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How to Repurpose an Urn into a Side Table

September 1, 2020 · By Diane Henkler · 37 Comments

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Need a table - repurpose a garden urn into a a chic side table. In My Own Style
Repurposing idea using a garden urn for a living room end table.

How to instantly transform a classic garden urn into a side table.

Post updated: 09/01/2020


Black garden urn with fern used to decorate a living room.

This black urn sits in a corner of my living room. I have had it forever. It is one of those classic items that always is in style. It has made it through many of my decorating furnishing purges over the years.

Over the summer I placed a fern in it.

Pumpkin with carved house address number on garden urn on porch.
How to Carve Your House Address into a Fake Pumpkin.

In the fall at my previous house I used it outside. I placed leaves and a pumpkin on the urn. In the spring and summer – I filled it with flowers.

Now I am going to show you how to repurpose an urn into a useful piece of furniture that can work either inside or outside your home. I could have titled this post – My 2-Timing Urn. :-)

I love to find new uses for all kinds of objects.

Many years ago when I started to experiment with transforming the urn into a small side table, I tried adding a round piece of glass on the urn. It looked nice, but the glass just sat on top and was not secure or safe.

Chair-with-urn-and-silver-t

I then tried placing a round silver tray on the top of the urn. The tray was the type where the center section of the tray is lower that the rim. This made it secure in the urn, but it looked like an ash tray you would see at a bus station. Not the look I was after. :-)

white cake plate with beaded edges can be repurposed for other uses.

I like to shop my house… so I kept looking through all the rooms and found this cake stand in my china closet.

Upcycled end table ideas

I placed it inside the urn…

Repurposed end table idea using a garden urn and cake plate.

…Presto-O-Change-O!   It worked.

It looked good and was secure in the urn.

The stand part of the cake stand keeps it from moving back and forth in the urn.

Black garden urn repurposed into a end table using a cake plate.

The repurposed urn makes a sweet little side table that is perfect for a glass of wine or a cup of tea.

Repurpose an Urn into a Side Table

Or the perfect small table to hold flowers from your garden.

And the best part of this little table. It can be as temporary as you want or need it to be. In less than a minute I can remove the cake stand and place the fern back in.

I have repurposed many items in my house to make tables over the years, take a look at how I made these tables:

  • Mirror Side Table
  • Brass & Acrylic Side Table
  • Thrift Store Table

For more fast and easy decorating ideas, check out what my blogger friends have done in less than 20 minutes:

20 Minute Decorating

On Sutton Place | Fall Porch Decorating Ideas

Fall on the Porch from On Sutton Place

Shabbyfufu | French Farmhouse Fall Style Fall Bedroom – Easy Ideas

Shabbyfufu French farmhouse fall bedroom

StoneGable | Brambly Fall Front Door Basket

20MD 9-1-20 StoneGable

Designthusiasm | Shelf Decorating Ideas

shelf decorating ideas

Repurposing idea using a garden urn for a living room end table.
Window Sash Fireplace ScreenHow To Make a Fireplace Screen Using a Window Sash
Rattan chair and tree trunk side table on deck. Graphic overlay says How to make a tree trunk table.How to Make an Outdoor Tree Trunk Side Table
The Tuna can lantern tutorial on In My Own Style blogOutdoor Tuna Can Lantern
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Filed Under: Decorating Ideas, Furniture Makeovers, Prest-O Change-O Decorating Ideas, Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose

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Comments

  1. Futura Interiors says

    09/28/2020 at 3:33 am

    Much informative blog.
    We are leading corporate interior designers in chennai providing the most creative work environment you just need for your office through our services

    Reply
  2. Linda L Weeks says

    09/04/2020 at 11:46 am

    Hi, Diane; hope you are well and enjoying life ~ was your urn already “distressed’ when you bought it? Wondered if the antiqued patina was your doing. I do love me an urn, I’ve always found the shape to be very aesthetically pleasing! So whenever I see one at a yard sale, they come home with me! A classic!

