There’s something uniquely brilliant about the footed ice bucket. A humble workhorse with its lifted base and shapely silhouette, this staple offers both form and function in equal measure. It’s also become the unsung hero of my summer accessories—the one object I find myself reaching for again and again, whether setting a summer table, chilling a bottle of something celebratory, or styling florals for a still life shoot.
Hand-cast in durable aluminum, this piece features a weathered silver patina finish and double handles for a symmetrical look.
In the world of design and interiors, where every object and scene must sing, the footed ice bucket is surprisingly versatile. It keeps things cool—be it a bottle of rosé, sparkling water, or a even a bouquet of late-summer dahlias. I’ve used these vessels to keep bottles of champagne cold on garden tabletops, to corral herbs on the counter in a kitchen vignette, and even to anchor a big floral moment in the middle of a round entry table.
There’s a kind of majesty in its proportions—a small footed pedestal in silver lends height and grace with a shimmer of old money swagger. And, when used for flowers? Divine. Oak leaf hydrangeas, cosmos, even a few errant weeds or vines find a kind of rightness here. I’ve found this particular shape, narrow toward the foot and flared at the mouth, is ideal for arranging flowers too.
I’m a fan of this handsome one I stumbled upon while propping for a recent shoot at the New York City Pottery Barn in Flatiron on West 20th Street. But the options are endless, and whether it’s vintage hotel silver or handblown crystal, the footed ice bucket has proven time and again to be the unexpectedly chic solution to needs both practical and esoteric, as both vessel and visual delight—and I never pack for a shoot without one. Because really, what other object can hold both cuvée and chrysanthemums with such ease?
