The Joanna Gaines Vase Formula
Joanna Gaines doesn't just put flowers in a vase and call it a day. Watch any episode of Fixer Upper and you'll notice a pattern — earthy textures, muted tones, organic shapes, and vases grouped in odd numbers. It looks effortless. It isn't. But once you understand the formula, it's easy to replicate.
The style she's known for sits right at the intersection of farmhouse and modern. Rough meets refined. If you want to dig deeper into that aesthetic, we break it down in our guide to what farmhouse modern style actually is. Here, we're focused on one specific tool in the toolkit: vases.
Material Matters Most
Farmhouse modern vases aren't glossy. They're not high-shine ceramic or polished glass. The materials that define this look are textured, matte, and grounded — think terracotta, concrete, stoneware, and raw ceramic.
Concrete gives you that industrial-meets-organic edge. Our Concrete Vases have the kind of weight and texture that anchor a shelf or mantel without trying too hard. Terracotta works the same way. A set of Black Terracotta Vases reads rustic in material but modern in color — exactly the tension this style thrives on.
If Joanna Gaines taught us anything, it's that the vessel matters more than what's in it. An empty vase with the right finish does more work than a dozen roses in a generic container.
Stick to Earth Tones
The farmhouse modern palette is dirt, sand, clay, charcoal, and cream. No bright colors. No pastels. If it looks like it came out of the ground, it probably belongs on your shelf.
Warm neutrals are the sweet spot. Something like the Sandstone Flow Vase captures that perfectly — the kind of organic, flowing finish that looks hand-shaped and sun-dried. Pair it with darker tones for contrast. A matte black vase next to a cream one creates depth without competing for attention.
White works too, but it needs to be the right white. Not bright, not glossy. More like plaster or bone. Our Small White Vases have that chalky, understated quality that disappears into the background while still contributing to the composition.
Group Them, Don't Isolate
One vase on a table looks like an afterthought. Three vases on a table looks intentional. This is probably the most recognizable Joanna Gaines move — clustering vases in groups of two or three, varying height and shape but keeping the palette consistent.
The Earthflow Indoor-Outdoor Vases come as a set of three with graduated sizes, which takes the guesswork out of grouping. Place the tallest in the back, the shortest in front, offset slightly. Done.
For a tighter vignette — say on a coffee table tray — two vases with a candle or a small stack of books works well. We cover that setup in more detail in our post on how to decorate a coffee table with a tray.
Where to Put Them
Vases aren't just for dining tables. The farmhouse modern approach scatters them throughout the house — on entryway consoles, open kitchen shelves, bathroom counters, and especially mantels.
Entryways are prime real estate for a statement vase. A large planter like the Weathered Relic Indoor-Outdoor Planter on a console table sets the tone the second someone walks in. For more on styling that space, take a look at our farmhouse entryway table decor ideas.
Floor vases work in empty corners and beside furniture. The Rustic Earth Planter has enough presence to fill dead space without needing a side table underneath it. Dried pampas grass or tall branches — another Gaines signature — look right at home inside.
What to Put in Them
Fresh flowers are obvious. But the farmhouse modern look leans more toward dried and architectural arrangements. Cotton stems, eucalyptus, dried wheat, olive branches, or nothing at all.
Empty vases are completely valid. A sculptural shape with a good finish stands on its own. Seasonal greenery works when you want to rotate things — fresh clippings from the yard in spring, dried branches in fall. Keep it simple and a little wild. Overly arranged bouquets fight the whole vibe.
The Quick Cheat Sheet
Matte over glossy. Earth tones over color. Odd numbers over even. Textured over smooth. Grouped over solo. That's the framework. Everything Joanna Gaines does with vases comes back to those five rules.
You don't need to renovate a house in Waco to get the look. A couple of the right vases, placed with intention, does most of the heavy lifting. We carry a full range of vases in the textures and tones that work for this style — and we're happy to help you narrow it down if you stop by our shop in Costa Mesa or browse our Joanna Gaines-inspired collection for more ideas.
