Urns
21st Century and Contemporary European Urns
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary European Urns
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary British Urns
Wood
2010s English Urns
Brass
2010s English Urns
Brass
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Urns
Granite, Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Urns
Copper
20th Century European Greco Roman Urns
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary French Neoclassical Urns
Cement, Cast Stone
20th Century Italian Urns
Stone
21st Century and Contemporary French Neoclassical Urns
Cast Stone, Cement
19th Century Italian Antique Urns
Iron
Early 20th Century Urns
Terracotta
20th Century Italian Urns
Ceramic
1880s French Antique Urns
Terracotta
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Urns
Cast Stone
Early 20th Century French Classical Greek Urns
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Urns
Limestone
2010s French Classical Roman Urns
Cast Stone
Vintage, New and Antique Urns
When people think of antique and vintage urns — a type of vase with a round body, narrow neck and integrated pedestal — they tend to imagine funerary urns. But all manner of urns have been made over the years, and these vessels can be used as decorative accents either inside your home or in your garden.
Garden urns became popular in early Greek and Roman gardens, where they complemented classical statues and other garden ornaments. Over the years, people have used urns as planters, fountain basins and stylish decorative elements in interiors as well as outdoors in gardens, patios and firepit areas.
Urns are typically made of stone, ceramics or metal. Stone urns are highly durable; while an antique stone urn will show wear with age, it can be used in any climate, and a neoclassical-style cast stone urn with natural world motifs carved in relief is guaranteed to make a statement in your garden. Position two stone urns with vibrant hibiscus bulbs or tulips at the bottom of an outdoor stairway to set it off from other exterior features. Elsewhere, place your urn in the middle of a garden bed to draw attention to your dazzling landscape design. A good concrete urn can easily make a good home for small trees or shrubs, but it will be very heavy to move around.
A ceramic urn is likely going to have thick, robust walls. A glazed terracotta urn, for example, is going to be ideal for potting plants. As glazing is part of the potter’s process for creating a terracotta urn, the urn itself can provide a pop of color to contrast with any low-maintenance plants such as moss or succulents that you have in mind for it.
Metal urns are best used as decor in your living room or foyer rather than outside, unless you’re partial to the alluring weathered patina that is expected to characterize an antique cast-iron garden urn. If you’re planning to use a metal urn as a planter, add a plant liner first. Metal may overheat and damage a plant’s roots if they are not protected, and urns made of certain metals may rust if they’re left outdoors.
But you don’t necessarily need to turn your urn into a planter.
A large urn can hold its own as an accent in any space and create a strong focal point. Browse the collection of decorative antique and vintage urns on 1stDibs today.