25+ Summer Floral Centerpiece Ideas Using Thrifted Containers

Hey friends, I love to create unique summer floral centerpieces with fresh garden flowers. Adding those arrangements to thrifted containers gives me all the thrills. Not only are these summer centerpiece ideas budget-friendly, but they are totally unique.

Today, I’ve pulled together more than 25 of my favorite floral arrangements, plus my latest design. You’ll see all types of containers, from ironstone pitchers and vintage baskets to roadside finds. So whether you are looking for a tablescape centerpiece or a casual coffee table look, I’ve got you covered. Let’s take a look at my newest creation and then dive into all my favorites from past summers!

backyard bbq tablescape with bamboo plates & thrifted napkins & Free Hyrangea & Black Eyed Susan centerpiece

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New For The Season: My Latest Floral Centerpiece

When the hydrangeas begin to bloom, I get excited and can’t wait to bring a few stems indoors to celebrate the beginning of summer flowers. So, for my latest floral centerpiece, I decided to create a festive porch coffee-table vignette anchored with a basket tray. I have a couple of thrifted containers that I wanted to incorporate into this summer’s centerpiece arrangement.

First, I love this lettuce planter that I found last year. It’s perfect for holding a single large white bloom. Next, I found this green canister in Wilmington earlier this year, and I knew its bright green color would be perfect for enhancing the fresh blue and pink hydrangea blooms.

lettuce leaf planter with single white hydrangea bloom

green glass canister filled with fresh hydrangea pink & blue blooms

To fill in between the hydrangea blooms, I clipped a few nanadina greenery stems and some lolly pop blooms. I began with the nanadina stems around the jar’s rim. Then I added the hydrangea blooms, using the soft pink around the edges and filling the center with my darker pink and blue bloom. I added the lolly pop stems to fill any gaps between the blooms. Finally, I tucked in a few more nandina stems where they were needed to add structure to the arrangement.

green glass canister filled with fresh hydrangea pink & blue blooms, lolly pop blooms and nanadina stems.

To complete the summer centerpiece, I added a brass candlestick and a cute fat bird figurine to the round basket tray. With all the elements gathered, it creates a stunning vignette and adds the perfect summer color combination to the porch.

hydrangea arrangement in green glass & lettuce planter with brass candlestick and bird in round basket tray on coffee table on porch

Charming Basket Floral Centerpieces

I have a huge collection of handcrafted and vintage baskets. I love baskets and rarely pass up a good deal. This oversized basket captured my heart, and I’ve filled it many times to create centerpieces and more.

For this coffee table centerpiece, I used faux anemone flowers for an easy, refreshing summer arrangement. It was part of my post, “3 Vintage Basket Centerpiece Ideas: Thrifted Planter Ideas & Beyond.” I think you will love seeing all the creative ways to use an oversized basket in your decor.

overhead view of anemone flower in vintage basket for coffee table centerpiece

Another faux arrangement graced the greenhouse table. This huge basket not only held a large arrangement of sunflowers but also had room for a large fern. I shared this centerpiece in my post “How To Decorate for Sunflower Season.”

sunflower basket with ferns for greenhouse centerpiece

One Thrifted Basket: Two Centerpiece Ideas

This cute little handcrafted basket works great with floral arrangements. It’s a unique barrel shape that is smaller at the top, which is perfect for keeping the flowers arranged. I’ve filled it with peonies for this Quick & Clever Centerpiece Idea.

This Easy & Free Outdoor Centerpiece was created using the same basket filled with a mason jar to hold the water. I added hydrangeas, black-eyed Susans, and dried palms for this summer centerpiece. Then I placed the basket on a thrifted tray basket and added fresh peaches and lemons.

Thrifted Basket filled with faux peonies for Easter Centerpiece

Free and easy basket centerpiece for backyard bbq table setting

Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers for summer. They are also very easy to arrange for a stunning centerpiece. A few years ago, I only had just a few glorious blooms and didn’t want to waste them. So I added them to a thrifted basket and filled the other side with a fern. This simple basket floral centerpiece is still one of my favorite tablescape ideas. See more details about this arrangement at Easy Hydrangea Basket Centerpiece Tutorial.

easy hydrangea floral arrangement in basket

Another fresh flower that looks amazing in a basket centerpiece is lilacs. This fresh arrangement will create a lovely, rustic centerpiece for any table in your home.

lilacs in handcrafted basket for table centerpiece

One of my all-time favorite thrift store finds is this handcrafted basket vase. I’ve used it in the greenhouse, on my kitchen island, and even on my mantel.

Below, you can see how I created a centerpiece using faux lilac blooms and twigs gathered from my yard. See more details at Easy Basket Centerpiece & Tablescape Vignette Ideas.

When I added the woven basket vase to my kitchen island, I used some stunning faux stems and again added twigs from my yard for height.

kitchen island with woven basket centerpiece and DIY Copper Pot Rack

How to Style Fresh Flowers in Baskets and Other Thrifted Containers

For unexpected centerpiece charm, use items not intended for flower arrangements. These items will most likely not hold water, which is fine when decorating with faux greenery and flowers. However, if you choose to make your centerpiece with fresh flowers, you will need to add some watertight vessels.