    Reply
    • Diane Henkler says

      09/09/2020 at 1:59 pm

      Hi Linda – I bought the urn as you see it at a department store years ago. I would love to find more – maybe even made of stone.

      Reply
  3. Tracey says

    09/02/2020 at 11:13 am

    Brilliant! You are always so good at thinking outside the box. I love this idea, and it looks great!

    Reply
    • Diane Henkler says

      09/03/2020 at 4:13 pm

      Thanks Tracey

      Reply
  4. Teddee Grace says

    09/01/2020 at 11:46 am

    What a good idea…even to turn an urn into a stand for anything from a candle to a cake! I’ve got an urn almost like this, but smaller, and earlier this summer, after seeing a rusted white urn on a patio in some European locale online, I painted mine white and “droobled” what I was afraid would be too orange/rust paint around here and there to create the look of rust, putting it where I thought water might have collected had it been cast iron and left outside. I have been amazed at the result. Quite realistic. Thanks for sharing this idea.

    Reply
  5. Valarie Sanford says

    09/01/2020 at 11:34 am

    And thats why you’re my favorite blogger Diane…love to shop my house and renew and reuse, TY!

    Reply
  6. DWF says

    09/01/2020 at 10:50 am

    You just gave me an idea for a turned lamp (the kind with the glass bell facing up) that my sister gave me. I couldn’t figure out where it would even make sense in my house, but it goes with my decor and is nice, so I tucked it in with some plants on plant stands. I’ve been thinking of maybe gluing a round piece of wood to that glass bell to convert it to a plant stand, but once I was this I realized I have the perfect little glass cake stand that will fit and I won’t have to glue or destroy anything. So much better! Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Maddy says

    05/04/2012 at 12:40 am

    Wow, I just love your blog Diane! I found you today on craftgawker and every post is better thna the next.

    Maddy

    Reply
    • Diane says

      09/12/2012 at 11:46 pm

      Hi Maddy – thanks so much. It is so nice to hear from new readers. I appreciate you taking the time to say hi and leave a comment.

      Reply
  8. Heather R. says

    05/12/2011 at 12:45 pm

    This is such a super cute idea! I may try and do this on my back patio since I am in need of a little table there…thanks for the great idea!

    Reply
  9. ellen says

    02/16/2011 at 10:13 pm

    very nice! Love it when you have a new “piece” but didn’t pay anything for it!

    it was funny, the ‘ashtray’ comment….:)

    Reply
  10. Sweet Tea with Cindy says

    02/10/2011 at 8:04 pm

    Love your blog! What a fabulous idea with the urn. You have a beautiful home and great decorating ideas! Sincerely, Cindy Eckhart

    Reply
  11. antiquechase says

    02/09/2011 at 1:49 pm

    Fantastic! i just found you… clicking away.. I don’t even remember where I was… oops! New follower!!!

    COme see me if you have time!

    Reply
  12. Heidi says

    02/09/2011 at 10:43 am

    No wonder you love to hang out in this room. I would too.

    Love the leopard print combined with the winter white slipcovers. Unexpected drama. Cool.
    Again, coupling the Vintage Urn with the lively flowers is simply “STYLE” and it is yours. Thank for such an inspiring blog.

    Best Wishes

    xoxo
    Heidi

    Reply
  13. Kim says

    02/09/2011 at 9:27 am

    What a very cool and creative solution!

    Reply
  14. Maggie says

    02/09/2011 at 9:15 am

    What a great job, the perfect little side table for when you’re relaxing in that big comfy looking chair.
    Glad you didn’t go with the “ashtray” look!

    Reply
  15. Missy says

    02/09/2011 at 9:01 am

    I love your resourcefulness! Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply
  16. [email protected] Charm says

    02/09/2011 at 8:11 am

    What a super duper “COOL” idea…thanks for sharing it at my PARTY!!!!

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Reply
  17. aninchofgray says

    02/08/2011 at 7:30 pm

    Looks great! What a sweet little spot to enjoy!

