HOME DECORATION : Allure of Colorful Perfume Bottles (Even Empty) Is Crystal Clear

Arranged like brightly colored flowers, these delicate bottles may send out scents of roses, jasmine, musk or fragrant spices. Although their original purpose may have been more utilitarian, perfume bottles are quickly becoming as popular as the fragrances they were designed to hold.

At Grafton Street, a store in Newport Beach Fashion Island specializing in fine collectibles, cases of brightly colored glass and crystal bottles are displayed. Bearing such names as Eastern Europa, Ceska, Baccarat, Lalique and Waterford, they are popular sellers, according to buyer Zoreene Green. In fact, during the holiday season, the store usually stocks no less than 300 different perfume bottles to meet the growing demand.

“We have always carried perfume bottles,” Green said. “They’re personal and very special. I’d guess about two-thirds of the bottles we sell are for gifts . . . and I can’t recall that we’ve ever had a perfume bottle returned. Everyone seems to like them.”

According to Green, it’s not uncommon for women to display collections of the bottles on a bedroom dresser or vanity.

“It’s not even the perfume that’s so important,” she said. “They enjoy the bottles for the design and color. I think women are so busy today that having a perfume bottle or a collection of bottles is a way showing that they care about themselves. It’s pleasing to the eye and gives them a little time out from the hectic pace of their lives. It allows them to indulge just a bit.

“I’d guess in about the last decade, women have really begun to concentrate on giving themselves some private moments to recharge, whether that means stopping off for a manicure or spending more time in quiet pursuits. Women are interested in fragrance, and the perfume bottles are a natural off-shoot of that.”

A newer line of bottles that Grafton Street carries is imported from Israel. The bottles feature a mouth-blown glass base with a sterling silver design adhered to the glass.

“These are popular because they are available in several different hues from deep blue to rose to green,” she said. “They feature botanical interpretations of vines, ivy or grape leaves, and because they are handcrafted, no two are alike.”

Perfume bottles generally come in two basic styles: atomizers and those with stoppers. Atomizers were the bottles of choice for many of our mothers and grandmothers. A small rubber bulb at the base of the sprayer was squeezed for a gentle mist of fragrance. Today, women seem to prefer bottles with stoppers, with which they have more control over the amount of fragrance that is applied.

However, most perfume wearers are hard-pressed to store their perfumes in the decorative bottles.

“They are really better for colognes and splashes,” Green said. “Most manufacturers don’t recommend moving perfumes from their original bottles as these often have special stoppers to help the perfume retain its fragrance.”

And, because manufacturers are aware of women’s interest in the bottles, they spend a great deal of time and money designing attractive bottles of their own.

Another factor in the bottles’ popularity is that they come in a range of shapes and sizes, and a bottle can be found to fit almost any price range.

“You should expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $100 for a nice bottle,” Green said. (Although some of the pricier crystal bottles on display sell in the $800 range.)

“For $25, you can find a very nice perfume bottle that makes a lovely gift or something special for yourself. Of course, depending on the materials used and the craftsmanship involved, the cost may increase.

“Perfume bottles seem to be very popular for women of all ages. We sell quite a few for graduations, bridal showers and birthdays. Of course, Christmas and Mother’s Day are always popular times when perfume bottles are given as gifts,” she said.

Today’s perfume bottles also come in a variety of forms from very traditional crystal and glass to more contemporary styles featuring colored swirls of glass and modern designs.

Collectors generally stick to a certain “look” and aren’t likely to mix modern and traditional styles, according to Green.

“I know that with many other collectibles, you do see people mixing styles,” she said. “However, that seems to be the exception with these bottles. Most people start collecting a particular style because they like it or find it unique, and it’s hard to get them to collect another design.”

Currently, more traditional styles tend to outsell more modern designs, according to Green.

Some of the more traditional bottles feature faceted crystal or hand-cut Italian glass. German lead crystal, English porcelain and painted bone china are other popular looks that lend themselves to a more traditional look. Floral patterns and colors are always popular.

Modern pieces may use glass in more unusual ways. An onyx Italian bottle features a frosted glass spire. Others are created of luminescent colored glass. Handblown glass bottles are also becoming increasingly popular.

The sizes of the bottles vary as well. They can range from tiny bottles, barely larger than a thimble to some that resemble decanters in height. Other popular sellers are small bottles suspended from velvet cords or silver chains that women wear as a piece of jewelry.

“A lot of times, people will come in here with a page from a magazine and say, ‘I want this bottle,’ ” she said. “Since antiques and antique reproductions are so popular, this tends to extend to perfume bottles as well. The Victorian look is very popular, and using perfume bottles to enhance this look is really catching on.”

Most perfume bottles are displayed in collections, often arranged on a glass mirror where collectors can highlight their beauty. These collections are arranged on a vanity, dresser or small table in the bedroom or bathroom.

If the bottle is holding a cologne or splash, the bathroom is one of the worst places to store it. The heat and humidity tend to diminish the scent of the fragrance. For that reason, more women are now storing their fragrances and their bottles elsewhere in their homes, most likely the bedroom.

“People who collect perfume bottles enjoy the designs, so they are looking for ways to show them off,” Green said. “They often have a pretty good idea of how they want their collection to look, and they’re very creative in finding the right settings.”

Often perfume bottles are mixed with other antiques or complementary accessories such as dried flowers or potpourri, vases with single flowers in them, small photos in silver frames, decorated soaps, combs, brushes and hair accessories or other toiletries.

“Women feel very free to create lovely collections with the perfume bottles,” Green said. “There’s something very feminine and peaceful about surrounding yourself with beauty and fragrance. I think the interest in perfume bottles is a reflection of people wanting to get back to a more relaxed state where they can stop and admire something simply for its beauty.”