When it comes to making things with your bare hands, working with something like glass might not be the first thing that comes to mind. There are plenty of things you can do with glass, drinking glasses, glass bottles, and other glass wares, however, that don’t put your hands at risk of being cut (as long as you’re careful not to drop fragile things on hard surfaces)!
Check out these 15 super fun and very stylish glass projects that transform the original things from something clear and fragile into something beautiful.
1. Glass bottle centre piece
Okay, we know that St. Patrick’s Day actually just passed, but this style of glass bottle table decor is just one example of the unlimited ideas you can create. Remodelando la Casa suggests creating tablescapes involving glass bottles by dressing them up using paper, ribbons, printed tags, and paint so that they bring some personality to your table when you host a party. You can make them look however you please!
2. Wine glass lamps with shades
Are you a huge fan of the way candles glow when they’re placed on your dinner table, but you’re looking for a new and unique way to display them rather than just in your average candle holder? Then grab some wine glasses that aren’t being use and pop the candles inside! Follow the tutorial on Lana Red Studio to make a little patterned shade out of decorative paper so that glasses look like glowing lamps all the way down the centre while you and your guests enjoy dinner together.
3. Marbled tumblers
Perhaps you have some glasses you’re not using right now because they’re very plain and you’d like to shake them up permanently so they’re more fun to put out on the table? Then coloured polish marbling is probably the technique that will let you have the most fun while upcycling glass ware simply and beautifully! Martha Stewart guides you through the process of creating lovely swirling colour patterns.
4. Glass bead wrap bracelets
Drinking glasses aren’t the only things you can make using glass pieces! Many people sell reclaimed glass beads for DIY jewelry making so you can create stunning pieces like this rustic Boho chic leather wrap bracelet. The Philosopher’s Wife shows you the technique for stringing the beads along the thicker leather pieces this way.
5. Pastel chalkboard mason jars
Does your family eat delicious jams and other glass jar packaged things at a crazy fast rate, giving you a collection of empty jars that seem too good in their quality to get rid of? Then get crafting with them! There are nearly unlimited things you can make from empty glass mason jars, but given our current obsession with pastel colour palettes, we quite enjoy this pretty chalkboard storage jar collection by Something Turquoise.
6. Painted golden confetti and streamer glasses
Have you always love the way fancy glasses with gold leaf painted detail look when you’re served using them in restaurants? Did you know that, with the right paint and a steady hand, you can make those same glasses at home, but control what kinds of fun patterns you create them in? Check out how it’s done on Sweet Little Sparrow.
7. Copper dipped flower vases
Unconventionally shaped glasses are fun in your cupboard, but if you find that they don’t get used their often, why not repurpose them rather than getting rid of them? Homey Oh My suggests painting them with lovely copper chrome finish paint, arranging them how you please on a length of matching painted particle board, and gluing them in place. Use this storage piece for desk and office supplies or makeup brushes!
8. Gold polka dot champagne glasses
Perhaps you have a nice set of crystal clear champagne glasses but you can’t help feeling they could use just a touch of extra style to match the rest of your formal tablescape? We felt the same thing about ours recently but even in our embellishing we wanted to keep things quite subtle. That’s why we liked this lovely golden polka dot tutorial from List Inspired!
9. Heart etched stemless wine glasses
If you’ve never done glass etching before, it can seem like a daunting technique to learn because the finish is so fancy, but it’s actually much easier than you might think! Start with a simple shape rather than complex lettering or very intricate designs if you’re worried. We love this simple heart design from Love Maegan, which gives your glass wares a friendly style and detail without being too hard.
10. Stenciled glass bottle seat markers
Maybe you like the misted glass effect that the etching technique leaves on the glass but you’d rather have a negative image and work with colours instead of just raised white images? Then try stenciling with glass-friendly paint instead! We love these glass serving bottles that have been stenciled with tables numbers for a big event. Check out how they’re made on Almost Makes Perfect.
11. Frost stenciled martini glasses
Perhaps you loved the glass frosting technique and aesthetic but hearts just don’t really suit your kitchen’s current decor scheme and you think you might be ready for a design that’s a bit more challenging? Then check out these awesome dotted circles by Sand & Sisal! They’re whimsical enough to suit any season.
12. Chalkboard drinking jars
Remember those glass jars we were talking about earlier? Well, this alternative idea from Modern Weddings Hawaii still uses chalkboard paint just like our other suggestion, but they’ve stuck to the classic black kind rather than going pastel. They’re also kept the paint on the outside so the jars can be used for drinking without worry about ingesting anything. Use the chalkboard heart to label jars with guest’s names at events!
13. Painted glass desktop organizer
Freutcake has a great idea for old glasses of all shapes and sizes, but it’s not drinking from them. Instead, give them a shiny new coat of paint and arrange and stick them onto a matching base in an uneven, care-not kind of way. The finished product is great for storing all kinds of things in any room of the house you please.
14. Wood and glass box night light
Do you remember throughout the 1990s when many homes had walls with grid shaped glass inserts shaped like squares? We lived in more than one house that featured a wall like this and we’ve always thought those glass pieces would be great for crafting. Looks like I Love to Create agrees! Just in case you happen to have one of those lying around, here’s a tutorial that will help you turn it into a cute night light or side lamp with a little bit of handiwork.
15. Pretty paint dotted glasses
Do you like the paint dotted looks you’ve seen on the list so far but you think you might prefer them if they were a little more “messy creative” and colourful rather than being more “subtle glamour”? Then check out this bright, cheerful coloured fingerprint look from Popsugar! We’re pretty sure these will look stunning and fun no matter what colour combination you decide on.
