The vases you need to up your interiors game

From the abstract to the iridescent, these are our favourite pieces to decorate our shelves with

After months of the same four walls working from home, an artistic or abstract vase can be a simple way to revamp your space (iStock/The Independent)

When trying to update your interiors, it can often feel like an expensive endeavour, but there's many ways to revamp your space without buying a single bit of furniture. Which is where home decor comes in.

Many of us have turned to statement pieces such as design-led candles and indoor plants to refresh our spaces, and vases are well worth shopping around for.

To save you the hard work of trawling through the shops, we’ve brought you the minimalist, abstract and artistic styles to display your flowers and foliage, or even stand as a statement piece on their own.

From the high-end to the high-street, there’s something for every budget, and considering some of us may be working at home for many months more, you may well be sick of your four walls and are looking to make a change.

Here we've rounded up the quirky, cool and completely unique vases that will take your interiors to the next level.

You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Contemporary

An ode to the seaside, this medium ceramic shell vase (Trouva, £17) is made from unglazed red clay, which gives it an artisanal, rustic feel, and is one of the vase shapes that's all over our Instagram feeds at the moment.

This terracotta vase depicting a shell is almost as good as being on the beach (Trouva)

While arguably a standout piece in its own right, a handful of tall pampas grass stems or little bunny tails make this a pretty addition to your fireplace or shelving.

This girl power vase (Rockett St George, £35) symbolises women’s empowerment and is an image often seen around the world on placards at women’s marches.

These vases will clutch a bouquet of flowers and brighten up any room (Rockett St George)

Available in three skin tones, the ceramic vases have a clasped fist which conceals an opening for flowers, it’s fun, playful but with an important message.

This Raawii jam earthenware vase (Selfridges, £200) is proof that a stunning piece of home decor doesn’t necessarily have to be pristine.

This vase has mastered the art of making a mess (Selfridges)

It’s designed by Danish artist Michael Kvium, who is known for his grotesque human figures, and has taken his style and made what some people might see as a mess into a striking art piece.

Female figures

Many aspects of interiors from wall art to candles have used the female form for inspiration, giving sculpture style figurines a contemporary update.

We love this seletti white love in bloom heart vase (Trouva, £72.99) that pays homage to anatomical biology.

We love this literal take on a heart-shaped vase (Trouva)

Keep with the love theme by using it to display red flowers for a thoroughly modern take on a romantic gesture.

If you're after something a little more personalised, ugly clay pot (Ugly Clay, £25) is just that. These custom-made pots portray a more realistic depiction of the female torso, or any anatomy you choose.

You can order a lifelike depiction of a female torso and even reference a photo or sketch (Ugly Clay)

Founder Ray describes them as "imperfect handmade clay pots" and we couldn't agree more. Made from clay and painted with acrylic in north Wales, they're cute and fun. When placing an order, you can reference images, sketches and photographs for a lifelike design.

These Anissa Kermiche breast friend vase (Anissa Kermiche, £410) that celebrate the female form have built a cult following, thanks to their unique design.

Splash out on this figurine vase that's a pricey but state-of-the-art piece (Anissa Kermiche)

Fill it with foliage for a kitsch finish or let it stand proudly as a dresser centrepiece.

However, if you’d prefer a full body shaped vase this ceramic woman torso flower vase (Etsy, £23.38) is perfect.

Embrace the female form with this full-body length designs (Etsy)

Available in gold, grey or pale beige, we’ll be adding a bunch of eucalyptus to it and keeping it proudly on our shelving units.

Abstract

Any artist will appreciate this crouched tube vase (Etsy, £70) that mimics a scrunched up tube of paint.

Super kitsch and unique, we can't get enough of this squashed tube design (Etsy)

It’s a porcelain vase inspired by the crouched woman design made famous by sculptor Henry Moore.

If you want to enjoy your foliage and flowers from all angles, this iridescence deco vase (Etsy, £36.40) shows it off in a really fun way.

For one-of-a-kind designs, Etsy has endless amounts of handmade pieces to decorate your windowsill with (Etsy)

The holographic arch-shape will catch the light in any room and create an ethereal glow while showing off stems and leaves that are typically unseen.

This serpentis vase (House of Hackney, £295) channels the Medusa, the snake-haired woman in Greek mythology.

Fill with lush, green leaves and make this serpent vase a centrepiece (House of Hackney)

While what you put inside the vase is to be considered, personally we’d opt for foliage over flowers, it’s equally important that the gilded serpents get their moment, as they lie slithered over the edge.

It’s available to pre-order now before being dispatched from 1 September, and with every order House of Hackney will make a donation to Friends of the Earth a campaign which is aiming to double the number of trees in the UK by 2045 to help wildlife impacted by climate change.

With this Jonathan Adler gilded muse I-scream porcelain vase (Selfridges, £88), it combines two of our favourite things, interior shopping and ice cream.

This gold-gilded ice cream cone will add a playful touch to any mantelpiece (Selfridges)

As it makes such a statement, we’d recommend pairing this with a single stem flower so as not to distract from it, while still serving its purpose.