Transform Your Space: Styling Large Ginger Jars with Floral Arrangements

I’ve been on the hunt for a rather large ginger jar – preferably a white, ceramic one and intricate in design – but shopping online for one had been such a bummer. They’re usually smaller than I am looking for, and a heck-of-a-lot more expensive!

What’s a Ginger Jar?

Ginger jars are those beautifully ornate, lidded ceramic vessels that you’ve probably seen gracing many a stylish home. But have you ever wondered about their origins or why they’re called “ginger jars”? I don’t want to bore y’all too much but let’s dive into a bit of history.

Ginger jars have their roots in ancient China, dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). Originally, these jars weren’t just decorative pieces; they were practical containers used to store and transport goods like oils, spices, and, you guessed it, ginger! This is where they get their name from. Ginger, a prized commodity at the time, was often stored in these jars because the airtight lids helped keep the contents fresh.

Over the centuries, as trade routes expanded and Chinese porcelain became a hot commodity in Europe, ginger jars made their way to the West. By the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), they had evolved into the beautiful, hand-painted pieces we recognize today. European traders were captivated by the intricate designs and vibrant colors, and soon these jars became highly sought after not just for their practical uses but as decorative items too.

In their new role as decorative objects, ginger jars often featured traditional Chinese motifs—floral patterns, scenes of nature, and symbols of prosperity and good fortune. They became a staple in home decor, admired for their beauty and craftsmanship.

Where to shop for one

For the longest time I actually didn’t know what these jars were called! I’m glad I did some research because I’ve been wanting one for a while as a centerpiece. I got really lucky recently and found one i truly love. It had everything I was looking for:

1. Taller than it is wide
2. White
3. Ceramic (or perhaps porcelain?)
4. Intricate details

Where did I find this hidden gem? HomeGoods! Every now and then, check your local HomeGoods (or TJ Maxx) store and see if you can find one in the small home furnishings aisles. I got mine for only $60 dollars!

But Ginger Jars come in a variety of shapes, sizes, designs and colors. The more popular ones you’ve probably seen are those blue and white porcelain large ginger jars with the very detailed outer designs. Another, just as popular style, are the white porcelain ones with carved out exterior and the many holes throughout.

If you don’t have any luck finding one at a local HomeGoods store, check out these other stores if you’ve got one nearby: At Home, World Market, Pottery Barn, or Ethan Allen. I’d recommend exhausting these options before you take your search online.

You can still shop for large gingers jars online. Keep in mind that transportation may be slow and there’s always the risk of them breaking in transit. Here’s a few I found online that I think are decently priced:

LEFT: Ceramic/Porcelain Large Vase, White Hollow Ginger Jar (this is actually the exact one i have! But unfortunately it is nearly 4x the price I purchased at HomeGoods)
TOP RIGHT: Luxury Ceramic Ginger Jar Display Lattice Hollow Vase (this one is a bit on the smaller side – perfect for small spaces)
BOTTOM RIGHT: Galt International 23″ Hand Carved Cutout Lattice Ginger Jar with Lid (moderately priced and shipped via Amazon so you’ll get it sooner than most other stores)

How I decorated my Large Ginger Jar

Other than leaving your Ginger jar as a stand-alone decor piece, you’ll usually see them decorated with some type of floral arrangement. That’s exactly what I did with mine!

And I also used it as a center piece for my friend’s baby shower! Check out my post on it!

Here’s my centerpiece. The Ginger jar in this case was draped with faux pink orchid vines. There’s about 6 bunches of orchid vine arrangements which i wrapped together with a hair-tie and centered them uniform around the opening of the jar.

For the top floral arrangements in the center of the orchid vines, I used tall, pink cherry blossom branches. I honestly could’ve used a few more branches but I went with 5 in this arrangement.

If you want this exact setup, here are all the floral arrangements I got and where to find them:

LEFT: 1PC Artificial Orchid Vine Butterfly Wedding Site Decoration Home Bedroom
Or an Amazon Alternative: Pink Orchid Wall Hanging Flowers Artificial Vine Flowers Violet Hanging Silk Garland
RIGHT:  1 Artificial Cherry Blossom, 106cm Long, With 4 Branches
Or an Amazon Alternative: Cherry Blossom Decor Artificial Flowers Branch 40 Inches, 5 Pcs

Other Arrangement Ideas

I went with draped vine floral arrangements, but honestly the sky’s the limit here.

Another fun idea is to pair a ginger jar with a bunch of hydrangea bushels with their leaves and all. So you don’t have the draped vines nor the tall floral branches. Instead you’ve got a large bushel placed on top of the jar opening.

For example:

And there’s also styling with roses, tulips and many other assortment of floral arrangements!

These ginger jars – large or small – can transform any room into an elegant space. Definitely a must-have for your home!