During a recent visit to a thrift shop, I stumbled upon an elegant corked bottle nestled on the shelf. It was only when I picked it up and noticed the $3 price tag that I realized it looked exactly like the empty tequila bottle I had just recycled.
Perhaps you’re like me, feeling a bit awkward about the noisy rattle when wheeling your recycling bins to the curb, or you prefer investing in fine wines over home decorations (like me); in any case, transforming empty bottles into art pieces, lighting fixtures, and practical household items is a clever choice. Here are some creative suggestions.
Without a Glass Cutter
If you lack a glass cutter or any specialized tools, you can still get creative with your empty bottles. Begin by soaking the bottle in warm soapy water to remove the label. For any stubborn residue left behind, a little lighter fluid or another solvent can help.
1. Bird Feeder
Creating a bird feeder from an inverted wine bottle requires just a single wooden plank and some basic woodworking supplies.
2. Candy Jar
Fill a clean, dry bottle with your favorite treats to use as an alternative to a traditional candy bowl on your desk—mini bottles can serve as delightful adult party favors, too. For a decorative touch, paint a chalkboard stripe on it to write the recipient’s name or indicate the type of candy inside.
3. Yard Torch
While it’s simple to place a candle in an empty wine bottle, with just a few inexpensive supplies from the hardware store, you can transform your bottles into stylish torches that will light up your backyard. Fill the bottle with marbles and fuel, insert a tiki wick through a metal coupler, and ignite.
4. Table Card Holder
For a rustic wedding, a wine bottle topped with a cork can elegantly display a table number. Cut the cork partially down from the top and slide the card into the new slot.
5. Vase
An empty bottle can serve as a simple vase, but you might want to enhance its appearance by painting it, allowing swirling paint inside for a Venetian glass effect, or wrapping it with a beautiful ribbon using adhesive.
6. Candelabra
Arrange half a dozen matching bottles and place candles in their openings for a casual candelabra. For a more refined look, spray the bottles with metallic paint. You could also invest in candelabra bottle toppers to hold all your candles in a single bottle, which can be mounted onto a sconce as a permanent wall feature.
7. Rolling Pin
Keep a clean empty bottle in the kitchen for this purpose.
8. Boot Holder
If you have tall leather or vinyl boots that tend to flop over and crease, fill some empty bottles with pebbles and insert them into the boots to keep them standing upright.
9. Gift Container
A decorative, clean bottle can be repurposed to hold handmade delights: infused oils, homemade flavored vodkas, bubble bath—the possibilities are endless. For gifts that may take awhile to use, attach an elegant drawer pull to the cork for easy access.
10. Garden Edging
Bury bottles upside down to mark the boundaries of your garden. This method is ideally suited for areas that children do not frequently access, as broken glass can pose a risk.
11. Slow-Drip Waterer
By drilling a small hole in the cork, filling the bottle with water, and placing it upside down in the soil, you can create a slow-drip irrigation system.
12. Leveling Tool
To ensure framed pictures hang straight, use a bottle filled with water up to the label’s edge. Hold it so that the bottom aligns perfectly with the frame’s top, and make adjustments until the water inside is level.
13. Bottle Tree
Commonly found in the Southern United States and thought to trap bad spirits, trees adorned with colored bottles can serve as stunning landscaping elements, particularly in winter. There are numerous creative ways to arrange bottles on actual trees or special frames made for this purpose. Blue bottles are especially popular, so gather up your Bombay Sapphire gin, Skyy vodka, and Blue Nun wine bottles.
With a Glass Cutter
Glass cutting tools can be purchased for approximately $5 to $30 (less expensive than expected!). They typically come as a handheld tool or a drill bit, and they work by scoring the glass, making it possible to break it along the score line. This requires alternating heating and cooling of the glass a few times, or using a hammer to knock off the portion below the score. After cutting, be sure to sand down any sharp edges. This technique allows you to remove the top or bottom of a bottle, offering even more options for repurposing.
14. Hanging Planter
Cut the bottom off a bottle, fill with plants wrapped in moss, and hang it up for a unique upside-down planter that captures sunlight.
15. Drinking Glasses
Numerous online tutorials show how to turn empty wine bottles into drinking glasses. While achievable, it’s important to remember that the freshly cut edge can be very sharp, and your cutting technique might affect the edge’s neatness. Significant grinding and sanding may be required to smooth the edge enough for safe drinking.
16. Bottle Chandelier
There are many design options available online for chandeliers made from wine bottles. Generally, the process involves cutting the bottle, inserting a light source within, and attaching it to a suspended holder made of wood or metal. Although it requires some skills in glass cutting, woodworking, and light installation, the outcome can be breathtaking and serves as excellent decor for a rec room, man cave, or outdoor deck.
With a Drill
With a tile and glass drill bit, you can carefully create holes in glass bottles with a bit of practice.
17. Lantern
Drilling a hole in the back of a wine bottle allows you to thread small LED lights through it, creating a lovely lantern. This same method can be employed in chandelier designs.
18. Festive Lights
Create holiday decor by drilling a hole in the bottom or side of a bottle and inserting a string of lights. While you could also place the lights in the top, this method is often less visually appealing.
Have any clever repurposing ideas for glass bottles that we’ve missed? Please share in the comments!
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