I have used many containers when arranging fresh flowers. For my hydrangea basket, I used small bud vases because the basket’s bottom was flat and the vases could easily stand upright. However, for most containers, I find that either recycled tin cans, glass jars, or recycled plastic containers work best.

Just nestle the containers in the bottom of the vessel and add water. Ensure that your flower and greenery stems are inside the water containers as you arrange them.

how to add water to basket for easy hydrangea basket centerpiece

Fill Recycled Wooden Ice Cream Churn with tin cans to hold water for fresh flowers

Insider Tip

You may need to add filler to keep the tin cans upright in baskets without flat bottoms. I use recycled plastic grocery bags and stuff them in between the cans until they feel secure and will not tip over.

Styling Flowers in Vintage Ironstone

I love using a vintage ironstone pitcher for flower arrangements. I recently created a grouping of three pitchers for a kitchen island centerpiece. The results were a classic, elegant but rustic arrangement filled with vintage charm.

I used a combination of white snowball blooms, rosemary stems, and lilacs from my garden to create a budget-friendly kitchen island centerpiece. Read more about thrifting for and decorating with vintage ironstone pitchers.

three white ironstone pitchers centerpiece with fresh flowers and wooden riser

A single vintage ironstone pitcher is stunning, filled with free Queen Anne’s lace and gathered greenery. The screened porch table centerpiece is fresh for summer with a basket base and DIY grapevine topiary. A small concrete bunny completes the summer style.

Queen Anne's Lace in vintage ironstone pitcher

A favorite ironstone vessel holds a stunning arrangement of hydrangeas as the focal point of the Summer Poolside Tablescape. With the red berries and touches of baby’s breath, the arrangement is perfect for a patriotic tablescape.

poolside table with blue hydrangeas in a large ironstone container

The same vase creates a stunning Country Garden Table Centerpiece for our Supper Club Dinner Party. I simply filled the vase with as many crept myrtle stems as it would hold, and the free arrangement was perfect for the country setting.

table in corn field for country garden dinner party with ironstone vase filled with crepe myrtles.

Creative Ways to Use Milk Glass Containers

I have a large collection of milk glass, from large vases to simple bud vases. This patriotic tablescape combines both to create a simple yet stunning centerpiece. The patriotic table runner ties all the vases together for a cohesive centerpiece.

Milk glass centerpiece with vase & bud vases for patriotic tablescape

Combining milk-glass bud vases with a compote filled with azaleas creates a unique table grouping.

milk glass compote & bud vases with pink azelas for centerpiece

You’ll notice several pieces of milk glass used on the screened porch. I added tulips to the large milk glass vase inside a vintage toolbox with bunnies resting in more milk glass containers. In the background, another milk glass vase holds faux peach stems.

tool box with milk glass centerpiece and pewter bunny

Simple Elegance: Floral Bud Vase Centerpiece Ideas

Earlier this year, I created this centerpiece with vintage clear bud vases. They might have been lost on the table, but I used a DIY Crochet Doily Table Runner to anchor the arrangement.

I later switched out the table runner for a vintage platter for a simple centerpiece.

Flower centerpiece on DIY crochet Doily Centerpiece Table runner & Floral napkins

clear bud vases with flowers on a vintage platter for a table centerpiece

These thrift-store green vases were perfect for creating an elegant St. Patrick’s Day Tablescape, but with just a few adjustments to the table setting, you can use this centerpiece idea all summer long.

St. Patricks Day Tablescape with thrifted green bud vase floral arrangement and table setting

Since bud vases don’t have the impact of larger vases, I like to gather several to create a statement centerpiece. In the centerpiece below, I used a small vintage toolbox to hold six milk glass bud vases filled with fresh herbs and daffodils. Additional bud vases serve as candleholders for a creative, fresh centerpiece.

Milk glass bud vases with daffidol centerpiece

Fresh Herb-Filled Bud Vase Centerpiece

A bud vase centerpiece doesn’t have to be filled with flowers. This patriotic centerpiece used white milk glass vases filled with fresh herbs and small flags for a rustic outdoor table. You can learn more about creating free centerpieces using fresh herbs in this article.

free fresh herb patriotic centerpiece with milk glass bud vases

Creating Floral Centerpieces with Hurricane Candleholders

I ran across two identical hurricane candleholders at a thrift store and couldn’t wait to decorate with them. I’ve used them individually and together for several tablescapes and centerpiece ideas.

Below, I used this citrus-and-hydrangea centerpiece for a Supper Club Cinco de Mayo-themed tablescape. However, this type of centerpiece would work for any summer tablescape.

Cinco de Mayo Lemon Lime Hydrangea centerpiece for table setting

Although this container isn’t a hurricane, I wanted to share this round glass vessel here since I used fresh fruit and flowers again for this Everything Peachy Keen Table Centerpiece. Can you guess where the flowers came from? LOL! The black-eyed Susans have completely filled the area in front of our outdoor kitchen this year.

