Amber glass might be one of the easiest vintage pieces to decorate with in the fall. That warm honey, caramel, and golden-brown color instantly brings a little autumn warmth into a room, but unlike pumpkins and leaves, amber glass doesn't have to disappear when the season is over.
And as someone who buys and sells vintage, I can tell you that amber glass is not just a fall seller. It's popular year-round, but those warm tones really seem to shine once the weather starts cooling down.
The best part? You don't need a house full of amber glass to make it work.
Mix Amber Glass With What You Already Have
Amber glass is incredibly easy to mix with other vintage pieces. When I have it in my inventory, I love sprinkling it throughout a display with brass, wood, old books, dried flowers, greenery, candles, brown, rust and mustard textiles, smoky glass, stone, and crystals.
It works especially well with natural and earthy materials because the colors complement each other instead of competing.
Try an amber glass vase with dried florals, an old book and a brass candlestick. Or place an amber bowl on a wooden table with a few crystals inside. Even something as simple as an amber glass candleholder next to a stack of vintage books can create that warm, collected fall feeling.
You don't need everything in the vignette to be amber. In fact, I think that's when it gets more interesting.
Don't Make Amber Glass Your Entire Fall Personality
One of the biggest mistakes I would avoid is decorating with only amber glass once fall arrives.
Yes, amber glass is gorgeous. Yes, it's perfect for autumn. But if every single surface has a different amber glass object sitting on it, you can quickly lose the collected look you're going for.
Instead, use amber glass as one layer of your decorating.
Pair it with greenery or dried florals. Add some old books. Bring in a little brass, wood or stone. Mix in another fall color through a pillow, throw or artwork.
The goal isn't “I decorated with amber glass for fall.”
It's more like, “My home naturally feels warmer and cozier this time of year.”
Look for Vintage Amber Glass With Character
This is where vintage amber glass really gets interesting.
Genuine vintage glass can have beautiful signs of craftsmanship, including bubbles, swirl marks and variations that give each piece its own personality. Older glass was often heavier and thicker, with richer coloring and more interesting patterns and designs than some of the thinner, less substantial glass you find today.
When I'm sourcing, I'm especially drawn to staple pieces that are useful as well as beautiful: drinking glasses, goblets, ashtrays and bowls. I also love finding the more unusual pieces, like swung vases and blown-glass animal figurines.
Some vintage amber glass can also command much higher prices because of its rarity and desirability. Empoli, Blenko, swung vases, hobnail glass and L.E. Smith's Moon and Stars pattern are examples of pieces collectors actively look for.
But just because something is vintage and amber doesn't automatically mean I am buying it.
Condition Matters. A Lot.
Amber glass may be a hot seller, but I still won't grab just any piece I come across.
Glass is especially unforgiving when it comes to condition. I look carefully for chips, dishwashing wear, fading and cloudiness that doesn't seem removable.
A beautiful piece with a chip can be much harder to sell than one in excellent condition. And when you're shopping for your own home, there is no reason to bring home something damaged just because you love the color.
Hold pieces up to the light when you're shopping. Look around the rim and edges for chips. Check the surface for scratches and signs of wear. And don't assume every cloudy piece will magically clean up.
When you find a great piece in excellent condition, though? That's when vintage amber glass really shines.
Think Beyond Vases
When people think about decorating with amber glass, the first thing that often comes to mind is a vase filled with dried flowers.
And yes, that's a classic for a reason.
But don't overlook the other forms.
An amber glass bowl can sit on a coffee table or dining table. Drinking glasses and goblets can bring a warm vintage touch to a fall table setting. Apothecary jars can become decorative storage. Candleholders add that beautiful golden glow when lit.
And then there are the pieces that make you stop at the estate sale table and think, “Okay, I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do with this, but I love it.”
Those are often my favorites.
Let Amber Glass Carry You Beyond Fall
This is probably my favorite thing about decorating with amber glass.
It works beyond fall.
That's one of the reasons vintage amber glass is such a great piece to collect. You aren't buying something that has to be packed away after Thanksgiving.
In the fall, pair it with rust, mustard, brown, brass, dried flowers and cozy textures.
In another season, mix that same amber bowl or vase with greenery, lighter colors, wood or colorful glass.
The piece stays. You simply change what surrounds it.
And that is exactly what I love about decorating with vintage in the first place. The best pieces don't feel like seasonal decorations. They become part of your home and evolve with everything else around them.
So if you're looking to bring a little fall warmth into your space this year, start hunting for that gorgeous amber glow.
Just remember: you don't need a collection of 20 amber glass pieces. One great vintage piece, surrounded by things you already love, can be enough!