I Followed the Head Vase Trend
Recently, my social media feeds have been overflowing with the same image repeated in different homes, different hands, different lighting. A head instead of a traditional vase. Faces holding flowers like hair. Ceramic expressions softened by petals. At first, I told myself it was just another trend, then I realized I had saved more than…
Recently, my social media feeds have been overflowing with the same image repeated in different homes, different hands, different lighting.
A head instead of a traditional vase. Faces holding flowers like hair. Ceramic expressions softened by petals.
At first, I told myself it was just another trend, then I realized I had saved more than a few of those posts.
After that, I mentioned it casually to my husband. “I kind of want one of those head vases.” He laughed, but a few days later, he suggested we go to Fleamasters together.
From our house in Mount Dora, it takes about thirty minutes by car, depending on traffic.
The drive itself feels like a shift in mood. Quiet residential streets give way to wider roads, louder surroundings, and a sense that you’re heading somewhere less predictable.
Walking Through Fleamasters
Fleamasters is not polished, and that is exactly why I love it. Long rows of open stalls stretch out under metal roofs.
Vendors arrange their goods in their own way, some carefully curated, others wonderfully chaotic.
You hear music playing softly from one corner, the sound of people talking and laughing, the occasional call from a seller who recognizes a regular customer.
The air smells like fried food, dust, sun-warmed fabric, and old wood. You can walk through Fleamasters open-minded, letting objects find you instead.
Finding the Head Vase
We eventually stopped at a stall filled with ceramics.
Shelves stacked with vases, bowls, planters, figurines, each piece slightly different, each carrying its own history. That was where I saw them – head vases, lined up at different heights, watching quietly.
One caught my attention immediately. A ceramic girl’s head, about eight inches tall, with soft features and closed eyes.
Her expression was calm, almost introspective. The glaze was a warm, matte white, not glossy, not cold. The sculpted hair was simple, intentionally understated, leaving room for flowers to do the talking.
I picked it up and felt the weight. Solid, but not heavy. The seller noticed my interest and said, “They’re popular right now, but this one has a nice face.”
I asked the price. Forty dollars, more than a standard vase, but less than many I had seen online.
I didn’t negotiate. “This one suits you,” she said as she wrapped it carefully.
Choosing the Flowers Carefully
On the way home, we stopped at a floral shop nearby. I already knew a head vase doesn’t need volume in the traditional sense, it needs softness. That is why I chose baby’s breath.
Baby’s breath is often underestimated. People think of it as filler, something secondary. But on its own, it has a quiet strength.
Hundreds of tiny blooms branch out from thin stems, creating a cloud-like effect that fills space without weight. Each flower is small, almost insignificant on its own, but together they create texture and air.
For a head vase, that texture is perfect. The baby’s breath floats and responds to light and movement. It can be shaped loosely, allowing the hair to feel natural rather than styled.
I chose a fresh bunch, paying attention to the stems. I wanted firm, green stems and tight buds that hadn’t fully opened yet. That way, the arrangement would change slowly over the next few days instead of peaking all at once.
Making It My Own With Color
When I got home, I didn’t place the flowers in water right away. I remembered what I had shared before about experimenting with color, and this felt like the perfect opportunity.
I laid old newspapers across the kitchen counter and separated the baby’s breath into smaller sections.
I didn’t want everything to be the same color as uniformity would make it feel artificial. I wanted variation, like highlights in hair.
So, I chose three spray paint colors. Soft white to keep some blooms natural. Pale blue for cool contrast. Blush pink for warmth.
I shook each can thoroughly and sprayed lightly, from a distance, letting the paint mist rather than coat. Some flowers picked up more color, others barely any.
I let them dry completely before touching them again. Once dry, the baby’s breath looked transformed, still delicate, but now expressive.
Bringing the Head Vase to Life
I filled the head vase with clean water and trimmed the stems short, much shorter than I would for a traditional vase. Head vases work best when the flowers sit close to the opening, creating fullness without height.
I started with the unpainted white baby’s breath, placing them toward the center to create a base. Then I added the pink and blue pieces gradually, spacing them so no single color dominated.
I didn’t push stems deep or force them into position. I let them rest naturally, allowing the flowers to fan outward and frame the face.
As the vase filled, the ceramic head stopped feeling like an object and started feeling like a presence. The flowers became hair, textured and alive, softening the expression and giving it personality.
Seeing the Result in My Home
I placed the head vase on a shelf in the living room where it catches soft afternoon light.
The colors shift gently as the light changes. Sometimes the blue feels more visible. Sometimes the pink warms the entire arrangement. It makes me smile every time I pass it.
