21+ Best Things to Decorate a Glass Dome Cloche

Looking for ways to decorate a glass dome cloche? Keep reading! I love using cloches in my home decor and here are over 21 of my favorite ways! Don’t have a cloche? No problem. You can still use these ideas as inspiration for vignettes in your home decor.

Do you have a glass cloche or a glass “dome” as they are sometimes referred to? I absolutely love to decorate a glass dome cloche. In fact, it is one of my favorite staple pieces in my home decor and I use mine year round.

If you open the door to the closet where I organize and store extra home decor (see more about that HERE), you will see several glass cloches in different sizes. However, out in my decor, there are many more. It is entirely possible that I have a glass dome cloche “problem.” On the other hand, I do love, use, and enjoy all of them at different times, so……

One request that I get pretty often is ideas about how to decorate a glass dome cloche. Readers love seeing the glass cloches in my decor but sometimes get stumped when they get ready to decorate their own.

Actually, I totally understand because just the other day, I asked my viewers over on Instagram to help me think of what to put under a glass cloche I was styling on the buffet for winter. Here are some of their great responses!

What do you put in a glass dome cloche?

A big pinecone and evergreen sprig
Battery-operated pillar candle
Faux tree
Vintage brass deer
Something with some sparkle!

No matter the season, I love styling and decorating with glass cloches. I thought it would be fun to put together a list of things that could be used to decorate a glass dome cloche in different seasonal decor times and also for regular, “everyday” decorating too.

Here are some of the ideas I have used in the past, including my favorite ways to decorate with a glass cloche for any season:

What do you display in a glass cloche?

Faux plant
Large battery-operated pillar candle
Grouping of short taper candle holders and battery-operated taper candles (need a tall cloche for this one)
Set of old vintage books
Old sheet music, rolled and tied with pretty ribbon
Vintage brass deer
Small framed vintage silhouette art
Vintage table top clock
Mortar and pestle
Bowl with seasonal filler
Fairy lights
Vintage brass swan
Antique piano rolls
Pretty sea shells
Holiday item, such as Easter eggs, pumpkins, or ornaments
Collection of old bottles or vases, group together under the cloche
Small framed art
Natural reindeer moss
Faux fruit
Freshly baked cookies or treats in the kitchen (yum!)
Birds nest with pretty eggs
Terra cotta pots
Succulent

21+ Best Things to Decorate a Glass Dome Cloche

Tip #1 to Decorate a Glass Dome Cloche: Use a candle.

What can you put in glass domes?

Glass cloches actually originated in Italy but it was the French who perfected their use for gardening. The glass dome, called a cloche, protected the plant from the cold and frost to help it mature more quickly.

Even though cloches originated with the purpose of using with plants, my favorite way to decorate with them is by using battery-operated candles. Where a small, simple battery-operated candle may look bare or plain on its own, put under a cute glass cloche, it takes on more significance and becomes a magical part of the cozy glow.

I use huge cloches all the way down to really small ones with battery-operated candles. It’s safe to say that my battery candle collection is as varied as my cloche collection and I love them all!

Here are my favorite battery-operated candles to use with glass cloches:

Tip #2: Decorate a Glass Cloche Dome with a Vignette

What do you put in a decorative dome?

A glass cloche is a great way to create a vignette. One of my favorite ways to decorate with my larger glass cloches is to create a small vignette underneath. For example, a pretty mercury-glass style hurricane, a sprig of cedar greenery, and a small copper-toned house candle looked a little empty on its own. However, placed on a pretty base with large cloche over it, helped to tie it all together and it became one of my favorite winter vignettes.

This concept could be repeated over and over for different seasons:

Spring: Faux plant, bunny statue, small bowl of egg filler
Summer: Old book with summer title, large conch shell, miniature bottle with a white flower
Fall: Large dried gourd, glass hurricane with battery-operated candle, small dried gourd
Christmas: Large and small bottle brush trees, nutcracker statue, sprinkle faux snow around the base

These are just some simple ideas but hopefully they get your creative juices flowing for all of the fun little vignettes you can create to decorate under your own glass dome cloche!

One final touch that will help your whole vignette to have a more finished look is to style your vignette on a base and then put the cloche over the top. I use a variety of items as bases under my cloches, such as architectural salvage, large old books, antique bread boards, baskets, and trays.

Tip #3 to Decorate with a Glass Dome Cloche: Turn small decor into a statement piece.

What should I display under a cloche?

Using a cloche is the perfect way to take a small piece of decor and turn it into a statement piece. On its own, this little piece of broken coral that my daughter found at the beach would be pretty hard to decorate with. At least, it would be challenging for me to think how to use it in a significant way!

