The January 2013 issue of Country Living is packed with gorgeous spaces, including this beautiful den in the Massachusetts cabin of Bobby Houston and Eric Shamie. Among the many small details that I love about this space are the vintage olive bucket and handblown glass vase flanking the fireplace.
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{Country Living} |
It’s a much better look than what I’ve got going on with my own fireplace hearth that is decorated with a single woven lantern. However, in my many outings to flea markets, antique stores, and vintage shops I had yet to come across a vintage olive bucket. That is until a day after I read the newest Country Living when lo and behold….

Home Emporium had received a large shipment of vintage olive buckets! There’s just something about the style and patina of these olive buckets that I love and there are so many places in my home that I can see using them – most likely it will find its spot by my fireplace like in my inspiration picture but I’ve also found lots of other great ideas for how to use it. For the holidays, they make perfect decorative containers for filling with greenery, birch branches, and pinecones:
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{Kansas Sunflower Girls} |
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{The Polohouse} |
and they are a great size for holding a tabletop Christmas tree:
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{Fern Creek Cottage} |
Olive buckets can also be used to hold other types of plantings year round:
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{Pinterest: Buckets of Burlap} |
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{Savvy Southern Style} |
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{Pearson & Company} |
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{Miss Mustard Seed} |
or even be your home office trash.
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{Miss Mustard Seed} |
Home Emporium’s vintage olive buckets are reasonably priced at $39 but not everyone has a Home Emporium nearby (see this previous post on Home Emporium for more info on this store and its locations). I’ve got a few other sources of vintage olive buckets besides flea markets and antique stores to share (includes affiliate links, full disclosure statement available {here}). One option is Pottery Barn which sells one {here}

Another alternative is to find one on Etsy where you can find several options for vintage olive buckets {here}.
Which of these decorating ideas for olive buckets is your favorite?

Stacey {steward of design} says
I have been wanting these buckets for some time now, those and a dough bowel. Seeing all these great examples I just may have to pull the trigger and get one.
I like all the ideas but strangely I am sort of loving the t.p. one the best.
Kris @ Driven by Décor says
I love the dough bowls too – Home Emporium had a few of these also including one HUGE one for $99!
Ellora Drinnen says
Love these buckets and like Stacey, I want one of those dough bowls as well! Patience, I keep telling myself! 🙂 There is a Home Emporium about a half hour away from me so I may just have to go scout it out. 🙂
Kris @ Driven by Décor says
I just mentioned to Stacey that our Home Emporium has the dough bowls also so it may be worth your trip!
Patricia Krank says
I’ve never seen an olive bucket but now I want one! Thank you for sharing all the wonderful ways they can be used in decor. Patti @ OldThingsNew
Kris @ Driven by Décor says
Thanks for stopping in Patti – I’m on my way to check out your blog!
a shade fancier says
Can you believe, I have a relative that used these as a kid on one of the greek isles when sent out to tend the olive orchards. I told him on his next visit to Greece, he has to bring a couple back for my house. I already know where I’ll use them. Thanks for the inspiration!! So glad I found your blog!
Kris @ Driven by Décor says
That’s so neat – not only will you have a great olive bucket to use in your home, but it will have a meaningful story behind it. It’s pieces that have a bit of real history behind them that I love the most!
Designing Domesticity says
Love this round up of olive buckets. They do seem to be all the rage right now! thanks for sharing lots of good inspiration, liz
Kris @ Driven by Décor says
Thanks for the nice comment Liz!