I sprouted from the bulbs, along with a basket of white poinsettias.  Both are so festive, but a lot less expensive than other flowers this time of year.  But you’ll want to be careful with your poinsettias on the ground if you have furry friends around. 

Lastly, I like to have a few magazines, newspaper and any other reading material on-hand for guests.  I also place a guestbook on the dresser; it’s such a nice tradition to have people share memories, especially at Christmastime! 

 

Photography, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

As pictured: pajamas | wool throw | throw pillow (different color) | comforter | personalized sheets | rattan tray with handles | rectangular rattan tray | candle | toothpaste | hand cream | soap | paperwhite bulbs | ribbonmatches | pecans | glass tumblers | glass carafe | taffy | candy | wreath | lamp (similar)

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