Painting | Sheila Zeller Interiors

DIY Planter Makeover for Herbs & Garden Gnomes

May 15, 2013

Not too long ago I was given a hand-me-down planter with these little gnomes that hang off the sides. Now I know these guys are pretty cute, but I’m not so much into cutesy garden things. Don’t unfriend me for that!

Garden Gnomes

Okay, they’re actually kind of hard to resist with their mischievous little faces… they spell trouble, right? But, I still wasn’t convinced. I kept trying to decide where to feature this planter with these little guys, and then it all came together for me!

My friend Heather over at Grillfusion blog posted about her new little friend, a white garden gnome! Seeing the gnome in white changed everything! Thanks for showing me the way, Heather!

Here’s a look at what I did.

Painting Garden Gnomes

Poor, unsuspecting little guys! I painted the planter, too.

And then potted it up.

Sweet Marjoram…

Sweet Marjoram - Container Planting

Rosemary & Basil…

Rosemary & Basil - Container Planting

and Thyme.

Thyme - Container Planting

And look who popped up!

Basil - Container Planting

See what I mean about mischievous? How did he get in there??

And what’s this guy doing hanging around here?

White Garden Gnome

So bad. I knew they were trouble!

Garden Gnome Planter

I guess my planter of herbs is their new playground!

Herbs - Container Planting

I’m hoping the herbs will survive in this planter, but if not I’m game to move them and try something else!

How about you? Have you given herbs in a planter a try? And what about garden gnomes? Are they in or out at your home, or have you already unfriended me for that?

Today I’m linking up over at Satori Design to join Shauna and the gang for the outdoor extravaganza party. Why not pop over and check out what everyone else has been up to! And if you’re into potting up herbs, check out Shauna’s tutorial. She’s has a few great tricks to share!

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

TaggedBlogger, Curb Appeal, DIY Project, Exterior Styling, Garden Gnomes, Gardening, Herbs in a Container, Outdoor Extravaganza Party, Painting, Spring Filed UnderArticles 8 Comments

Tired of Ho-Humming Along!

March 8, 2013

Well, it’s been a pretty busy last few weeks over here at sZinteriors. For quite a while now I’ve been scouring the USED ads, thrifting my little heart out and just plain visioning in search of makeover pieces for my project ‘to do’!

Here’s a little heads up on what’s got my attention:

Floor Plan - Labelled Layout

Yah, I’ve had enough ho-humming along. Time to move out the pieces that aren’t working, and move in ones that will. This layout is what I have in mind. You can see from the floor plan, we don’t have a lot of options for furniture placement, but that’s okay. We don’t own this home, so will do with this space what we can do!

Here’s one piece that’s just come along…

Glass Door Cabinet - Used Victoria And a look at it right-side up!

Solid Oak Glass Door Cabinet

It’s solid oak with old brass hardware. You can’t really see in this photo, but the bottom of the legs are wrapped in brass – dipping with the real thing!

I have plans for this piece. Oh yes I do! So today I swapped my vehicle to the good outdoors, and set up my workshop in its place to get started.

There will definitely be more to come, but I have to get on with the grunt work first. That would be sanding. I so don’t enjoy the sanding part!

What are your plans for the weekend? Doing anything fun?

Thanks for stopping by!

Photos courtesy of Used Victoria ad

TaggedBedroom Makeover, Decor, Decorating, Design, DIY Project, Furniture, Interior Styling, Mid-Century Modern, Painting, Refinishing, Used Finds Filed UnderArticles 11 Comments

Painting Gallery Frames: Cheater DIY from Bland to Black!

February 28, 2013

Not too long ago in one of my treasure hunting adventures I came across this set of four vintage pencil drawings, and knew instantly I wanted to take them home! Vancouver, after all, is my home away from home.

Pencil Drawings of Vancouver, BC

I love Vancouver! But… I wasn’t so sure I loved the blonde wood frames. I propped them up against the wall for the time being, just to live with the frames and see if a clear wax was in order, or if painting the frames black was tugging at my soul.

Lo and behold, on another thrifting adventure a few weeks later I came across two more drawings to this set.

Pencil Drawings of Vancouver, BC

So now, hmmm, a gallery wall with six framed drawings in blonde wood frames? I wasn’t feeling it, not for me. What I did know was I wanted to keep the frames. But here’s the thing. These frames are old, and this is what the back looks like.

Back of Vintage Frame

Tiny little nails hold the print inside the frame, so I wasn’t really keen on removing all the nails from all six prints to paint the frames. In fact, I needed to add a few more nails to push down spots where the prints have warped over time. I just call these imperfections the ‘Wabi-sabi‘ of the find!

So here’s the cheater steps I took to paint the frames without disassembling the prints from inside.

1. Tape off the inside edges of the glass next to the frame.

Taping Off Frames for Painting Prep

My painter’s tape is fairly wide, so I was able to take one strip and cut it in half length-wise to tape off opposite sides of the frame. If you do this, make sure you put the factory edge against the frame. I used an X-Acto knife to cut the end of the tape so it fit snuggly into the corner of the frame. Works like a charm!

2. Elevate frames on empty containers, and brush the first coat of paint on all sides of each frame.

Taped frames for brushing on paint

Don’t worry too much about the back of the frame. Just make sure the paint wraps the back edge slightly…

DIY Cheat - Painting a Frame with Print Inside

Like this. If you paint like me, that won’t be a problem!

3. Apply second coat of paint, and remove tape. TIP: Make sure you remove painter’s tape before second coat dries.

Brush Painting Frames with Print Inside

I recommend scoring each edge with the X-Acto knife before you remove the tape. This will cut through any paint that’s already dried and help prevent the paint from peeling off with the tape. Remove the tape slowly, and leave frames to fully dry. Even when they’re dry, the paint will still be soft, and will knick easily

4. Once frames are dry, touch up any spots where the paint got away on you! And trust me, this will happen.

Spots for Touch-Up on Painted Frame

I cleaned the glass first just to remove any random paint flecks, and then used a black felt Sharpie with a chisel tip for my touch ups. To keep the felt from marking the glass, place a small, thin piece of paper between the pen and the glass where you’re doing each touch-up.

And voila!

My gallery find went from this…

Pencil Drawings of Vancouver, BC

To this…

Pencil Drawings of Vancouver, BC

From this…

Pencil Drawings, Vancouver, BC

To this…

Pencil Drawings, Vancouver, BC

And the whole set together looks like this!

Gallery of Pencil Drawings, Vancouver, BC

I bet you’re dying to know where I’m hanging this little gallery, huh? I promise, there will be a reveal. Just not today!

The thing to remember with a gallery presentation is it will generally be admired from afar. And that’s why I opted to do a quick brush of paint on the frames with the prints intact. The little flaws from this cheater approach won’t even be noticed. Normally I would remove the print, the glass, and all hardware. And then I would spray the frames for a smooth, even application of the paint. But in this case, seriously, would you pull all those little nails for that?

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

TaggedAccessorizing, Artwork, BC, Decor, Decorating, DIY Project, Gallery Frames, Painting, Painting Frames Tutorial, Pencil Drawings, Refinishing, Repurposing, Vancouver Filed UnderArticles 8 Comments

Artist Easel to TV Stand ‘Before & After’

September 4, 2012

Featured by…

Thank you so much!

You might remember waaaaay back about this time last year I posted in excitement about wanting to turn an artist easel into a TV stand. This was inspired by Vicente Wolf’s very creative idea, and if you missed my post you can catch up on it here. And then in House & Home’s June issue this year, an art easel turned TV stand was a featured DIY project!

This was exactly the push I needed to get back on track and tackle my year-in-waiting project!

Here’s what the easel looked like in its ‘before’ state.

Art Easel

Notice there is just one shelf.

There was a concern that the TV would be too top-heavy for the stand once it was mounted, making it tip forward. A test-run proved this stand to be a lot sturdier than you would think, and with the added weight of the audio equipment on the bottom, it wasn’t going anywhere.

Here’s the TV console we were replacing along with all the audio equipment that would have to make the move. I forgot to take a true ‘before’ of it, so you’ll notice the TV is missing!

Without getting too lost in the details of this project, one of the things we did was add two more shelves to accommodate our equipment.

I had my heart set on painting the stand black, because I wanted the equipment to blend in. I opted to brush rather than spray the stand, and oh boy, what a chore that was! Just the sanding and taping was more than I bargained for! You see, I had to sand off a clear coat finish, and then tape all the knobs and exposed hardware. And this stand has a lot of grooves, not to mention a bunch of knobs, back and front, as well as ample hardware!

I used CIL’s low VOC, low odour DUO paint (Dark Secret, DL51 in semi-gloss), so was spared the priming. I haven’t used CIL’s 2-in-1 paint before, and was curious about its coverage. In the end the stand got two coats, and needed some touch-ups just where the frame was adjusted once the TV was mounted. The frame was tedious to adjust, which is why I didn’t mess with it when I was painting.

Next hubs drilled the frame so he could mount our center speaker for the surround sound right in the center of the stand. Makes sense, right?

The TV, by the way, was mounted with steel strapping.

We used the TV’s pre-existing screw holes meant for a wall-mount bracket to attach the strapping, and wrapped it snugly over the back rest of the easel.

At first, I wasn’t too sure if I liked the outcome.

But then when I went back to the living room ‘before’ photo with the TV console…

And looked around the room with the new TV easel finished and in place…

Well, I decided there was no comparison. I love the sculptural feel and uniqueness of the stand, and how compact the equipment is sitting on the stand. I like how the stand works with the clock, and the decor. But most of all, I like that the stand tucked perfectly into the corner… it’s such an awkward corner. Did you notice that?

This was a case of, if you can’t disguise the TV, then go all out with it instead!

I’m curious to hear what you think! And, I’d love your thoughts on the wall behind the TV, too. Would you put anything there, or leave that spot empty as is?

Today I’m linking up over at Primitive & Proper…

You might want to pop by to check out the other projects. Thanks for hosting, Cassie!

And thank you, my friends, for stopping by today

PS – don’t forget to enter our special GIVEAWAY here… Giveaway ends Friday, September 7, 2012 midnight PST!

TaggedArtist Easel TV Stand, Display, DIY Project, Furniture, