'An antique dealer told me that if I bought it and made a drink that night, it would taste better. Who could resist that story?' – why designers and antique experts love decorating with vintage colored glassware

Better Vintage is a monthly celebration of objects that prove true style only gets better with time. Each story reveals why these pieces endure and why vintage examples carry more beauty, craft, and soul. With history, expert voices, and styling ideas alongside practical buying guidance, this is a collector’s guide to the most iconic secondhand pieces, because some things are simply better vintage.

Whether it's a row of slender blue apothecary bottles lined up on a bathroom windowsill or a dresser filled with a lifelong collection of antique glasses, vintage colored glassware quietly shines in even the smallest of doses.

Boasting a long-established history, colored glassware is a highly collectible (and much-loved) form of decor. From Murano tumblers to Blenko vases, the realm of vintage colorful glassware is endless, but its undying popularity is a testament to the unique delicacy that almost every piece exudes.

At its best in a light-filled room, decorating with vintage colored glassware always leaves a lasting impression. While it's not hard to find similar styles being produced today, the beauty of vintage pieces is the uniqueness, the quirks you just don't get from buying new.

The history of colored glassware

A practice that dates back to ancient times, colored glass has a surprisingly long history. It became a fully established practice during the Middle Ages when stained glass windows became a common feature on churches, chapels, and monasteries. Not long after came the arrival of Venetian glasshouses, which became known for their extraordinary glass treasures. This led to the formation of other still-standing houses in France, Germany, and England.

However, it's the creations of later masters that are most commonly collected today. Even the most novice colored glassware buyers will be familiar with some of the long-established names. The arrival of the 20th century welcomed many things, including an influx of glass manufacturers in the United States. 'Depression glass' was a relatively cheap, mass-produced glassware style that arrived in the 1920s and is highly collectible today, recognizable by its colorful translucence.

Fenton, another famous glassware maker, is best known for their highly collectible range of 'carnivalware', a name coined for a flamboyant line of glassware characterized by its bold colors and gold luster. The art glass company Blenko began producing colorful glassware in the United States in the early 1920s and is still a leading name in the industry. You can typically spot a Blenko by its distinctive marking at its base, where the pontil rod has been cut during the blowing process.

And of course, it's not just America that's known for its colorful glassware. Murano glass (originating from the small island near Venice) is perhaps one of the most widely recognized and most collected styles with one of the longest-standing histories. French glasshouses like Baccarat and Lalique rose to fame during the Art Deco period, and are highly sought after today due to their skilled craftsmanship and one-of-a-kind shapes and finishes.

Why is colored glassware better vintage?

Summed up by interior designer Thomas Burak, the beauty of vintage glassware is undeniable. 'My first foray into colored stemware was a set of Val St Lambert Blarney that I bought at an Antique Show in New York City. The dealer told me that if I bought it and went home and made a drink that night, it would taste better. Who could resist that story? I was hooked ever since.'

While it's more than possible to find colored stemware being produced today, the shared love for vintage styles is their fine craftsmanship. And, with such an array of makers and styles, it's not hard to find a design you'll love and treasure.

Thomas explains, 'I purchase most of the glassware by style and color, not necessarily maker. It’s all about the look. White Opaline Portieux Vallerysthal makes a pretty summer table, as well as its unique robin’s egg blue color. I have the color spectrum covered with cobalt, amethyst, amber, green, and red.'

It's the collectability of vintage colored glassware that makes it appealing, too, Thomas explains. 'I love vintage and antique colored glassware for its uniqueness and the individual look one can create with it. A dinner table or a room becomes truly yours. It’s fun to collect, and I feel the recycling element is so important for our environment.'

What should I look for and where should I buy it?

A collectible interior designers look for when antique shopping, some of the best vintage colorful glassware can be found at thrift stores, estate sales, and antique emporiums. In fact, it's rare to leave one of these venues without spotting a set of deep blue goblets or a collection of rainbow-colored dessert coupes. And that means you can also find them at really reasonable prices, too.

Vintage and antique collector, Vanessa Chaverri-Gratz, founder of The Gratz Life, almost always heads to an auction house when she's on the hunt for a matching set of colored glassware. She says, 'Auctions or auction houses are always my first stop, especially when I’m hoping to find full sets of glassware. For me, that usually means eight pieces, though others may be happy with four or six. Full sets are harder to come by in shops, so auctions tend to be the best place to find them. My next go-to is estate sales for the same reason: when you are shopping directly from someone’s home, there is a higher chance of finding a complete set.'

