5 Eye-Grabbing Ways to Use Pretty Glassware Outside the Kitchen

In our weekly series “One Thing Many Ways,” we’re sharing different styling options and practical uses for great finds from our very own Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart collection. This week: a nostalgic piece of glassware.

Sharing some laughs over a cocktail is a great way to catch up with friends. Enhance the experience by mixing your own drinks and serving them in this Better Homes & Gardens Amber Glass Old Fashioned Glass ($3, Walmart) for a sophisticated feel far above what you would get using everyday drinkware. The golden amber hue of this glass gives off a nostalgic feel that is reminiscent of 1970s style, which is a growing retro decor trend.

Even if you prefer to skip the cocktails and only use these colored glasses for water or your morning cup of orange juice, they are a stylish addition to any kitchen collection, especially if you display them on open shelves or behind glass-front cabinetry.

Buy It: Better Homes & Gardens Amber Glass Old Fashioned Glass ($3, Walmart)

Each glass is sold individually, so you could purchase several as a budget-friendly glassware set for your kitchen or home bar, or you could get a single glass to use in a variety of ways. Here, we share five ideas on how else you could use this inexpensive, colorful glass in your home.

One Thing, Many Ways: Amber Glass Old Fashioned Glass

1. Use It as a Vase

Standing at just under four inches tall, this glass would make a great small bud vase. It’s the perfect size for a single bloom or to hold fresh-cut flowers from your landscape. You could also use flowers freshly purchased from the grocery store, but you’ll need to trim them to size. Or skip the flowers and set a votive candle (real or battery-operated) in the glass: The warm glow through the amber glass will be a lovely addition to a dining table. 

2. Make It a Planter

If you love to tuck small plants in all sorts of unexpected places, consider using this glass as a planter for petite succulents or to propagate a cutting from another plant. You don’t have to have a green thumb to create a little green space in your home.

3. Use It as Window Decor

Set several of these glasses along the sill of clerestory windows (windows above eye level), to allow sunlight to filter through the amber glass. For a curated display, intermix some colored glass vases or sea glass bottles for a pleasing mix of heights and colors.

4. Use It as a Makeup Brush Holder

Instead of hiding your most frequently used makeup brushes in a drawer, set them in this amber glass and keep them within reach on your vanity countertop. Group a few glasses together to create a coordinated bathroom organization set for makeup brushes, cotton swabs, toothbrushes, or whatever toiletries you prefer to leave out on the counter.

5. Use It as a Pen Cup

Add some swagger to your home office when you use this amber glass to hold pens on your desk. This glass would fit well within a traditional-style office with handsome wooden built-ins or in a minimalist office space with clean lines and a sleek desktop. This amber glass also works well as a pen holder in a colorful and eclectic workspace.