Collecting teacups is one of the most rewarding hobbies. With all the patterns, designs, and colors you can find, it’s like a treasure hunt whenever you visit thrift stores. There are so many clever ways to repurpose old teacups around the house, and even a large assortment can usually be displayed rather than hidden in a cupboard. However, if you have come up short on ideas to show off your pieces, it may be time to think outside the box (or rather, inside the jar). By adding some thrifted teacups to a large glass jar, you can create beautiful upcycled home décor and a unique display that builds a point of interest in any room. Another perk of reusing teacups to create a display vessel is it keeps your ceramic pieces safe.

This is such a simple and affordable DIY, and there isn’t much you need to do to make it work for your space. It might be helpful to pick which teacups you want to use, as that will then determine the size of the glass jar you’ll need to find. Search online or in thrift stores for a glass vessel with a large opening, as this will be integral to fitting your cups in. 

The key to this DIY to show off your coffee and teacup collection is to have enough cups so that the glass jar seems full, but not overly cramped. You can likely fit four or five full sized teacups in a 5.5 gallon glass container, but this may vary. Part of the interesting aspect of this is that all the cups are added in various positions inside the vessel, not stacked or organized in any particular way. Place some upside down or on their side to create an eclectic layout. If you want to make a certain color in your room pop, using cups with these shades would be a great accent and a way to complement certain hues. They can also be all different and feature a variety of colors — the display really comes down to personal preference. Since hanging mugs from the ceiling may be an accident waiting to happen, this gives you an alternative that protects them, too.

To elevate this even more, add in seasonal faux florals or even just baby’s breath to fill the negative space between the cups. The glass jar doesn’t need every single crevice to be filled, as the open areas will help draw the eye. But a few extra leaves or flowers could help create more flow between the cups and glass. You could also swap florals out for twinkle lights, bringing a creative illuminating piece of art for your various spaces. Just opt for remote battery-controlled lights so you can turn them on without disrupting your teacups.