This 17th-Century Decor Piece Is Coming Back, According to Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines knows how to decorate a space to give it a homey, lived-in vibe that feels both timeless and fresh. She expertly pairs modern pieces with vintage elements to achieve this, and her latest Mini Reni features a historical botanical item to convey the collected-over-time feel. They’re glass cloches, which you can score for under $10 at Target — and if you’re not already using them in your space, you should start now.

Foliage and botanicals are a huge theme in this most recent Mini Reni Gaines project, completed for her Magnolia Network show. She utilized various methods to display and preserve dried flowers — including the use of glass cloche domes, which are the stars of this desk space.

Glass garden cloches were invented back in the 17th century and are basically mini greenhouses for your plants, according to Michigan State University. They offer frost protection, create humidity, and protect seedlings from being trampled. Nowadays, cloches are primarily used for display to protect delicate items and are sometimes even used in the kitchen to keep cheese plates and other hors d’oeuvres fresh.

Due to the historical roots of glass garden cloches, these items add a vintage element to your decor — you’ll likely see them in dark academia aesthetics, housing delicate displays of dried flowers, candles, or even preserved bugs. You can buy cloche domes almost anywhere — including from Target, where they’re just $8.

If you want to use a cloche to display dried flowers like Gaines does, you can use a bit of moss or floral foam to give your stems a sturdy base to plug into. Then, arrange your stems just as you would a traditional bouquet.

Give your space an instant vintage vibe by introducing a few cloches to your decor. They’re simple and timeless, and will give a room a sophisticated flair — no matter how you use them.