Your cart

Your cart is empty.

Continue shopping
You'll love these, too
New life for bottles

What to do with old glass bottles? 6 creative ways to give them new life

Return your refundable glass bottles to the store, but what about the rest? You can turn old bottles into, for instance, a lamp, a vase, or a mini garden. Check out these ideas!

September 22, 2025Lue suomeksi

1. Paint a vase

Glass bottles painted in blue

It’s easy to turn glass bottles into charming single-stem vases. You can paint the bottle inside or out: painting the inside preserves the glass’s shine, while matte paint on the outside makes it look like ceramic. Finish by decorating the bottles with simple designs. Check out the instructions for painting bottle vases! [in Finnish]

2. Transform into a lamp

DIY rattan lamp

Have a large glass bottle in storage collecting dust? Turn it into a lamp base! The rattan shade is woven around a metal frame, and it’s best to leave the actual electrical work to a professional. Check out instructions for making a rattan lamp! [in Finnish]

3. Cut them into lanterns

A glass bottle turned into a candle lantern

You can create beautiful candle lanterns from the bottoms of glass bottles—and save the top parts for a dramatic ceiling lamp, for instance. Score the bottle with a glass cutter, then alternate dipping it in hot and cold water until the score line cracks. Separate the top and bottom, then carefully sand the edges. Check out the instructions for making candle lanterns from glass bottles! [in Finnish]

4. Create light-up bottles

Painted light-up bottles

Making light-up bottles is a fun activity for an evening with friends or children. A whimsical scene painted on the bottle looks stunning once a string of lights inside brings the design to life. For instance, dab designs with a piece of cleaning sponge, and use a brush for details. Check out the instructions for light-up bottles here. [in Finnish]

Halloween glass bottles

Excited by the idea? Get ready for Halloween by painting bottles that look a bit more ominous. Check out the instructions for Halloween light-up bottles! [in Finnish]

5. Decorate with a gradient

Gradient-colored glass bottles

Old juice and soda bottles get a fun gradient effect using leftover paint. You can paint a base color on the inside or outside, then spray the bottom portion with a gradient using spray paint. If you use colored bottles, skip the base coat and spray only the bottom part. Check out the instructions for gradient-colored bottles! [in Finnish]

Tip!

Keep in mind that you can’t return painted glass bottles to a glass collection point. Instead, dispose of them with mixed waste.

6. Build a mini garden

Bottle garden

Have you heard of a bottle garden? It makes a fantastic gift for a friend who forgets to water regular houseplants. Once sealed with a cork, the large glass bottle creates its own little world that only needs sunlight. Check out the instructions here for setting up a bottle garden!

Most recent
Latest
terve
Terms and conditionsPrivacy policyOur cookie policy