Have you ever wondered if you could do something with your empty (alcohol) bottles instead of throwing them in the bottle bank? Is your favourite bottle of spirits empty, but would you like to keep the bottle and do something with it other than just displaying it empty? In this blog, we collect some fun and creative DIY ideas to turn your favourite bottle into a real masterpiece!
Source cover photo: @art_labouteille
Transform your empty bottle of wine into a decorative showpiece
We start with a very simple idea. All you need is an empty bottle and LED lights. LED lights are available in many shops and can also be bought easily and inexpensively online. There are even special wine bottle light garlands specifically designed for this purpose.
It all explains itself, but here are the steps:
Supplies
- Empty wine bottle (clean and unlabelled)
- Wine bottle light garlands (available in shops or online, usually battery-powered and with a cork-shaped battery holder)
- Any decorative elements such as paint, ribbon, or stickers
Step-by-step plan
- Make sure the wine bottle is thoroughly clean and dry.
- Remove any labels by soaking the bottle in warm water and scraping off the labels. Use a solvent such as alcohol to remove residual glue.
- Buy a light garland specially designed for wine bottles. These light garlands have a battery holder that looks like a cork, making them easy to insert into the bottle.
- Slowly push the garland of lights into the bottle so that it spreads well and does not get tangled.
- Once the light garland is fully in the bottle, place the cork-battery holder in the opening of the bottle. This cork ensures the lights stay in place and also serves as an on/off switch.
- You can further decorate the bottle with paint, ribbons, stickers or other decorative elements to enhance the look.
Tips
- Choose light garlands with LED lights as they don't get hot and are more energy efficient.
Frame your favourite bottle
We discovered Djarno through the Instagram account @art_labouteille. This Dutch young man creates impressive works of art with empty bottles and shows much of that artistic process in numerous videos on his instagram account.
It may seem simple, but there is a lot of know-how, patience and technique behind these works of art. Those not so handy will therefore be pleased to hear that these gems are also for sale on his website https://www.labouteilles.nl/!
Here are three in advance to inspire you:
Transform your favourite bottle into a lamp base
Super-popular for a while now, especially with bottles of Hendrick's and Baileys because they are black and opaque, is transforming such an empty bottle into a veritable lamp. It goes without saying that such an original decorative piece immediately becomes an eye-catcher in your personal man-cave.
Requirements
- An empty glass bottle of alcohol
- Lamp kit (available at DIY shops or online). Think: lamp holder, switch, lamp fitting, cord with plug
- Glass drill (diamond drill bit)
- Safety glasses and gloves
- Insulating tape
- Sandpaper
- Water and sponge
- Lampshade
Step-by-step plan
- Preparation
Make sure the bottle is completely empty and clean.
Remove any labels from the bottle. You can do this by soaking the bottle in warm water and scraping off the labels. - Safety first!
Wear safety glasses and gloves to protect yourself from broken glass.
Make sure you work on a stable and well-lit workstation. - Drill a hole in the bottle
Mark with a marker the spot where you want to drill the hole (usually at the bottom or side of the bottle).
Place the bottle under running water or use a wet sponge to keep the drilling spot wet. This will prevent the glass from overheating and cracking.
Use a glass drill (diamond drill bit) to carefully drill a hole in the bottle. Start slowly and apply light pressure. It may take several minutes to get through the glass. - Sand the edges
Use sandpaper to smooth any sharp edges around the drilled hole. - Installing the lamp kit
Insert the cord through the drilled hole and gently pull it up through the bottle. Attach the lamp holder and socket according to the lamp kit instructions.
Make sure all electrical connections are tight and insulated with insulating tape to prevent short circuits. - Mounting the lamp
Screw the lamp fitting onto the lamp holder and attach a lampshade if required.
Screw a suitable bulb into the fitting. - Testing
Connect the lamp and test whether everything works properly. - Tips
Choose a bottle with a sturdy and stable base to prevent tipping over.
If you don't want to drill a hole in the bottle, you can choose a lamp kit specially designed to use the bottle opening without drilling.
Turn your empty bottle into a drinking glass
This DIY tip is not without risk, as you will be cutting glass, which will result in razor-sharp edges. However, anyone with the appropriate material and a bit of dexterity can use this tip to make unique drinking glasses from their discarded bottles.
On Rungroj Wongprasert 's Instagram account, numerous videos demonstrate how easy it is to transform a bottle into a glass by playing with temperatures! Besides boiling and freezing water, all he uses is a glass cutter to mark a nice break line. The expansion and contraction of the glass due to the large temperature differences does the rest.
To prevent the drinking glasses from having sharp edges, they are thoroughly polished afterwards so you should definitely remember that unless you want to walk around like The Joker for a while.
With these unique drinking glasses, you will no doubt serve your next summer cocktail in a unique way!
- Hennessy VSOP Cognac glass: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2bVbXxB-85/
- Belvedere Vodka glass: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2bWeJ_hu8X/
- Chivas Regal whisky glass: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7WtC5Sht1j/
- Grey Goose Vodka Glass: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6kxz4ABWD-/
Use your empty bottles as vases
After the previous, slightly more challenging idea, we're going back for something simple and accessible. These charming vase projects bring down the DIY level with minimal supplies and without the need for tools like a drill. Converting a bottle into a vase may have already occurred to the creatives among you, but the great thing about it is that you can go either way - whether you want to create something vibrant, craft with the kids, or prefer a more classic approach. The possibilities are endless!
Tip
- Make sure the bottle is thoroughly clean and grease-free before you start painting. You can even lightly sand the bottle to make the paint adhere better.
Check out the tutorial for these beautiful, colourful vases here!
Marketing • Blogger
As a creative jack-of-all-trades in the marketing world, I also bring that imaginative flair to my drink choices. Whether on a night out, sunny vacation or social gathering with girlfriends, I'm always in my element with a refreshing cocktail in hand. Cocktails have stolen my heart because of the endless possibilities to experiment and explore. My favorite cocktail of the moment is the "Lazy Red Cheeks"! A delicious cocktail using vodka as a base. I love vodka because it mixes perfectly with non-alcoholic drinks. My favorite spirit? Rum!
