Upcycle Empty Paper Towel Rolls Into Stunning Decor For Your Home

Paper towels were invented over a century ago, eventually becoming a popular household item due to their versatility. The empty tubes, on the other hand, may not seem quite as special. However, if you get out some crafting supplies, you can actually turn them into stylish vases to display artificial blooms around your home. Will they still look like paper towel rolls? Yes and no. They'll have the same cylinder shape, yet with a modern, textured twist.

This creative repurposing idea was shared by the westwing TikTok channel. It helps make use of an everyday item that typically gets tossed away without a second thought. While you can also transform chip containers into DIY planters, empty paper towel rolls may be more common in your household. Only one tube per vase is needed, so decide how many you'd like to craft in order to determine how many rolls to save. You'll also need paper straws or wooden dowels, scissors, hot glue, and embellishments if you're a fan of some extra flair.

Brown paper drinking straws can provide a rustic look to your vase. You can find them on Amazon, such as these Comfy Package kraft paper straws. You'll want to make sure whatever material you choose lines up with the height of the paper towel roll. That means if you go for these paper straws, you may need to cut the paper towel roll, which is approximately 11 inches in length, since the paper straws are just over 7.5 inches tall. Alternatively, you could use thin wooden dowels, like these PATIKIL wooden dowel rods that stretch 10 inches tall. Either one will help give your vase texture.

To begin, measure your straws or dowels to determine how much of the tube you'll need to remove to get them at the same height. Or, simply hold the materials against each other and mark the cardboard roll with a pencil where the straw or dowel lines up. Then, cut it with scissors or a utility knife. Once you have the materials at the same height, you'll want to attach them to the paper towel roll lengthwise to cover it completely. Use a hot glue gun (or another craft glue) to attach the straws or dowels to the outside of the tube. Do your best to keep them lined up straight and close together. If it seems like you might run into a small gap at the end, you can adjust the spacing slightly.

After this, your DIY vase is nearly done! Before setting it out with your other dining table decor, you want to add some artificial blooms. Start by giving the "stems" something to root in by wadding up a paper napkin and sticking it into the bottom of the tube. Another option is to tuck some floral foam into the bottom, like a piece of this Craft Artisan white foam disk from Dollar Tree. Either one should help hold the stems in place. Finally, stick in a couple of faux flowers to complete the stylish piece.

You can keep the vase plain just as the DIYer from westwing did. But if you'd rather give it a makeover with a spray paint color that'll match your home, go for it. You could also glue lace ribbon around the rims or adorn it with beads. For funky decor, use Gusto striped paper drinking straws instead of ones in a natural brown. But why let the paper towel tubes have all the fun? Don't forget that you can use toilet paper rolls to create a unique piece of art, too.