Frankfurt - Vases are essentially vessels for flowers, small branches trimmed off trees or bushes or tufts of grass, but they are currently the centre of attention for designers.

Many of the new models, both large and small, are decorative pieces of art that function without flowers. The designs range between two extremes. One takes shapes from nature or day-to-day life, reproduces them or enlarges them. They are sometimes richly adorned, sometimes inventively designed.

In the other extreme, their style is diminished, said Nadine Philipp of Frankfurt's convention centre, which organizes an interior design show. Both styles require a high level of skill to create.

An example of vases that go in a natural direction are those in Royal Copenhagen's, The Art of Giving Flowers collection, featuring porcelain lushly abloom with hydrangeas or majestically decorated with lilies. By contrast Normann Copenhagen, a competitor, lets grass sprout. Inspired by strips of green found along roads, the vase, Grass, is made of a single hand-made clay base resembling blades of grass. Tiny tubes meant to hold flower are hidden between them.

The vase Jackie, designed by Asa Jungelius for the Swedish company Kostaboda, falls into the lavishly adorned category. The designer took a classic shape and decorated it with a true mass of gold colour crowned by blobs of purple.

Such an amount of gaudiness is unthinkable on the other end of the design scale. Plain shapes and reserved colours are the elements of choice here.

"The shapes are puristic and the focus is on the essentials," said Philipp. Classic colours and glasses are the typical materials combined with the restrained geometry.

Over-sized vases are typical, and they are not always meant for the table. Instead they are convincing as sculptures that can be placed on the floor. Treated surfaces play an important role: instead of painting designs on them, they are cut and scratched.

"The marks are meant to show the work process," said Anselm Schaugg, referring to the Guaxs collection - his company in Tuebingen. There's hardly a cut or relief that runs along a perfectly straight line. The craftsmanship can be seen in the shape as well as the surface.

In fact, consumers are increasingly interested in the little stories behind the products, many experts say.

"It's about the details. Nowadays, these products must have a soul and must be genuine and authentic," said Oliver Schmid of the trend research bureau Politur in Berlin.

Xavier Mañosa's label shows just how such designs can look. Vases are the Spaniard's design passion. He lives in Berlin, and white clay is his preferred material, which he brings out in different shapes. His El Pissaro is coated with blackboard and can thus be decorated along individual lines. (dpa)