How To Decorate Your Home with Murano Glassware

We all want to have a beautiful home, both for ourselves and to impress our guests. One of the most stunning and unique ways to enhance your home decor is with Murano glassware. It can turn the plainest room into a spectacular and original space, even if you only have a few pieces.

What Is Special About Murano Glassware?

Murano Glass has been around for about 800 years. Murano is famous not just as a part of Venice, Italy, which is quieter and more authentic, but as one of the top names in glassmaking. Here, you will find family-owned workshops and factories that create this beautiful glass. As Murano glassware is blown and shaped by hand, it is usually expensive. Even though you may buy the same design as someone else, there will still be little differences between two seemingly identical pieces. When you buy a Murano art glass piece, you will know that you have a distinctive item that will stand out in your home.

How To Use Murano Glass in Your Home

You can embellish your rooms with sculptures or figurines, vases, and mirrors, and put your special photos in Murano Glass frames. Light your home with Venetian chandeliers or go a step further and use Murano plates, goblets, and water glasses for your dinner parties. Whether you decide to display just a single figurine in a special place in your home or create an entire Murano Glass interior complete with chandeliers and vases, your home will win from the unique radiance, color play, and sophistication of this ancient art form.

A Brief History of Murano Glass Art

The history of crafting this blown glass goes back to the 13^th century when the Grand Council of the Venetian Republic decreed that the glassmakers of Venice had to relocate to Murano. The Council was afraid that the many furnaces in Venice could create devastating fires and moved all of them a safe distance away from the city to another set of islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Because of the ensuing concentration of glassmakers on Murano island, it didn’t take long for Murano to be established as the center of glassmaking in Europe.

A glassmakers’ guild was created in Venice at the end of the 13th century and by the 16^th century, at least half of the population of Murano was employed in some aspects of glassmaking. Unfortunately, the 1630 plague and the conquest of the Republic of Venice by Napoleon in 1797 decimated the population, and by the early 19th century, only 16 furnaces still produced Murano glassware. Two of the most famous owners were the Salviati family and the Fratelli Toso, the firms that are now credited with the revival of Murano Glass. Subsequently, during the 20th century, there was a resurgence of glassmaking in Murano with artists and designers collaborating with Murano glassmakers, and now, Murano is the most reputable center of the finest handmade glassware and art glass in the world.

What Does Murano Glass Look Like?

Since the 1940s, Murano glass-making has been influenced by modern art, such as abstract expressionism. The colors used are strong and bright, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t still buy styles used in the past. One of the most popular styles is Millefiori which is multicolored glass giving the impression of fields of flowers. Cristallo glass has been produced since the 14th century and is a colorless glass with a yellow or green hue. Another popular style of Murano glassware is gold leaf glass which shimmers thanks to the use of infused 24k gold, a technique called “Gold Foil” or “Gold Leaf”. There is also Avventurina glass which seems to sparkle throughout. To create this illusion, metallic compounds are added to the molten glass.

What Are The Special Characteristics of Murano Glassware?

It is important to know how to tell authentic Murano Glass from counterfeits. There are many imitations of Murano glass on the market, and most of these are mass-produced. To tell the difference, there are certain things you can look out for. Many original Murano pieces are signed by the artist and may feature stamps or labels. However, there are other things you can spot. For example, chances are that there will be air bubbles due to the layering of the colors or clear glass will be slightly cloudy because the glass blowers don’t use lead. There is often a pontil mark on the bottom of the piece which is where the rod was taken away from the glass. Many Murano glass blowers like to add gold or silver specks to their pieces so look out for these as well,

What Pieces of Murano Glass Are Best for Decorating

Decorative Mirrors, Vases or Sculptures

It isn’t hard to decorate your home with Murano glassware and produce a spectacular effect. Hang a wall mirror in your hallway or, if you have a table, place a couple of photo frames or a Murano vase with flowers. Your guests will be virtually transported to Venice as soon as they enter your home. In your living room, you can have a wall display of sculptures or figurines, or hang a Murano wall clock for an attractive accent in any room

Lighting – Sconces and Chandeliers

Murano also produces beautiful lighting fixtures. If it suits your style, hang an ornamental chandelier in your dining room. It will be a focal point and one that guests won’t forget. Sconces would look great framing a mirror or lighting up your staircase in Italian style. Also on offer from Murano artisans are table and floor lamps, and pendant lights. With such a variety of styles and types of Murano Glass lighting, you are bound to find lighting fixtures that suit the style and size of your space.

Tableware

Although there is always the fear that someone is going to break one of your items on the dinner table, it is impressive to serve food and drinks using tableware and barware made of Murano Glass. You can purchase plates, cups, glasses, and serving forks and spoons, as well as candle holders which you can place in the center of your dinner table.

