When it comes to cremation urns, there is literally something for everyone. Size, color, materials, design. No matter what aspect of a cremation urn you are interested in, nearly everything is customizable, allowing even the most cost conscious families to create memorials befitting the personality of their precious loved ones. Here is a summary of the options one can keep in mind when choosing the perfect cremation urn.
Urn Size:
Cremation urns are available in any number of different sizes, each suitable for a different type of use. Very large cremation urns tend to hold 400 - 500 cubic inches worth of remains and are suitable for the many couples who are comforted by the thought of spending eternity together in one urn. Standard sized cremation urns typically hold 170 - 350 cubic inches worth of remains and are the usual choice for most people. But, that said, these “individual” sized cremation urns can vary a great deal in size. Some, for example, are designed to store ashes in the base of a rather large sculpture, and, in others that are smaller, the ashes are stored into a hollow portion of a sculpture or cylinder design itself. And, finally, the smallest size of cremation urns are known as “keepsake” urns and typically hold anywhere from a teaspoon to 50 cubic inches of remains. These types of urns are not intended to hold the entire set of remains of a single person, but, rather, they are perfect for families who want to divide the ashes of a loved one amongst several locales or for those who wish to keep a small portion of ashes that are otherwise scattered over some special place.
Urn Color:
Cremation urns are available in colors that span the rainbow and set any sort of memorial tone that a family can desire. Whimsical, playful personalities can be remembered through the ages with bright colors on an urn, and the memorial industry offers plenty of choices in that regard. Whether an urn is made from wood, fiberglass, or even brass, it can be enhanced with just about any type of color scheme imaginable. One wood urn artist is even well known for creating colorful designs not from paint but, rather, by using pieces of rare wood that are a multitude of different colors.
Studious personalities are best memorialized with urns that feature a serious-toned color. Plenty of elegant cremation urns made from all types of materials feature, smooth, sophisticated colors -- brown, gray, black, etc. -- that will present a picture of intelligence and wisdom to the ages.
Urn Materials:
Cremation urns are made from all sorts of materials, ranging from long-lasting natural substances such as marble and granite to biodegradable materials such as paper. This vast array of choices for materials means that cremation urns can be used for just about any memorial setting imaginable. Studier materials, such as steel and bronze are suitable for outdoor display or for direct burial of remains. And the less hearty materials such as glass or wood can become beautiful additions to any interior decor. One surprising choice of cremation urn material may be paper. Yes, it’s true that many people today desire to have an attractive urn at a funeral service but do not intend to keep the ashes stored in a single place for a long period. So, for these cases, biodegradable, relatively inexpensive, urns made from paper or cardboard are the perfect choice.
Urn Design:
The most amazing thing regarding the diversity of cremation urns may just be the availability of multitudes of designs. Those who think of cremation urns as simple, vase-like cylinders will likely be surprised at what else earns the name cremation urn these days. Traditional “Grecian” urn designs are still quite common and popular, of course, but that is just the start. Beautiful urns are now available today that take the shape of jewelry boxes, kitchen ware, sporting goods, and even motorcycle gas tanks. It’s not uncommon today to see urns designed to be part of an outdoor memorial display -- such as in a hollow “memorial rock” that is installed in a garden of some sort. And, with the explosion of creativity in the memorial industry in recent years, elaborate or unusual designs of urns do not necessarily have to be custom ordered from an artist (though many people still do that). Plenty of ready-made, off-the-norm, and designs are available from retailers at any time and can be shipped, in most cases, within a week. Urns featuring baseball gloves, hunting scenes, and even a ball of yarn are among the many unique designs that are available for immediate purchase these days.
