What to Put in a Decanter: Decorating Ideas Beyond the Bar Cart

Glass decanters have always caught my eye for their shape and beauty, which led me to wonder what to put in a decanter beyond wine or spirits.

Today I’m sharing simple ideas for decorating with these bar cart treasures throughout the house.

This blog contains affiliate links. This means a small commission is earned if you make a purchase by using this link. The price you pay will be the same whether you use the affiliate link or go directly to the vendor’s website using a non-affiliate link. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I’ll be honest right out of the gate: when I bought my bar cart, it had very little to do with beverages.

Sure, I like a pretty setup as much as the next person, but what really pulled me in was the styling potential. 

The glass. 

The shine!

And since then, I have learned to not only appreciate a beautiful wine glass, but a gorgeous glass decanter as well!

The excuse to collect beautiful decanters and scatter them around the house like little pieces of functional art. 

The drinks? Almost an afterthought.

I even created a second bar cart to display pretty bottles and decanters by transforming an Ikea utility cart. You can see this project HERE.

What I really wanted was a place to style a wine decanter, a glass whiskey decanter, maybe a whisky decanter with a loose-fitting glass stopper, and a few vintage finds that felt collected rather than curated. I loved the idea of a home bar, but more as a visual moment than a fully stocked destination for alcoholic spirits.

And once I started paying attention, I realized something: decanters are gorgeous whether or not they’re holding wine bottles, clear spirits, or anything drinkable at all.

So today, let’s talk about what to put in a decanter for decorative purposes (beyond the bar cart) and why these beautiful glass vessels deserve more attention than just during happy hour.

A Quick Word About Decanters (and Why We Love Them)

Traditionally speaking, the main purpose of a decanter is to hold wine or spirits after they’ve been poured from the original bottle. Wine decanters are designed to aerate, whisky decanters to store, and traditional decanters to look impressive while doing it.

But let’s be real: most of us aren’t decanting wine on a regular basis, and that’s perfectly fine.

Between standard glass decanters, lead crystal decanters, lead-free crystal, vintage decanters, new decanters, square decanters, and all the variety of shapes out there, it feels like a better idea to enjoy them for their visual appeal as much as their intended use.

The shapes of decanters—wide base, narrow neck, unique shape, intricate details—are what make them interesting. And once you stop thinking of them strictly as vessels for clear spirits or alcoholic spirits, a whole world opens up.

The ultimate goal here isn’t function alone…

It’s beauty!

Why Decanters Work So Well as Decor

A decanter is essentially a sculptural glass vessel. The decanter shape is designed to catch light, reflect it, and sit beautifully in tight spaces where a vase or jar might feel clunky.

Most decanters have:

• A narrow neck
• A wide base
• A stopper (sometimes loose-fitting, sometimes snug)

That combination makes them less ideal for everyday storage and more ideal for display. Which, honestly, is where they shine.

I like to think of decanters the way I think of a good friend: they show up, they look great, and they don’t require much from you on a regular basis.

Decorating Ideas for a Glass Decanter

Here are some of my favorite, actually realistic ways to use different types of decanters around the house. No bartender required!

Decorative Glass Marbles 

One of the best ways to use a decanter with a narrow neck is to lean into the fact that whatever goes in doesn’t need to come back out.

A handful of glass marbles or decorative spheres placed in the wide base adds weight and sparkle without filling the entire bottle. This works beautifully with clear glass and especially well with vintage decanters or lead-free crystal that has intricate details.

This is a great way to make a decorative piece feel grounded on a shelf or bar cart.

Cork Fairy Lights

This is one of those ideas that feels almost too perfect for a decanter.

Cork fairy lights are designed to slip right into the neck of the bottle, which makes them ideal for standard glass decanters and square decanters alike. The light pools in the wide base and creates a soft glow that feels cozy, not flashy.

This is one of the best ways to use a decanter during the winter months or for evening styling.

Floral Vase (Minimal Arrangement)

Closely related to the single stem idea, this is about restraint.

A decanter makes a lovely floral vase when you stop trying to make it behave like a traditional vase. One or two stems max. That’s it.

This works especially well with beautiful decanters that have a unique shape or a slightly wider neck of the bottle.

Plant Propagation

This is a great way to use a decanter that isn’t getting much love.

The narrow neck naturally supports plant cuttings while the wide base holds water. Watching roots grow inside a clear glass vessel adds life and movement to a shelf or windowsill.

Glass Decanter Bookend 

A heavy decanter makes a surprisingly good bookend.

Place it at the end of a row of books on open shelving or a console. Add marbles or glass weights to the base if needed for stability. 

It’s a great way to mix hardcovers with glass for visual interest.

Incense Holder Hack

This is one of those ideas that feels clever without being complicated.

Clip an incense stick to a small key ring, drop it into the bottle, and let the ring rest at the neck of the bottle. The incense burns inside the glass, ash contained, smoke drifting upward.

The swirling smoke inside the bottle is hypnotic!

It’s simple, sculptural, and works beautifully with a glass whiskey decanter.

Decanter Thoughts

Whether you’re styling a bar cart, a shelf, or a bathroom counter, decanters don’t need to be filled with alcoholic spirits to earn their place in your home.

From traditional decanters to modern glass whiskey decanters, the best ways to use them are often the ones that focus on beauty first. The visual appeal, the variety of shapes, the way light moves through glass…that’s the good stuff!

So if you’ve ever picked up a decanter because it was beautiful, not because you needed another place to store wine bottles, you’re in good company.

Sometimes the main ways we use things don’t have to match their original purpose. 

And honestly? That’s often where the magic happens!

Cheers!

A Little About Me

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Pin the image below to your boards on Pinterest (just click the Pin button in the top left corner). You can also follow along with me on Pinterest!

Repurpose and Decorate

DIY Monogrammed Picnic Basket

DIY Crackle Glass

Creative Upcycle with Decoupage

Let’s Go Shopping