Bar Accessories

Murano doesn’t only produce tableware, the masters also craft excellent bar accessories and a variety of drinking glasses and tumblers for all types of drinks. Apart from goblets and glasses, there are decanters and carafes, bottle openers, bottle stoppers, and wine glass charms. You can have a wonderful Italian dinner party experience with a table set and decorated with authentic Murano glassware.

Eight Interior Design Tips for Murano Glass

1. Think About the Size of Your Room

The size of your room can influence the impact of the Murano Glass that you choose to feature. If you have a small room, a display of little figurines will probably enhance the space. However, if you are keen on a larger piece, stick to one as a focal point, and don’t overwhelm the room with too many large objects. When it comes to lighting, a chandelier may not suit a smaller room, so perhaps stick to a floor lamp or a sconce. 

Place a candle holder or a small vase in the middle of the dining table. If you have a larger room, you can have bigger objects, but don’t go over the top as even one piece of Murano Glass creates a powerful impression. A couple of pieces in strategic places are all you need, with perhaps a display of small figurines. A chandelier over the dining table or in a larger living room can also look beautiful and offer great lighting.

2. Consider the Color Scheme

When selecting which Murano glasswork to add to your space, consider the color of the room. It could be light or brightly colored, but, you will have to decide on whether you want the glassware to contrast or complement the color scheme. If your furniture and walls are light, you may, for example, want the Murano glassware to be bright so that it stands out. On the other hand, you may want the colors of the glassware to be muted to suit the atmosphere. The choice is yours. If you have a colorful room, you may still need to have brighter pieces as more subdued sculptures or figurines may be invisible. 

3. Pick a Theme

For a relaxed feeling, choose millefiori ornaments. Depending on the design, flowery Millefiori glass pieces may have a calming effect or can call attention with bold designs and bright colors. If you want to impress your guests by showcasing your interest in the arts, choose a Picasso head vase or a Picasso-inspired sculpture. For animal lovers, Murano masters craft a beautiful selection of animal figurines in various colors and styles. Children will love these but be sure to keep them away from their touch as the pieces are, of course, breakable. Collectors would be interested in Murano’s famous clowns, as well as larger abstract art glass pieces.

4. Showcase Murano Glass with Creativity and Use Lighting Techniques    

Be creative when you display sculptures and figurines. Choose a focal point that your guests will be drawn to. A good idea is to have a wall display showcasing similarly-themed figurines (for example animals or fish), or decorate a console table with family photos in Murano photo frames. 

Use natural lighting to highlight your Murano pieces by putting them on windowsills or you can direct artificial light onto the pieces. Illuminate your displays with fairy lights, LED lights, and spotlights so that your guests will be immediately drawn to them.  If you have vases, fill them with flowers to create a bigger impact and add greenery and freshness to your interior decor.

Make your display visually appealing. Create an arrangement of figurines by choosing one larger piece and surrounding it with smaller pieces, or just place one big sculpture in an eye-catching position.

If you have objects of varying sizes and heights, place the larger objects at the back of the display so that every piece can be seen and admired.

Another interesting way to display your ornaments is by adding natural features to the scene, such as seashells, dried flowers and plants, stones, and greenery. Murano glassware can also look good if displayed near potted plants. This is especially relevant if you have colorful Murano Millefiori sculptures or vases.

5. Rotate Your Displays

To keep your Murano displays interesting and vibrant, rotate the pieces so that you focus on different items. If alternative ones are highlighted each time guests come, they may even think that you have bought new pieces. This will also give your room a new, fresh look, which you can enjoy.

6. Place Your Murano Glass Where It Won’t Be Damaged

Murano Glass is fragile and although you have little control if your guests are using plates and wine glasses, when it comes to ornaments, put them away from high-traffic areas or little hands who may want to grab them. Murano glassware is not only expensive but also notoriously hard to replace, so you don’t want to lose any of your pieces.

7. Use Murano Glassware for Dinner Parties

Murano glass makes a beautiful addition to the dinner table. To enhance the effect, place candles in candle holders on the table and use subdued lighting. There are different styles of candle holders such as Cristallo which looks plain yet sophisticated. Millefiori candle holders are richly colored and will look great with white candlesticks. You don’t have to invest in plates for each course but instead use ordinary plates and buy Murano serving plates and serving utensils.

Why not decant your wine into a Murano carafe and put table water into a Murano pitcher? Tumblers, wine glasses, champagne glasses, and shot glasses are great additions to your bar. If you buy different colors and styles, let your guests choose their favorite for the evening.

8. Consider a Christmas Display of Murano Glass

Celebrate the holiday season with Murano Glass Christmas ornaments and Christmas-themed figurines, including Madonna and Nativity scene figurines, angels, Christmas bells, and Santa sculptures. These figurines can make a beautiful display and bring holiday cheer into your home. You can choose between different themes such as religious motifs, Christmas trees, or Venetian focus. You can have the pieces up during the holiday season and beyond, often people find them so beautiful that they want to extend the Christmas season.