Chica and I were visiting our local IKEA store the other day when I spotted this sleek looking Lillholmen toothbrush holder on the shelf. I use a Sonicare toothbrush so I really didn’t have any need for a traditional holder like this but something about the design caused me to put it into my bag. About halfway through the store, I knew how I was going to use them so I went back and got three more to take home!

I wanted to use the holders as vases for flowers to set the table for my husband’s outdoor cookout. The bottom of the holder is the perfect depth to hold enough water for some cut flowers. I’ve had them in the same water for about a day and the level is still high enough to supply the stems.

I selected the flowers based on the color scheme of the party as well as durability. The stems should probably be fairly rigid to hold the flowers upright for this look to work. I also wouldn’t choose flowers that are too large because they would overwhelm the container. Part of the fun was hearing everyone compliment how cute my flower vases were and then asking where they could find one too. My guests didn’t realize until I told them that they were actually toothbrush holders.

The Lillholmen design from IKEA works especially well for the flower application because of the fairly deep bowl at the bottom. You could use any toothbrush stand you like but you might have to add water a little more frequently. I also like the fact that the stems of the flowers are visible with this stand, I think it adds to the overall aesthetic of the arrangement.

I only had one use in mind when I bought the four of them but since a couple of days ago, I’ve thought of a few more uses for these sleek holders:

• Use them to hold your fondue forks during a fondue party.
• Place one on your crafting table to hold your paintbrushes.
• The holes are perfectly sized for holding your make-up brushes stylishly out on your vanity.
• At a party, use one to hold drink stirrers for your mixed drinks or coffee.

Let me know if you have any more unique ideas for using these toothbrush stands in the comments section below.

I will send one of the stands as a prize to the reader who comes up with the best idea!