Justine Smiley-Jones, founder of The Vintage Pieces, knows a thing or two about glassware of all eras. 'I source vintage glassware mainly from antique fairs, my personal contacts (including specialist dealers), and occasionally even from my customers! This way of sourcing tends to ensure that I get to view a huge variety of colored glassware, whether I'm looking for a mid-century, sculptural piece, or a grouping of more delicate pieces.'

Justine adds, 'I like Empoli and Murano glass from Italy and was lucky enough to visit the island of Murano to see the craft of glass blowing in action. The techniques and effects achieved are superb. In addition, art glass produced in the UK is highly collectible, and I have sourced pieces from the Channel Islands and am still discovering wonderful glassware from Scotland.'

Gianluca Gimini, from Italian vintage specialists All'Origine, explains the artisanal quality of vintage glass from the midcentury. 'Lauscha is a German town and glass district with a history dating back to the late 16th century. The production of the 1960s is the one we are currently focusing on; pieces are usually of one solid color, but sometimes they have a clear base. We select yellows but also blues, greens, and the more rare purple. These vessels are featherweight, actually not as fragile as one would expect, but extremely light and aesthetically delicate.'

Before you start an antiques collection of glassware, always look at the condition. Interior designer Benji Lewis advises, 'Look for vintage glass online if you can’t make it to an antique shop, but in any case look out for chips obviously or small nibbles (to the rim of a vase for example); if they’re not immediately visible, you’ll feel them if you run your finger around the rim.'

Antique and vintage specialists, such as 1st Dibs and Chairish, offer a range of colored glassware from sellers across the world, authenticated by experts. Similarly, the beauty of eBay is the whole host of pieces available by a simple search.

How do I style vintage colored glass?

It's not hard for colored glassware to shine. Whether you're decorating a living room shelf with all your best pieces or you wish to elevate your home bar, the individuality of vintage styles makes them the perfect vessels to adorn any room.

'If you are lucky enough to have glass front cabinets, that is one of the best ways to display colored glassware,' suggests Vanessa Chaverri-Gratz. 'In our previous home, I had a section of cabinetry with glass doors where I kept my collection. I loved walking by and seeing the color, and guests loved choosing their own glasses.'

However, simply filling a shelf with a few standout pieces or placing one vase at the center of a table is more than impactful. Vanessa explains, 'I also use individual glasses in playful ways, as little vases for flowers, as catchalls for matchbooks, or styled on a coffee table or shelf. At the end of the day, the more fun you have with it, the better.'

A key part of displaying your collection is acknowledging its size and color. If you have a hoard of pieces in many bold shades or you own a few treasured bits of blue glassware, it's important to get the placement right. Consider how to style them collectively, while still being sympathetic to the rest of your scheme. You want them to shine, without overwhelming the space.

While some may want to source only the best maker from a specific era, colored glassware shines in groups of all styles. Justine Smiley-Jones says, 'Using glass as a decorative element in your home brings a lightness and reflective element to your interior and mixing glass from different periods, keeping within the same color groups, is most effective.'

For your display to be thoughtful and curated, think about the intention behind it. Benji explains, 'Work out the look you’re after, perhaps a single statement piece, in which case something in a bold abstract form or in a strong color, or a collection of smaller pieces in the same color on a shelf.'

Prioritizing natural light will allow your colored glassware to do what it does best – shine. Thomas says, 'I love using colored glass accent pieces in a room. A cobalt or amethyst hurricane, specifically placed, adds a unique glow when lit. A piece on a windowsill or a collection of multi color hyacinth bulb vases looks dramatic when the sun hits them. A blue Opaline lamp in our guest room gives off a beautiful luminescence.'

While it's always best to place your glassware on a windowsill or in direct view of natural light, there are other ways to illuminate your pieces. Benji adds, 'The point of glass is that it should glisten, so if the single statement approach was one I wished to pursue, then I’d try and work out how best to light my piece, likely with a small concealed uplighter that casts a wash of upward light onto it or through it.'

Colored glassware worth adding to your basket

With many forms, shades, makers, and eras, colored glassware is an endless realm that continues to enchant buyers from across the world. Despite its vastness, graceful elegance is a quality that all colored glassware shares, shining and uplifting on even the darkest of days. While finding colored glass in homeware stores of today isn't hard, the unexpected satisfaction of vintage shopping is something that newer styles can't quite compete with, and with such a far-reaching range of historic makers, finding treasure is more than possible when you know where to look.