    Reply
  18. Marilyn Holeman says

    02/08/2011 at 5:31 pm

    Hi Diane, I just solved the exact same problem at my house, but in a slightly different way. I have a quiet spot in my bedroom that needed a place for my Bible and a glass or cup, so moved a flat covered basket over next to it. Not as pretty as yours, but it works and it, too, was free! Thanks for sharing. I love your blog.

    Blessings,
    Marilyn

    Reply
    • Diane says

      02/08/2011 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Marilyn-

      I love decorating with baskets – I bet it looks perfect – and like you said – it was free.

      Reply
  19. Jane's Junk and Treasures says

    02/08/2011 at 1:36 pm

    What an amazing idea!!!
    I just found you over at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia!
    I love your blog!! Great stuff!
    I just became your latest follower!
    I would love it if you stopped my “newbie” blog!
    Thanks

    Reply
  20. Lamb says

    02/08/2011 at 9:47 am

    I stopped by to let you know that there’s a fun surprise waiting for you on my blog this morning :)

    Reply
  21. Pam @ diy Design Fanatic says

    02/08/2011 at 8:58 am

    What a perfect solution!

    Reply
  22. Jenny says

    02/08/2011 at 8:06 am

    I love your creativeness. I could see using this in my home.

    Reply
  23. Lisa says

    02/07/2011 at 10:49 pm

    Great Diane! Shopping your own home is the best advice I ever got from a blog!

    Reply
  24. Lynn at Cottage and Creek says

    02/07/2011 at 8:42 pm

    Love your creativity and thriftiness. Great job. And I agree that it’s essential to have a little something to set that cup of tea of glass of wine on. Brilliant. I found your blog from the Cottage Instincts link party and I’m your newest follower. I hope you’ll visit me at Cottage and Creek and follow back.
    ~Lynn

    Reply
  25. Marilyn says

    02/07/2011 at 7:59 pm

    I think I’ll look for an flower pot like yours and have a wonderful table like the one you made! I, too, have two wild animals in the house, and when the weather is changing (like now) DO NOT get in the cat’s way as she races down the hall from the bedroom, up the chair, onto the mantle, and back!

    Reply
    • Diane says

      02/08/2011 at 7:57 pm

      Hi Marilyn-

      Trax – the cat who resides in my house has been bouncing off the wall a lot today. He keeps us entertained – constantly! He does exactly what you describe – racing around from room to room, on chairs, etc. It is like he sees something we can’t.

      Reply
  26. Diana K says

    02/07/2011 at 7:53 pm

    It looks great- I love repurposing things…this is great and if/when you get tired of it – it will be an easy switch back for its orginial use. Hugs- Diana

    Reply
    • Diane says

      02/08/2011 at 7:59 pm

      Hi Diana-

      I will be excited to switch it back to it’s intended purpose – cause then that will mean it’s Spring!!!

      Reply
  27. Pammypam says

    02/07/2011 at 6:40 pm

    I love anyplace that will hold me wine. Awesome!

    Reply
  28. Marianne says

    02/07/2011 at 6:00 pm

    I love making urns into tables ~ you can also use the glass and put treasures under the glass to show case them ;-)

    Reply
  29. Diane @ home sweet homemade says

    02/07/2011 at 4:15 pm

    Brilliant! It is the perfect little side table. And your point about using the things that we already have in our home, in an inventive new way is well taken. Good reminder and great example!!

    Reply
  30. [email protected] Stroll thru Life says

    02/07/2011 at 3:35 pm

    Super idea. It looks wonderful. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  31. Ann says

    02/07/2011 at 3:12 pm

    This is lovely! The combo of the classic white dish with the vintage style urn is gorgeous. Good job!

    Reply
Diane Henkler Blogger In My Own Style
I love all things creative, colorful, and DIY. It is just the way my brain is wired. I can't add 2+2 to save my life, but I can help you decorate your home in a style that you will love...YOURS! LEARN MORE
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