A glass vase is placed in the center of the peaches to hold water for the black-eyed Susan flowers. The base of the glass containers is filled with green moss to hold the peaches.

Everything Peach Keen Tablescape for summer

Peaches and Black Eyed Susan in glass container for Everything Peachy Centerpiece.

For a rustic coffee table centerpiece, I used the hurricane container filled with gathered grapevine, moss, pinecones, and paperwhite bulbs. See how this arrangement came together at DIY Coffee Table Accent: Paperwhite and Moss Centerpiece.

inside view of paperwhites in thrifted glass container for coffee table accent.

Other Unique Floral Arrangement Containers

This wooden ice cream churn was a roadside find. After cleaning it and adding a whitewash, it has become a favorite container for rustic flower arrangements. I’ve added fresh and faux flowers to create coffee-table centerpieces for my screened porch, front porch, and greenhouse.

You can read more about this fun find at How to Recycle a Wooden Ice Cream Churn: Free Roadside Find

black eyed susans in found wooden ice cream churn

fresh lilacs in old wood ice cream churn found on roadside - In greenhouse with bunny statuary.

A vintage brass boiler pot serves as a patriotic centerpiece when it is filled with red geraniums. This easy arrangement came together with pots of flowers dropped into the pot. I added an interior riser to keep the flowers above the rim of the container. See more at Patriotic Greenhouse Tour.

patriotic greenhouse tour with brass boiler pot and red geranium centerpiece

This coffee table centerpiece came together when I added a thrifted crock filled with yard clippings and a couple of white flowers. I was cutting back our overgrown nandina bushes when inspiration struck, and I decided to add a few of the clippings to a tall crock. To break up the greenery, I stuck in a few white faux flowers.

The results are a stunning coffee table centerpiece that costs nothing to make. You can see more about this centerpiece at How To Style A Rustic Coffee Table Centerpiece.

DIY Thrifted Earthenware Centerpiece

Another inexpensive way to create a summer centerpiece container is to shop thrift stores for containers you can upcycle. This inexpensive vessel looks high-end with a Pottery Barn-inspired Earthenware Makeover.

The table centerpiece consists of gathered greenery, zinnas, and marigolds picked from the garden for a free summer arrangement.

DIY earthenware vessel with gathered flowers for table centerpiece

gathered flower centerpiece with greenery and zinnas

Conclusion

After reviewing these summer centerpiece ideas, I am amazed at how many summer arrangements I’ve created since I started my blog in 2020. The one thing that has remained constant over the years is that I’ve never used a new container to create an arrangement. Each and every post related to centerpieces featured a thrift store find. Here are some frequently asked questions about thrift store containers and creating unique centerpieces.

FAQ

When adding fresh flowers to baskets, you will need to fill the basket with water-tight containers. I always keep several tin cans to recycle. So most of my arrangements will have several tin cans filled with water. You can use glass jars, small vases, and other vessels that will fit inside the basket.

If the basket is flat on the bottom, you will need to add filler to hold the cans steady. I used recycled grocery bags and stuffed them around the cans until all were upright and would not tip over.

When arranging fresh flowers, ensure that all stems are inside the cans.

I don’t consider myself good at arranging flowers either. It’s a good thing I like simple, organic centerpieces instead of formal arrangements. Here are a few tips that I use to get the look I want.

If you are working with a wide-mouth vessel, you can use flower frogs or create a grid using tape to help hold the stems in place.
If I’m using larger blooms such as hydrangeas, crepe myrtles, and lilacs, I add several blooms that will fill the container.
Use gathered rosemary or twigs or small branches to fill in between the flowers and add structure.
Place greenery stems first around the edges of the container. Then fill with your largest flowers next. Finally, fill gaps with smaller flowers and additional stems of greenery.
Choose a container that the flowers will not be lost in. An oversized container is best for larger blooms.
Finally, study the photos’ arrangements that you like and notice the small details. This will help you make the arrangement of your dreams.

As with any thrift store shopping excursion, you never know what you’ll find. The key is to not overlook these treasures. I like to make a list of items I’m searching for. This helps me stay focused while shopping. If you are looking for centerpiece containers, don’t limit yourself to actual vases or planters. Anything that will hold flowers can become a fun container. Remember the old wooden ice cream churn, the copper boiler pot, and even baskets.

First, not all my centerpiece ideas are made with fresh flowers. There are many great faux options that let you keep the arrangement all summer long. However, I do like to take advantage of the flower season. If I need a fresh-flower centerpiece, I look around for something I can use for free. Whether it’s growing in my garden or I’m picking it along the roadside, I rarely purchase flowers.

You will notice that most of my arrangements are made with hydrangeas, snowballs, black-eyed Susans, Zinnia, and wildflowers. I also use herbs and greenery that grows in my garden or landscape. I like to plant flowers that are easy to grow and produce lots of blooms. If you don’t have a green thumb, you can find wildflowers along roadsides such as Queen Anne’s Lace, wild ferns, daisies, and wild black-eyed Susans.

I hope you enjoyed today’s Summer Centerpiece Ideas, and I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you.

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