Looking through the glass

Glass items, when embellished with artefacts, can make for beautiful home decor items. Radha Prathi offers some creative suggestions on recycling and reusing those odd pieces of glassware at home

Many a time we lose a lot of beautiful glassware when we shift homes or become a wee bit careless. The loss is usually not in total - which means we are often left with an incomplete set of breakable kitchenware.

If you scout the market, it is quite possible to replenish your stock. However, that will amount to stocking up on more than you may need, because most shopkeepers will not sell the items you need in loose. Such being the case, you can carefully buy another set in a design and size, which can be used in a mix-and-match fashion with the one that you already possess.

If you still have some favourite pieces remaining, which fill you with nostalgia, you do not have to discard them. The possibilities of recycling and reusing glassware, close to your heart, are endless, once you give it a thought. Here are some ideas to use them creatively.

Fit ‘em in

Transparent glass tumblers and bowls can be used as mini glass cases to showcase your fragile art work, dolls or figurines. First, bring out all your treasured delicate and small-sized artefacts which need to be highlighted. Place your glassware over them in an inverted fashion and see to it that your artefact sits snugly inside the inverted glass. Once you find a matching glass case for all your petite collection, you can place them on your mantelpiece or on a corner stand. 

Those of you who have an aquarium can display the extra plastic greenery under these glasses when they are not in use. You can also place tiny dolls or colourful balls on the top to highlight your tiny showcases. This arrangement can be altered from time to time to suit your needs and tastes. This elegant showcase will not only protect your objet d’art from dust but will also invariably attract the eye of your guests and earn you some compliments.

Odd glass bowls, cups and plates can be filled with gaily coloured marbles and tiny pebbles or shells and left on tea tables or dining tables. It can serve as a place to leave notes. You can also leave keys beneath the filling and place the bowl amidst your pots on the window sill. On special occasions, you can fill the glass receptacles with colourful gel balls, which soak up water and gain attractive shapes. Those of you who want to avoid moisture in your premises for various reasons can try out this idea.

Bring out your spices or food grains and arrange them in a colourful combination of your choice. Then fill them in layers, keeping colour contrast in mind in your tall clear glass tumblers and cover them with a lid which fits snugly. These tumblers can double up as objet d'art on counter tops in your kitchen, dining area or pantry.

Hue and try

If you have the time and patience, you can colour table salt or rock salt using powder food colours. This way, you can give an innovative rainbow touch to the places in your home which need colour. Later on, you can discard the salt in your plants.

If you have one too many odd glass items around your home bring them all out. Wear your creative hat and assemble them into a corner table or a sculpture after your imagination. Once you are satisfied with the arrangement, you can glue them on with a good adhesive. Do not be surprised if this utility table or sculpture turns into a conversation piece.

Large shallow plates or bowls can be filled with water and you can strew rose petals and tulsi leaves and this can be left in a corner of the foyer, balcony or porch. You can make the piece more attractive by colouring the water with a drop of food colour and essence of your choice. Those of you who do not care for food flavours can use a drop of Eau de cologne or essential oil instead. If you have a large odd bowl, you can repeat the idea and light some floating candles or diyas and set them afloat.

You can design rangolis on large plates on festive occasions or very simply paint them on and use it as and when the occasion arises. Those of you who can wield a paint brush with dexterity and discipline can deem the odd glass item as a canvas of sorts and unleash your creativity.

Once you start working on these ideas, you are likely to come up with some of your own, which will leave you scouting for more such items around your home and those of your loved ones. Happy recycling.