THE BHJ EDIT: Vases I’d buy right now
Five vases that are just as good without flowers
I have a bit of a weakness for objects that are technically functional but are interesting enough that they don’t really need to be. So, for the first BHJ Edit, I’ve pulled together five vases I’d happily have sitting in my home completely empty.
Some are more attainable than others. All five are currently on my wishlist… except one, which I finally bought last week!
01. Gaetano Pesce: Fish Design
I bought one of Gaetano Pesce’s Fish Design vases last week after having them saved for what feels like forever.
They’re made from this incredibly tactile, almost jelly-like soft resin, so they sit somewhere between a vase, a sculpture and a slightly strange design object, which is probably exactly why I love them.
Pesce designed the Fish Design collection in the 1990s, and the pieces are still handmade in Italy by Corsi Design Factory. Because of the way the coloured resin is worked by hand, every one comes out slightly differently.
Mine has just arrived and I’m obsessed with it.
02. Panconesi: Ascolto Vase
This is probably stretching the definition of a vase, which is exactly why I like it.
Made from stainless steel with delicate metal stems projecting from the surface, each one is set with a mix of natural gemstones. It feels somewhere between jewellery, sculpture and a functional object, and I’d happily have it sitting out without a single flower in it.
It’s also 7kg, so she’s not going anywhere.
03. Black Blaze: Bell Vase, Rosso Levanto
I will apparently find any excuse to bring burgundy into my house.
I love how simple the shape of this vase is because it lets the Rosso Levanto marble do all the work. It’s small and sculptural enough that I’d use it as an object on a shelf or side table without flowers, but the wide opening would also look beautiful with a very loose arrangement.
And because it’s natural stone, every one is slightly different.
04. Hattie Molloy: Large IXIA Vase
This might actually be one of my favourites from the whole edit. I love how bold and architectural it feels. When you think of a vase, you tend to picture something curved, delicate or traditionally decorative, whereas the IXIA is almost the complete opposite. The square, solid form feels more like a little piece of sculpture than a vessel.
Designed by Melbourne floral artist Hattie Molloy, it’s sandcast and hand-finished in Victoria, with a removable aluminium grid that lets you position individual stems. I especially love the contrast of something so solid and geometric holding something as delicate and organic as flowers.
05. Dana Arbib: Zostere, Vetro Alga
This is probably closer to a piece of art than a vase, but apparently that’s becoming the theme of this edit.
Dana Arbib’s Vetro Alga, or “Seaweed Glass” collection is made from handblown Muranese glass and inspired by Venice’s relationship with water. I love how strange and organic the Zostere pieces are; they almost look like something that’s been pulled from the ocean rather than made from glass.
Definitely one I’d be very happy to own without ever putting a flower in it.