All Vases & Terrariums

Narrow necks suit single stems and small bouquets by keeping them upright; wide mouths accommodate looser, fuller arrangements. Vase shapes determine the arrangement more than the flowers do — a cylinder holds stems vertical, a compote spreads them outward, a bud vase isolates one. Match the shape to the stem count rather than the flower species. The shape does half the arranging before your hands get involved.

Small vases are for one to three stems: a single-stem vase on a windowsill, a test tube in a magnetic holder on the fridge, a three-inch ceramic piece on a desk. They suit garden cuts too short for a full vase and single flowers worth looking at on their own. Chive's small vases run from the Frost porcelain piece to the Pooley, which holds several small stems in individual tubes so each one stands alone.

Tall vases are for long-stemmed flowers — gladioli, delphiniums, branches, sunflowers — and the rule is one-third of the stem below the rim so the arrangement does not tip. Weight matters as much as height: a ceramic tall vase carries more ballast than glass at the same size. Chive's tall pieces sit in the glass and ceramic collections; check the height in the listing against your stem length before choosing.

Large vases are for abundance — a dozen or more stems, a market bunch, seasonal branches — and for standing on a floor or a sideboard where a small piece would disappear. Choose a wide mouth so the stems can fall loosely, and a heavy base. Chive's large vases are ceramic, made by hand and designed in Toronto, so the weight that keeps a tall arrangement upright is built in.

Unique vases earn their place by looking finished when empty: a sculptural shape, a glaze or a colour that reads as an object rather than a container. Chive's astronaut, grenade, rabbit and bird vases, and the Pooley with its individual tubes, are designed to hold a shelf alone between arrangements. That is the test — if it needs flowers to justify itself, it is storage, not a unique vase.

The best centerpiece vases are low enough to see over and stable enough to survive an elbow: a compote for a spreading arrangement, a run of single-stem vases down the length of the table, or a wide ceramic bowl. Chive's Loft glass vases are the most-bought centerpiece vases in the range because they mix colours and heights in a row. Keep the tallest stem under eye level when seated. 

A studio that designs from the period's principles rather than its catalogue — a mid century modern vase should be shaped for function, coloured with intent, and free of decoration that exists only to decorate. This collection includes glass and ceramic pieces that follow that logic. The mid-century aesthetic was always about the object earning its place in the room. A vase that earns its shelf still looks mid-century. A vase that copies one just looks careful.

The best housewarming gifts are things that go straight into use in the new home and do not depend on knowing the decor: a vase is the classic answer because every home receives flowers eventually. A Pooley, a glass vase set, or a ceramic piece in a neutral glaze all work, and the same logic makes a vase a reliable hostess gift. Chive vases ship gift-ready to 40+ countries, with a gift note at checkout.