However, placed in a miniature mortar and pestle with a glass cloche over it, this little broken piece of coral is a fun part of summer decorating. I like to group small cloches with other cloches, like a collection. At the same time, a cute little cloche with a cute little seashell, tucked into a vignette on a shelf…well, you just can’t go wrong!

Think of a small item in your home that you LOVE, however, on its own it seems rather small and insignificant to anyone else. Then, think of how you could decorate with it under a cloche. Can you turn that small piece of decor into something you get to enjoy seeing everyday, rather than tucked away in a drawer or cabinet?

You can always refer to the list at the top of this post for ideas of items to display under a cloche. First, though, I challenge you to see what items you have around your home that you’d like to make more of a statement in your decor. Then, see if they could work into your decorating as you use your glass dome cloche!

Tip #4: Elevate the Style of Your Decor with a Glass Cloche

What do you put in a decorative cloche?

You can use a cloche to elevate your decor in two ways.

First of all, you can literally elevate your decor and add levels by using a base and a glass cloche. Glass cloches are a great way to feature a collection or some kind of decor where you need varied heights. For example, if you want to feature a collection of vintage table top clocks, you could put one or two under glass cloches to add some height variety.

Secondly, you can elevate your decor in a less literal sense. Let’s use the clock example again:

As well as giving height variety to your clock collection, you are also making it stand out by placing part of the clocks under glass cloches. At the same time, something about putting an item under glass just makes it feel more special or important. It is the same idea as a piece of fascinating history in a glass case at a museum. When you decorate with a glass dome cloche, you are indicating that the items under the cloche are special in your home!

Even if you’re just placing a candle under your glass cloche, that is still special. Actually, what can be better than elevating the feeling of cozy around your home?!

Tip #5: Decorate a small glass cloche for big style.

What do you put in a small glass dome?

Hint: Small can be so super cute!

Definitely watch for small glass domes and cloches at thrift stores in the clock section. Often, they’ve separated from their clock over time and you can pick them up very inexpensively.

A small glass dome or cloche is perfect to simply style over a smaller battery-operated candle (these are PERFECT and so realistic). That’s probably my favorite way to decorate with small cloches.

However, a small glass dome or even bell jar can take a simple, little object, like a favorite sea shell from vacation, and turn it into a special part of your decor.

I like to style small glass cloches in groupings or even paired with larger cloches as a vignette.

Here is an easy vignette idea:

Tray
Medium-sized plant
Small glass cloche with special object or Candle
String of wooden beads

How easy is that?!

Don’t overlook the small glass cloches! You will find that they are so fun to use in your decorating!

Where is the best place to find a glass dome cloche?

I have so many glass cloches and to be honest, most of them have come from thrift stores or yard sales. My larger cloches were special finds at vintage shops and antique markets, However, I think all of my smaller cloches have been thrifted.

I will link some beautiful glass dome cloches online for you. At the same time, keep an eye out at thrift stores and yard sales too. Recently, I picked up a beautiful large one at a thrift store for only $8!

Pro Tip: Look in the clock section at the thrift store. Sometimes the glass domes are mixed in there. Also, you may find an inexpensive old clock with the glass dome. You can return the clock part to the thrift store if you don’t want it and use the glass dome in your home decor!

Check out these 15+ gorgeous glass cloches:

This extra large one is an investment but it is gorgeous!!!
Try this tall 14.5″ glass dome with battery taper candles.
This large cloche has a beautiful wooden base too.
I love the glass knob on this 10″ bell jar cloche.
Slender style works beautifully into a vignette.
Group this set of three for a collection or spread them throughout your home.
You can display a lot in this 17″ tall, extra large glass dome cloche!
The width and style of this bell jar cloche makes it perfect for decorating, even though it’s an investment piece.
Huge cloches are my favorite!
I love the wooden base and style of this set.
This base is STUNNING and so is the extra tall cloche!
The scalloped wood base is so pretty on this one; so perfect to decorate with!
These wicker garden cloches are HUGE and amazing! They look like antiques!
This simple glass cloche and base are perfect for easy styling.
This smaller bell jar cloche is perfect for a candle or little succulent!

How do you use a cloche indoors?

Even though glass cloches originated for outdoor use in gardening, they have become a wonderful trend for interior home decorating. Obviously, I absolutely love using mine. I use glass cloches year round and for every holiday. There are so many pretty ways to style and decorate with glass dome cloches, no matter the season.

When all else fails, here are my go-to items to use under a cloche indoors:

I hope this post has given you some great ideas and sparked some creativity for you to decorate with a glass dome cloche in your own home!

I’d love to hear in the blog comments…what do you like to put under your glass cloche if you have one? Or, who is inspired to hunt for a glass cloche now?!