Elegant Accessorizing with Glass and Crystal

Elevate the look of your room with these exquisite obelisks, orbs and other accessories that range from dainty to weighty.

Glass objects are a go-to accessory for some designers, whether as a focal point in a contemporary condo or finishing touches in a historic home. They're timeless and classic accessories that go with any interior design scheme, says designer Lauren Davenport Imber.

Chic Neutral Living Space with Desk and Glass Orbs on Coffee Table

Chic Neutral Living Space with Desk and Glass Orbs on Coffee Table

Designer Lauren Davenport created a chic space with neutral decor and a collection of glass orbs on a coffee table.

Photo by: Davenport Designs/Lauren Rubinstein

Davenport Designs/Lauren Rubinstein

Glass and crystal accessories came into our homes in a variety of ways. An heirloom. A treasure from a day of antiquing. A hand-blown orb worthy of a splurge. A vase that held a bouquet from a special someone.

These designer showhouse spaces and vignettes made it clear how glass and crystal objects can elevate both entertaining and intimate spaces.

Obelisks are making a comeback. Crystal obelisks crowned both ends of the mantel in the wood-paneled living room designed by Stan Topol for the 2017 Southeastern Showhouse in Atlanta. The room includes a sectional sofa, a French reproduction chest as a coffee table and an abstract canvas.

Wood-Paneled Living Room and Conservation Area

Wood-Paneled Living Room and Conversation Area with European-style Furnishings

Crystal obelisks crown both ends of the mantel in the wood-paneled living room designed by Stan Topol for the 2017 Southeastern Showhouse in Atlanta. The room includes a sectional sofa, a French reproduction chest as a coffee table and an abstract canvas.

Photo by: David Christensen

David Christensen

“You’re starting to see more of them, whether it’s on a side table or console tables or mantels,” Davenport Imber says. “It can stand alone on its own or just kind of disappear into the background and add the weight factor.”

A beamed and vaulted living room decorated by Georgia designer Sally Draughon features accessories such as glass obelisks on the mantel. The room, which also included provincial furniture and double gold chandeliers, was part of the 2017 Design House for the Historic Macon Foundation.

Beamed and Vaulted Living Room with Stone Fireplace

Beamed and Vaulted Living Room with Stone Fireplace and French-inspired Design

A beamed and vaulted living room decorated by Georgia designer Sally Draughon features a stone fireplace, double gold chandeliers, a monochromatic palette, provincial furniture with a whitewash and accessories such as glass obelisks on the mantel. The home served as the 2017 Design House for the Historic Macon Foundation.

Photo by: Matt Odom Photography

Matt Odom Photography

Obelisks also add stature to consoles and coffee tables, like grouped on a glass-topped table.

Light and Airy French-style Room with Glass-top Table and Crystal Obelisks

Light and Airy French-style Room with Glass-top Table and Crystal Obelisks

Crystal obelisks top a glass table used in a French-style room decorated by Huff Harrington in Atlanta.

Photo by: Huff Harrington

Huff Harrington

If obelisks aren’t the shape you want, consider finials. A delicate crystal finial, glass lamp and mirrored desk lend themselves to the airy ambience of a windowed space design by Huff Harrington.

Elegant Window Niche with Mirrored Desk and Zebra Print Stool

Elegant Window Niche with Mirrored Desk, Zebra Print Stool, Glass Lamp and Crystal Finial

A mirrored desk, glass lamp and delicate crystal finial lend to the airy ambience of this all-windows space designed by Huff Harrington.

Photo by: Huff Harrington

Huff Harrington

When antiquing or traveling, look for glass objects, such as orbs or balls, especially ones that have artistic designs within, such as bubbles and cone shapes. Davenport, for example, used an orb with designs that looked almost like a whirlwind because of the way the glass was blown.

She suggests using a small grouping of small- to mid-sized objects instead of one piece on a coffee table. “It can get lost on its own," Davenport Imber says.

Glass Orbs and Vase on Rimmed Metal Side Table

Glass Orbs and Vase on Rimmed Metal Side Table

Designer Lauren Davenport grouped glass orbs and a dainty vase on a rimmed metal side table to accessorize a space.

Photo by: Davenport Designs/Emily Followill

Davenport Designs/Emily Followill

Even though the items are see-through, reflected light and translucency command the eye and brain to work together in order for the object to actually be “seen," says Brad Cruickshank, owner of Cruickshank Remodeling.

Dainty glass pieces are gorgeous gems in a blush-hued, feminine ladies dressing room designed by Womack Jowers Interiors for the 2016 Southeastern Showhouse in Atlanta.

Feminine Ladies Dressing Room

Feminine Ladies Dressing Room

A feminine ladies dressing room designed by Womack Jowers Interiors for the 2016 Southeastern Showhouse in Atlanta has a blush hue, gorgeous detailing on the furniture and dainty glass accessories.

Photo by: David Christensen

David Christensen

“It adds just a little bit of sparkle,” Davenport Imber says.

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