Add Whimsy To Your Home With A Thrifted Glass Incense Burner DIY

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There's something so satisfying about giving a beautiful thrift shop find new life — especially when it elevates your home while also saving money in the process. One vintage treasure that's easy to come by secondhand is an antique glass decanter. This type of beautiful glass vessel is the kind that self-made millionaire Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel "The Great Gatsby" might have used to serve his dapperly dressed guests as they danced and sipped champagne. With its faceted crystal scattering glittering light about your space, it will bring a ritzy touch of that 1920s glitz and glamour to your home. Incense is another luxurious but inexpensive item that instantly augments a space and is an excellent example of how to make your house smell amazing. Combine the two elements for a beautiful glass incense burner.

This glass incense burner is so easy that it almost can't be called a DIY. Look for a glass or crystal decanter with a fairly large mouth and bulbous shape. If the bottle is too small, the incense won't burn properly. Once you find a decanter that you love, hand-wash it in warm, soapy water to remove any leftover residue and dry it with a lint-free towel. Then, all you'll need is a stick of your favorite incense, like these Calmveda white-sage incense sticks, matches, and a decorative clip, such as these Lawie retro bobby pins. Once your project is complete, the way the smoke swirls and envelops the vessel will lend an enchanting and mysterious look to your room, and burning incense is the decades-old practice Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent use for a fresh-smelling home.

Once your thrifted decanter is carefully washed and dried, you can start filling your home with enticing aromas. First, flip your incense stick so that the end to be burned is facing down. Place it into your decanter, then secure it in your clip just high enough so that once reinserted, the stick sits a few inches off the bottom of the jar, allowing it to burn safely and effectively. The clip just needs to be long enough to rest on the mouth of the decanter to hold the incense in place.

If you don't have a handsome clip for your decanter, try embellishing a plain hair clip, such as by spray-painting it gold or copper or gluing on decorative elements, like Hudinsun pearl beads or IloveDIYbeadsstore charm pendants. If using glue, choose one that's nonflammable once cured like E6000. You could even get a flameless electric lighter, like this one from Beyio, so you'll feel even more stylish when using your new incense burner. Take it a step further by turning your home into a good smelling oasis with fragrance layering. Bring in other scents with freshly cut flowers or a simmer pot filled with oranges and cinnamon to make your home smell extra inviting.

Not only will you love the cleverness and charm of this DIY, but you'll come to appreciate how it provides a safer way to burn incense, especially since the glass shields the lit end to avoid embers catching on any nearby flammable items. Plus, the decanter catches all the spent ashes for easy cleanup. Once you've burnt the incense, simply wash and dry the vessel, and it's ready to use again.