Colorful Glassware is Trending — Here are 5 Ways to Display Your Collection to Give it Pride of Place in Your Home

Your tinted glassware is too pretty to be hiding behind a cabinet door, so take our advice along with the experts' and spotlight your curated collection

colorful glasses mixed and matched on a table
(Image credit: Anthropologie)

Colorful glassware is one of my favorite trends to have risen in popularity over the course of the year. The concepts of striking glassware interspersed with vibrant hues that come together to form a cocktail of color, what could be better? We're all for going extra when it comes to our tablescape, so tinted glassware is a big decor green flag if you ask us. However, it's rather unfortunate that these colorful beauties are often hidden away behind the opaque doors of a cabinet. The sheer allure of these glass items requires them to be kept in a place that receives the attention they deserve.

I'm not alone in my mission to showcase my multicolored glassware. I spoke to a couple of experts who agree with the fact these glass goods shouldn't be screened. The best part is that you don't need any sort of new addition to display your collection. In fact, most homes feature plenty of lovely spots fit for displaying your best colorful glassware. Time to dust off your curated range of chromatic glassware and flaunt it with pride.

1. Open Shelves

Small green kitchen with open shelving

(Image credit: Sebastian Bottcher)

Interior design expert Nina Lichtenstein tells me that she adores her colored glassware and has it visibly placed around her home for all to admire. She goes on to tell us that open shelving makes for a great spot to feature colored glassware. 'Showcase your colorful glassware on open shelves in the kitchen, dining room, or living area and arrange them by color or size to create an eye-catching display that doubles as functional storage,' she says.

Open shelving is a contemporary furnishing that is common to most modern kitchens and living rooms. Rehoming your collection onto open shelving units will help you declutter but it'll also infuse the space with a splash of color.

2. Bar Cart

A living room with a small, sleek bar cart

(Image credit: Thomas Guy Interiors)

Colored glassware and bar carts are a match made in heaven, and Nina thinks so too. She recommends showcasing colored glassware on a bar cart or decorative tray to create a stylish beverage station in your home bar. 'Mixing in other bar accessories like cocktail shakers and decanters for a cohesive look,' suggests Nina. Styling your bar cart with a range of funky glasses is the perfect way to bring a chic look to your space. This is an especially great idea if you keep your bar cart in a relatively central area like your living or dining area.

When you think of glassware, it's customary to consider drinking glasses but we also classify jugs, and carafes under this category. This in turn means that you can finally display the kitchen additions that are as captivating as they are convenient.

3. Window Sill

Daffodils in blue vases on a windowsill

(Image credit: Getty Images)

While it may not be your go-to location for exhibiting your colored glassware, the windowsill happens to be a fantastic nook to let your curated collection see the light of day. Of course, chromatic glassware isn't limited to colorful wine glasses - it also incorporates the likes of vases and bottles, too.

According to Ana Coddington, lead designer at Archival Designs, displaying your collection of colored glassware effectively can transform it into a focal point of your home decor, enhancing the overall aesthetic of your living space. 'To showcase your colored glassware beautifully, consider the lighting, arrangement, and background against which the pieces are set,' notes Ana. 'Natural light can illuminate the translucent qualities of glassware, making the colors truly vibrant.'

Nina also tells us that placing colored glassware on window sills is a wonderful way to catch the light and create beautiful reflections. As long as you ensure that the ledge by the window sill is wide enough to support your glass and that it doesn't pose a safety risk, this sunny setting is sure to spark joy.

4. Dining Table

A large table with different-colored glasses

(Image credit: Broste Copenhagen)

If you've been trying to find ways to spruce up your dining area, look no further. Setting a fabulous tablescape doesn't have to be restricted to dinner parties and fancy occasions. I truly believe that a table can be decorated regardless of whether it's in use at that moment, and your dining table is the perfect place to feature your colorful glassware.

'Create stunning tablescapes by incorporating colored glassware as part of your dining table decor,' suggests Nina. 'Experiment by mixing and matching different shapes and colors for a lively and inviting setting.' Not only do these household items fit the ambiance of a table but they're a perfectly fashionable way to dress up your dining room.

5. Glass Cabinet

A pink display cabinet with iridescent glass doors decorated with vases, books and spirit bottles

(Image credit: Webb & Gray)

This particular rendition of cabinetry is the exception to the rule when it comes to avoiding storing your colorful glassware in cabinets. Glass cabinets are a great space to display tinted serving-ware since they can easily double as a form of decoration.

Nina explains that storing colored glassware in glass-front cabinets protects them from dust while also allowing them to be admired. 'To enhance the visual impact, consider installing a wood panel or wallpaper as a backdrop inside the glass cabinets to create an intriguing setting for showcasing your glassware,' says Nina. She also suggests using internal lighting to highlight the vibrant colors and textures of the glass.

When decorating with your colorful glass collection, Ana urges interior enthusiasts to consider the backdrop as much as the lighting. 'For colored glass, a solid, neutral-colored background or mirrored back panel can enhance the visibility of the intricate details and colors of the glassware,' she says, adding that varied colors, heights, and shapes of glassware can create visual interest thereby infusing your space with heaps of personality. So, if you have your colored glassware tucked away, this is your sign to bring them out and exhibit them artfully among the decorative elements of your space.

Our top buys for vibrant glassware

Amiya Baratan
News Writer

Amiya is a News Writer at Livingetc. She recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London, and has lent her words to beauty, fashion, and health sections of lifestyle publications including Harper’s Bazaar and Women’s Health. Her experience as a research analyst has equipped her with an eye for emerging trends. When she’s off the clock, she can be found reading, listening to music, or overanalyzing her latest Co-Star update.