Anthropologie Inspired DIY Vase Decor Using Napkins (On a Budget)

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I love pulling inspiration from other places, and Anthropologie is always at the top of that list. Their stores are packed with gorgeous textures, earthy details, and decor pieces that practically scream “DIY me.” So… of course I listen 😉

Last year, my Anthropologie-inspired trinket dish ended up being a reader favorite, which honestly made me so excited. That project proved you don’t need to spend Anthro prices to get that high-end, collected look—and today’s DIY does the exact same thing.

If you’ve ever wandered through an Anthropologie storefront (seriously, they’re like walking through a design magazine), you know how inspiring their ceramic pitchers and vases are. And if you don’t have one nearby, their online shop is just as dangerous—in the best way. That’s where I spotted several white ceramic vases with layered patterns and subtle texture that instantly elevated a simple shape.

And if you know me, you know I hoard napkins… and white dishes… and pitchers… and vases. So naturally, this Anthropologie-inspired napkin decoupage DIY was right up my alley.

I picked up a simple white utensil holder from Target for about $8 on sale and immediately knew it would be the perfect blank slate. You can find similar ceramic pitchers and vases at thrift stores, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Kroger (Smith’s), or even Amazon—so this is a super flexible, budget-friendly project.

I’m sharing two easy Anthropologie-inspired DIY ideas in this post, starting with what used to be a plain-Jane white utensil holder. Let’s get started.

Supplies:

White vase or pitcher (options here)

Floral Napkins  (options here)

Decoupage medium (linked)

Scissors

Paint brush

Step 1:

Take your floral napkin and start cutting out the little designs. Depending on how big your piece is or how much you want to add to it will depend on how many you cut out.

Step 2:

Your napkin will more than likely have multiple plies, take off the top ply that is the design. This may take some time and patience.

Step 3:

Add the decoupage medium. You can do this one of two ways. The one I'm describing below is a finacky way of doing it, so I would suggest doing it the way I did it on the second vase at the end of this post. But, this did work. I added the decoupage medium directly to the back of the napkin, and then placed it on the utensil holder. I thought doing it this way would keep the rest of the holder cleaner. It would have if I was careful :) So, in the end, it didn't matter.

Step 4:

Add the napkin piece onto the vase/pitcher/holder very carefully. Make sure there are no lines and you get all the bubbles out....just make it as smooth as possible.

Step 5:

Once that is dry, add a layer of decoupage medium over the napkin. You can do this per piece or wait until the end and add the top layer of decoupage all at once to each napkin piece.

Step 6:

Once you added the first piece, keep going until you finished the design you had in mind. For this utensil holder, I wanted to add the florals to just the bottom portion.

This turned out so cute and perfect addition of color to this space.

This next Anthropologie-inspired DIY vase, I add the florals to the entire thing making it look more like the actual Anthropologie vase. This vase I thrifted for $1.50. I used blue floral napkins I found at Hobby Lobby. You can see some other blue floral napkin options here

Step 1:

I cut out all the floral pieces I wanted to use.

Step 2:

I took the top ply piece off that had the pattern on it.

Step 3:

I added the decoupage medium directly to the vase this time, not caring much about it getting everywhere since I knew I was covering the whole entire vase with the napkin pieces.

Step 4:

I add the cut napkin pieces carefully to the vase.

I made sure for some to go off the edge on the bottom and the top.

The top pieces, I folded down into the lip of the vase. I then cut the excess off the top and bottom.

Step 5:

After all the pieces were placed on the vase, I then added a layer of decoupage medium to the entire vase trying to be as smooth as possible.

Once it was dried, I added some eucalyptus stems into them. This turned out more beautiful than I had imagined! 

I love projects like this because they prove you don’t need expensive decor to get that Anthropologie-inspired look—just a little creativity and a good blank slate. Whether you’re using a thrifted pitcher, a Target find, or something you already have tucked away in a cabinet, this napkin decoupage DIY is such an easy way to add personality and texture to your home. And the best part? No two pieces ever turn out the same. If you try one of these ideas, I’d love to see how yours turns out—tag me or leave a comment below so we can admire your Anthropologie-inspired decor together.

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 Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”