Stoneware and pottery are classic home decor elements that are also very much on trend right now. And here’s a full tutorial for how to paint a glass vase to look like stoneware for a fraction of the cost of the real thing.
How to Paint Glass Vases
Our latest Design Improvised DIY Night was all about learning how to paint glass vases! This thrifty makeover can can bring major pops of color to your home! Who doesn’t have a few of these plain glass vases on hand? You can easily paint three vases under an hour (plus drying time), so go raid your closet, grab some paint, and get started!
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Supplies for Painting Glass Vases
- Clear glass vases (if you don’t have any at home, your local thrift shop is bound to be stocked with them for $1-$2 a piece)
- Craft paint that specifically works on glass (we used Martha Stewart Multi-Surface Acrylic craft paint , a great option as it doesn’t require baking the glass in the oven like other glass paints and is dishwasher safe after 21 days of ‘curing’)
- Small paint brushes
- Rubbing alcohol
- Your fingers! (see tip #2 below)
Who wouldn’t want to do a project with this array of beautiful paints? I literally got giddy when I opened my box of them (FYI – these easiest place to find the full range of Martha Stewart paints is at Michaels craft store).
How to Paint Glass Vases
- Make sure you start by giving the vases a good wash with hot soapy water. After rinsing them, pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol into the vase and swish around or rub inside with a paper towel. Then turn upside down and let dry completely. This step ensures that the paint will adhere nicely to the glass.
- Squeeze a healthy amount of paint into the bottom of the vase and use your brush to spread it up sides. (Note: you are painting the inside, not the outside of the vase!)
- Add more paint as need to cover the inside of the vase – once you start making streaky brush strokes like you are pushing around paint it is a good time to stop with the first coat.
- You may need to do a second coat once the paint has dried completely (I would wait at least 24 hours before applying a second coat).
How to Paint a Glass Vase to Look Like Stoneware
Y’all know that I love a bargain and I also love transforming things with my paint brush. I find it very rewarding to give a thrifted piece a brand new look.
And today I’m sharing a recent project that I did for this month’s Thrifty Style Team Challenge, hosted by Julie at Redhead Can Decorate. Each month our team of clever and creative home decor bloggers shares tips and projects for decorating your home on a budget.
All of this month’s projects are at the bottom of this post so be sure to visit everyone. There are so many great ideas this months and you’ll want to see them all.
For my project, I took a glass vase that came with a flower arrangement and made it look like an antique piece of pottery. It only took a few simple supplies and a couple of hours for the transformation. Read on to see how I did it.
Supplies needed
For this simple project you’ll only need a few items:
- Paint – I used a small amount from a sample pot of paint. The color was Benjamin Moore Baby Fawn.
- Baking soda
- Brush – use an older one or a cheap one
- Sanding sponge or sandpaper
- Coffee grounds
- Glass vase – I saw some just like mine for $1 at the thrift store. You can use any shape for this.
- Natural sea sponge
- Clear finish – acrylic urethane or clear spray finish will work
And here’s the easy process.
Instructions for painting a glass vase to look like stoneware
1. Sand the glass vase
Lightly sand the vase to rough up the surface. Your paint will adhere better.
2. Mix the paint and baking soda
For this small vase here’s the approximate ratio I used:
3 parts paint to 1 part baking soda.
It will be thicker than regular paint but you should still be able to apply it with your paint brush. It’s okay if it’s a little lumpy but try to break up any larger lumps.
3. Paint the vase with the baking soda mixture
Cover the vase with the baking soda mixture. You’ll probably need two coats. Paint a few inches down inside the vase.
For my vase, I painted the bottom first.
4. Add more texture
This step is optional.
Wet a sea sponge and ring out all excess water. After the second coat has dried slightly, pounce the wet baking soda mixture very gently with the damp sea sponge to add more texture to the paint.
TIP: Don’t pounce to heavy or you’ll actually remove the paint. I recommend starting on the bottom of the vase to get the hang of it.
You can also gently drag your paint brush across the wet surface for more texture.
Here’s how mine looked after I added texture to it.
5. Allow paint to dry completely
After the paint dries it will look rough and textured like a piece of unglazed pottery.
6. Stain the piece
After the paint has dried completely, gently smear wet coffee grounds all over it. This will give it an aged look. As a bonus, your hands will get exfoliated and be super smooth.
Allow the coffee grounds to dry and then wipe them off. This is a messy process so be sure your work surface is covered.
NOTE: You can use other items from your pantry like cinnamon, nutmeg, mustard seed, or even soil. Add a little water to make a paste then smear it on.
7. Finish with a clear coat and enjoy!
For durability you’ll want to finish the piece with a clear coat after it’s completely dry. You can use it as a vase for artificial or dried flowers or simply enjoy it as a piece of art.
What do you think? I’m thrilled with how this project turned out and have so many ideas of other things to paint like this.
I haven’t decorated for fall quite yet but did pop some artificial eucalytus branches in the vase to see how they would look. You can see my new paint color and a sneak peek of my new mirror below. Stay tuned for a full reveal soon.
More thrifty home decor projects
Here are all of this months projects to inspire you!
Redhead Can Decorate –A Look Back at Redhead Can Decorates Best Affordable DIY Projects
2 Bees in a Pod –French Country Lamp Makeover
More Painting Tutorials
You can transform almost anything with paint. Here are some of my past painting projects:
- How to paint a brick fireplace
- How to paint and stencil a vinyl floor
- How to paint a laminate countertop
- Learn how to get a crackle paint finish
- Paint numbers and letters on furniture
- How to paint paneling like a pro
