Hand-Blown Vases That Feel Like Tiny Planets

MOONARIJ x Kaspar Müller. Space Jars Collection, 2025.

Senior Content Strategist

July 22, 2025 3:43 PM PT

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MOONARIJ, a Berlin-based design studio, has released a limited-edition ‘Space Jars’ collection.
The hand-blown glass vases were created in collaboration with Swiss artist Kaspar Müller.
Each unique piece is inspired by cosmic landscapes and features acid-washed, mirror-finished textures.
The collection is designed to bridge the gap between a sculptural art object and a functional vase.
The article also provides tips on how to style these unique art pieces in various home interiors.

There’s a strange comfort in spotting a micro-universe in your living room. It’s a little like being a kid again…remember those glow-in-the-dark planet stickers you’d press onto the ceiling above your bed? One glance and you were off-world, spinning between Saturn and some unnamed comet, the everyday stuff of your bedroom temporarily suspended. The Space Jars, launched by Berlin’s MOONARIJ in collaboration with Swiss artist Kaspar Müller, land in your grown-up space with a similar energy.

The limited-edition hand-blown glass vases, as outlined in a recent press release, bring together Müller’s conceptual approach and MOONARIJ’s contemporary design ethos. “Inspired by planetary forms and cosmic landscapes,” and what MOONARJ’s founder Johanna Wichelhaus calls “sculptural… yet grounded in purpose: designed to hold life.”

Each one hand-blown in Berlin, acid-washed, mirror-finished, and wild with color. They don’t repeat. They don’t sit quietly in the background. Each one feels plucked from a private galaxy and set down on your coffee table, ready to surprise you under different angles of sunlight.

Walking into a room with one of these is like encountering a tiny, orbiting body. The forms wobble. Colors shift depending on the light. Kaspar Müller has this uncanny knack for taking the stuff you barely notice (maybe a lamp or a bottle) and making it feel cryptic. His objects show up again and again, ghostly but familiar, like something you dreamed about years ago and only half remember.

( Photography by Lucas Confurius. Courtesy of MOONARIJ and Kaspar Müller )

Craft Without Borders

Hand-blown glass has a tradition in Germany, but this line pushes the boundaries. Esteban Salazar at Brooklyn Glass, fresh from collaborations with Müller, finishes each piece. Powder coats. Mirror skins. Acid etches. The result? Textures that feel electric.

The philosophy behind the Space Jars is just as layered. According to the press release, the Space Jars collection embodies the fusion of two distinct philosophies, “converging into a singular language that is both meditative and purposeful.”

Müller approaches glass “as a conceptual medium, shaped by spatial experience and installation,” while Wichelhaus “balances functionality, form, and color with refined precision.” Each vessel, then, stands as “a sculptural object, reminiscent of distant celestial bodies, yet remains inherently grounded in purpose: designed to hold life.” Whether displaying a bouquet or left standing empty, “each vessel speaks to a dual identity, both planetary and domestic. This quiet balance reflects the essence of Earth itself, a celestial body adrift in the vastness of space, yet vibrant with life.”

In this way, the Space Jar becomes a kind of metaphor, an “interplay between expressive form and purposeful function.”

(Photography by Mina Aichhorn. Courtesy of MOONARIJ & Kaspar Müller)

And to amplify the collection’s artistic vision, Wichelhaus and Müller worked with photographer Lucas Confurius to create a visual campaign that places the vases in cosmic settings. The result evokes the very space where these forms and ideas first took shape.

Founded in 2022 by Wichelhaus, MOONARIJ is rooted in a deep appreciation for Germany’s glassmaking heritage and a passion for handcrafted design, “developed in close collaboration with small workshops in Berlin and Dresden,” as described in the press release. It’s a heritage you can feel, each jar is tactile, deliberate, a little wild, and not afraid to show its process.

MOONARIJ x Kaspar Müller, Space Jar

(Photography by Mina Aichhorn. Courtesy of MOONARIJ and Kaspar Müller)

How to Style Space Jars for Any Interior

So you’ve landed a Space Jar, and very much the center of its own solar system. Now comes the fun part: figuring out where it actually belongs in your home.

Modern Minimalist

If your space skews minimal (think wide-plank oak floors, a cloud sofa, white walls) let the jar float in negative space. Place it solo on a console, a low bench, or even an open kitchen shelf. Don’t crowd it with other objects. Let sunlight (or a small spotlight) hit those acid-etched textures and mirror surfaces. The shifting colors and strange, planet-like form do all the heavy lifting.

Try:

Space Jar on a stone or wood plinth in an entryway
Alone on a floating shelf above a reading nook
Centered on a marble coffee table with nothing else nearby

Midcentury or Eclectic

Play with putting the Space Jar against vintage wood, brass, or patterned wallpaper. Layer it in with books, small ceramics, or even a stack of records.

