What to do with broken glasses: creative ideas to reuse them

There is nothing to be done: no matter how careful you are with plates, glasses and cups, there is always something that breaks, chips, becomes unusable. At that point, replacement is almost mandatory and can be the perfect excuse to give a new touch to our table, but what to do with broken glasses that perhaps represent an emotional memory? Simple! You can reuse them creatively to make them become unique elements that will make even a very small space very personal. Here's how.

How to reuse broken glasses creatively

You don't need big tools to transform broken glasses into something different, all you need is a little imagination to give a second life to objects that would otherwise be thrown away. The secret is to be able to see in the mismatched glass, in the chipped cup, a precious object that with a little glue, a few markers and a lot of imagination and creativity will transform into something functional and characteristic.

Some tips for reusing broken glasses

There is no limit to what you can do and the ways to reuse, for example, the only surviving glass from a service that has completely shattered. However, for those who are looking for some easy-to-make ideas, here are some small suggestions.

1. A DIY candle holder

To make this idea you really need very little. You just need to take glasses of different sizes , or even of the same style if you want to maintain a certain continuity and repaint them with a scratch-resistant paint of different colors.

In this way it will be possible to obtain small containers in which the candles will be placed: the use of this composition will make every table cheerful and colorful, of great impact for the guests. This composition can also be obtained with broken glasses because usually it is the upper part that gets ruined and chipped but the base always remains intact because it is much more resistant. Alternatively the glasses can also be left neutral, without varnish treatment, for a brighter effect.

2. A creative pen holder

Obviously this new use is the easiest to recreate. The pen holder can be made either with a whole cup, left neutral or decorated, or with a chipped one, because with a good dose of creativity some small defects can be covered without problems.

As for the decorations, we can choose to draw on its surface or glue stickers, small newspaper clippings or ribbons. With a glossy paint we will create colored effects and finally, we can also use small fragments of other cups in different colors to glue them on the pen holder and create really cheerful and very personal effects.

3. A colorful flowerpot

This idea requires a certain manual skill but the final result is truly surprising! Surely somewhere in our house we all have some terracotta vases or flowerpots that we no longer use, perhaps because the coating is ruined and this can be an excellent starting point from which to begin the project. The glass shards can be used with hot glue on the surface of the flowerpot for a very dynamic and stylish effect.

The resulting flowerpots have a dual function. In fact, not only are they a perfect decoration for the garden, terrace or balcony because they add a touch of color, but they are also an excellent deterrent for pigeons, thanks to the reflection of the sun on the glass.

4. A small vase

Old cups , even those chipped or without handles, can be transformed into perfect flowerpots with a few little tricks! First of all, you need to decorate them, perhaps using colored paint to make them more fun and personalized. The cups thus transformed will be filled with soil and in this very comfortable environment the plants can be arranged.

The secret to using broken cups in this way is to choose a type of plant that requires little space or fill them with water to host small aquatic plants that will give a very scenic effect. For this purpose you can also use an old jug, glass or ceramic.

5. A colorful mosaic

This way of reusing broken glasses may seem complicated but it is actually extremely simple. In this case, you can easily use many broken glasses because you only need small shards and fragments, preferably from colored glasses . The final result will depend on the creativity of the person creating it but it can also be a very nice idea for an activity to do with your children, as long as you pay attention to sharp glass. The shards can be glued to an outside wall or simply to a piece of wood or plywood, taking care not to choose it too thick.

To secure the glass pieces to this base, hot glue will work just fine, and then a lot of creativity will be used to match the glass pieces in contrasting or similar shades.

6. Decoupage decorations

The broken glass shards can also be perfect for making small decoupage projects: it is a very original and cute way to create decorative effects on any type of object. This decoupage method can be used to create beautiful frames, to decorate a mirror, a vase and anything that has a smooth surface to embellish. Also in this case the choice of colors, combinations of glass and all the other details will be linked exclusively to personal imagination and obviously to the availability of the pieces of glass to be used for decoupage.

A Second Life for Broken Glasses

Glass glasses, even broken ones, are an important resource that should not be wasted, even when buying a new service. All it takes is a little imagination to find the right combination to make your home environment beautiful and give new life to old glasses .