Everyone Owned It In The '80s — Now It's The Funky Table Decor We Want Back In Our Homes

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Imagine something that looks light as fabric, but that's solid like glass. Picture the draping taking the shape of a vase, filled with water and blooming flowers, at the center of your tablescape. No need for a wild imagination; it's been around for decades, and it's called the Murano handkerchief vase. And while everyone owned one in the 1980s, they eventually fell out of fashion. Fast forward to today, where we once again dream of having them at home. The good news is, it's a colorful flower vase you can look for at the thrift store.

This vase takes its name from its birthplace and its shape: They were originally made in Murano, near Venice, in Italy, and appear draped like a handkerchief. The original pieces were created in the 1930s by two glass artists named Paolo Venini and Fulvio Bianconi. Their groundbreaking technique departed from glass vases shaped through traditional glass blowing techniques. Instead, the handkerchief vase started as a square of glass which was placed in a kiln to melt, then left to droop down with gravity and shaped into fabric-like folds in the process. As these atypical handkerchief vases gained in popularity, factories started to produce them too, creating fun combinations of sizes, colors, and patterns. By the 1980s, Murano handkerchief-style replicas were commonly found in homes.

True original Murano handkerchief vases are still made in Italy, but they're rather expensive. The good news is, vintage lookalikes are much cheaper and relatively easy to find. If you'd like to add to your thrift store vase collection, you're in luck.

First, look at your local antique shops and second-hand stores. If you can't find a handkerchief vase you like there, look up "Murano handkerchief vase" via online resellers eBay or Etsy. Some go for as little as under $20, with lots of options under $100. These come in all shapes, colors and patterns, like colorful swirling stripes and iridescent hues. Another design option is a dual-tone vase, where the inside and outside layers of the vase are two distinct colors. This design goes particularly well with mid-century modern furniture. 

If you're looking for the real deal and want to order from a vase made in Murano, some glass artists based there still produce this type of piece. You can sometimes order these online, but they're not cheap. Still, you're investing in a high-end handcrafted piece, which comes with a certificate of originality. Another option is to add the words "Venini" or "Bianconi" to your online search and look for pieces with those names etched or signed at the bottom. Those are less common, and prices vary. If you're lucky, you might find a relatively affordable Italian-made original for under $200.  

Once you've found your dream handkerchief vase, there are many ways to style it in your home. On a coffee table, credenza, or as a center piece on a dining room, it can stand on its own as a beautiful pop of color. It can also hold flower bouquets, fresh with water, or dried. On shelves, you can place a small vase to act as a pop of color, and even place it in front of a lamp to highlight some of the texture, colors, and patterns within the glass.