Try:

Next to a bright midcentury lamp, letting both objects throw interesting shadows
Clustered with a couple of vintage vases or objects—don’t be shy about color
On a sideboard with stacks of art books and a thrift-store find

Traditional or Historic

Don’t assume Space Jars only fit modern rooms. Put one under a classical oil painting, or on a mantelpiece above a tiled fireplace. The tension between old and new creates a little friction.

Try:

On a dark-wood library table beside a stack of leather-bound books
Nestled between antique candlesticks on a mantel
Beneath a heavy gold-framed mirror, so the colors and mirrored surface bounce back

Maximalist

If your space already looks like a gallery, lean in…think: wall-to-wall art, color everywhere, objects that all want attention. Here, the jar becomes another story in the mix.

Try:

Layered into a bookshelf display, catching unexpected light
In a cluster of three—different finishes, heights, textures—like an indoor solar system
With fresh-cut flowers or bold branches, letting the wild form play against the wild bouquet

Small Spaces

A single Space Jar works wonders in a tiny apartment, on a windowsill, at the center of a small table, even as a punctuation mark in a crowded kitchen.

Try:

On a bedside table as a low-key nightlight (the mirror finish glows)
Tucked among kitchen spices to turn “everyday” into an “art installation”

Storage Ideas That Maximize Style and Function

General Tips

Let your Space Jar breathe by giving it a little room; if it’s surrounded by clutter, its effect can get lost. Pay attention to how the light moves across its surface, whether it’s morning sun, an evening lamp, or even a candle nearby. And don’t be afraid to switch things up: move the jar around your space, rotate it, and try styling it both empty and filled with flowers.

Beyond the Vase: Other Types of Jars for Your Home

Now, the MOONARIJ Space Jars are clearly high-concept art. But all this talk of “jars” and “space” might get you thinking about organization in your own space. Specifically, the kitchen.

What About Spice Jars?

This is a totally different type of jar, of course. We’re shifting from art to pure function. But getting your spices organized is one of those small projects that makes cooking feel so much easier.

So many of us have a messy cabinet filled with mismatched containers. You buy them one at a time, and soon you have a ton of stuff you can’t even see. You end up buying duplicates because you couldn’t find the cumin you know you purchased last month. It’s a waste of money.

This is where a good set of spice jars comes in.

The Goal: The idea is to get everything into uniform containers. Usually, this means small, clear glass jars so you can easily see what’s inside and how much stock you have left. Glass spice jars are aesthetically pleasing and help organize spice drawers.
The Lid: A proper lid is crucial for keeping freshness. You want a tight seal to protect your spices and dried grains from heat and moisture.
The System: These jars are great organizers. When you can see everything lined up, you’ll actually use what you have. You can refill them from larger bags (which often cost less) and enjoy the process of cooking more. It just feels clean.

You can find a huge variety of options online, from Amazon to specialty shops. Whether you want a spinning rack or a chic drawer insert, there’s a perfect size and style for your kitchen. It’s an easy weekend project, and I recommend it if you love organization. A simple addition that makes a big difference.

From the Kitchen to the Craft Table: Galaxy Jars

And if you want to talk about “space” and “jars” in a completely different way, let’s talk about galaxy jars.

This is a great, easy craft project, especially for kids. (Or, frankly, for any adult who wants to zone out for a bit). It’s a way to create something beautiful that looks like a mini galaxy in a jar. Space jars can engage young children as a sensory or calming bottle.

The process is simple. You start with any clear glass jar—it doesn’t have to be a perfect size. You’re making a tiny universe, and you don’t have to wait for money to buy expensive supplies.

Here’s the basic idea (you can discover plenty of specific tutorials online):

You’ll need the jar, water, tempera paint (or food coloring), and a ton of cotton balls. Glitter is also a popular addition. A typical space jar is made using a clear jar, water, cotton balls, acrylic paint or food coloring, and glitter.
You layer the cotton balls inside the jar.
You mix your paint colors with water in a separate cup. Think purples, blues, and pinks—space colors.
Pour the colored water over a layer of cotton balls until they’re saturated.
Squish them down, maybe add some glitter, and then... you start the next layer with fresh cotton balls and a new color.

You repeat this until the jar is filled. The cotton balls blend the colors and give it that cloudy, nebula look. Colored layers of paint or food coloring in a space jar represent various glowing gases in a real nebula. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon, and the result is surprisingly beautiful. You can find everything you need in a craft box or at a local store. Just follow the steps, and you’ll learn how to do it in no time.

Final Thoughts

Whether it’s a hand-blown, art-piece vase from Berlin that your friends all talk about, or a simple jar filled with spices that makes you happy when you cook, the humble container holds a lot of potential. Galaxy jars can serve as sensory bottles or calming crafts for both kids and adults.

The MOONARIJ ‘Space Jars’ remind us that everyday objects can be art. And the DIY galaxy jars or a neatly organized spice rack remind us that we can create our own little pockets of beauty and order.

It’s all about keeping the things that you love and that you use in your space.
If you want to learn more about the MOONARIJ collection, you can check their site. If you’re ready to tackle that kitchen cabinet... well, you don’t have to wait any longer.