How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life (2024)

Ginger Jars are unique and exceptional pieces to use in interior design. Although ginger jars have been around for centuries and originated as a humble vessel they are now a coveted home decor piece. The art of how to style a ginger jar in your home offers versatile and varied possibilities.

How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life (1)

I received this pretty ginger jar for Mother’s Day. In trying to decide how to style it in our home, I tried a few different looks and locations. I wanted to share what I discovered and provide ideas on how you can use a ginger jar around your home.

How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life (2)

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Table of Contents

What is a Ginger Jar

A ginger jar is a storage receptacle for spices like salt and ginger, which originated during the Qin dynasty in China (221-206 BC). When ginger became a major export to the Western world, the vessels in which it was stored and transported became known as “ginger jars.” Fast forward to present day and it’s a high-value decorative element.

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There are many ancient and antique ginger jars, which carry a hefty price tag. There are also many new, high end pieces in the market place as well as more reasonable and casual pieces as mine. I really love the wooden knob on my Mother’s Day piece. It gives a rustic and organic vibe, which is my preference.

How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life (4)

To clarify though, this technically is not a ginger jar, but rather a temple jar instead. Ginger jars are typically round and squat with flattish lids, while Temple jars are more elongated and vase-like in shape, with pointed ornamentation on the lids. Both styles are commonly labeled interchangeably under the ginger jar terminology though.

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Also the traditional and classic pieces tend to be the blue and white porcelain variety, but with everything else in design you can find many different materials and colors. As you can see in my piece, which is a brand new ceramic piece with a green floral motif and a wooden knob detail.

How to Style a Ginger Jar

With Lid On

Ginger Jars tend to have stylish profiles, making them beautiful decor pieces all by themselves. Accents can be used to bring out some of the details of the particular jar’s design.

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Empty with Lid Off

The lids can be used as an added accent piece. This stretches the design a bit further through a decor vignette and the open vessel creates more space and movement.

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Lid off With Flowers as Vase

Pretty blooms always make anything even better. These were the flowers Mr. M brought home for me on Mother’s Day. Aren’t they gorgeous? Faux, dried or preserved flowers are also great options since the arrangement will stay as long as you want.

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Lid off With Plant as Cache Pot

Fresh plants are also a great option to provide organic feels. Using the ginger jar as a drop in container keeps it tidy and available to use for the next styling.

Lid off With Fillers

Bowl fillers are also a great option to fill ginger jars. This is a great option for seasonal vignettes. Think Christmas ornaments or Easter eggs spilling out of a pretty container.

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Closing Thoughts on Styling a Ginger Jar

Ginger jars not only can be displayed in a variety of ways, but they also fit into many different spaces in interior design. I have shown the ginger jar in a few different areas in our home, but there are so many possibilities. Here are some ideas on where you can place ginger jars:

  • Entry way table
  • Coffee table
  • Centerpiece for a dining table
  • Shelving units
  • Side board or buffet
  • Dresser
  • Night Stand
  • Stairway landing
  • Bathroom
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Like everything else in design, ginger jars look great in a collection. The variety in shapes, sizes and styles make them look great in mass. Today I am just starting with this little modest piece, but doing the research for this post, provided a medley of inspiration of other pieces. I see a potential collection in my future… time will tell.

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I hope you found this inspirational and enjoyable. I always love to play with decor. Remember, there are no rules. It’s your home, so make it yours, summoning a smile every time you see it! Although I am talking about how to style a ginger jar today, you can apply the same techniques and methodology for other decor pieces.

Get the Ginger Jar Look

*Affiliate links mean I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using these links at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps me run this blog.

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Be faithful to your own taste, because nothing you really like is ever out ofstyle.”

Billy BalDwin
How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life (17)
How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life (18)
How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life (19)

sharing @ between naps on the porch

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How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life (2024)

FAQs

How to Style A Ginger Jar in Your Home Decor - Master"Pieces" of my Life? ›

There are lots of ways to style one of the hottest trends in home décor, ginger jars. There are so many design styles where they work including Chinoiserie Chic Style, Traditional Style, Southern Homes, Palm Beach Chic, and even American Farmhouse.

What decor style are ginger jars? ›

There are lots of ways to style one of the hottest trends in home décor, ginger jars. There are so many design styles where they work including Chinoiserie Chic Style, Traditional Style, Southern Homes, Palm Beach Chic, and even American Farmhouse.

What do you put in a ginger jar? ›

Ginger jars are a type of porcelain container with a lid that were first used during the Qin Dynasty in China. While beautifully decorated, their purpose was originally more functional as they were used to store herbs and spices.

What is the pattern on ginger jars? ›

The most classically well-known ginger jar is customarily blue and white with stunning hand painted designs that often feature human and animal figures, landscapes, blossoms, symbols and much more.

Where to put a ginger jar? ›

Use yours on an entry table or as a table centerpiece. Ginger jars create a beautiful focal point when mixed into a vignette. Style them in any room, for any season! I love to style ginger jars on my kitchen counter.

How do you date a ginger jar? ›

Take a good look at the composition of the ceramic material and the stylistic details,” notes Dr. Sildatke. One of the easiest ways to assess the age of a piece is its weight: early ginger jars (those dating to before the 19th century) are often extremely heavy.

What do ginger jars represent? ›

The classical ginger jar

They were used for centuries in China to store herbs and spices (hence the name) at homes or pharmacies. Besides utilitarian jars, more beautiful jars were often presented in pairs as gifts. A yellow ginger jar was designed as a gift to the Emperor as yellow was the imperial colour.

Are ginger jars timeless? ›

Ginger jars, with their timeless charm and intricate designs, have long been cherished as versatile decorative accents that can effortlessly elevate any living space. In our latest blog post, we dive into the art of incorporating these classic pieces into your home decor.

What is a vintage ginger jar? ›

Jar? Ginger jars were used to store and carry spices and herbs in Ancient China. Important spices as salt and ginger were put in these beautiful containers. It wasn't until they came to Europe that they began to be called “Ginger Jars.” (Those clever Europeans).

Why are ginger jars so expensive? ›

The decorations on ginger jars are usually hand-painted, even though many are now mass-produced. Comparing the two, hand-painted porcelain ginger jars are more valuable than their mass-produced counterparts.

What is the difference between a ginger jar and an urn? ›

In summary, while both Chinese porcelain ginger jars and temple urns are prized for their craftsmanship and decorative appeal, ginger jars are smaller vessels originally used for storing spices and now mainly used for decoration, whereas temple urns are larger ceremonial vessels historically used in religious contexts ...

What is a temple jar? ›

A ginger jar is a typically round jar that widens toward the top, or 'shoulders' of the jar. The narrower mouth is topped by a smooth domed lid. A temple jar features a handle or knob on the top of the lid. The jar itself is more curved as well. On 1stDibs, find a selection of ginger jars and temple jars.

What style is 70s decor? ›

"The '70s would not be complete without some shag carpet, brown or bulbous shaped pieces of furniture, sunken living rooms, macrame or artwork with rope or rope-like details, poppy colors, and wood walls," says Liu. "I think we will see any and all of these design features in the coming year."

Are ginger jars Chinese or Japanese? ›

Ginger jars were used to store and carry spices and herbs in Ancient China. Important spices as salt and ginger were put in these beautiful containers. It wasn't until they came to Europe that they began to be called “Ginger Jars.” (Those clever Europeans).

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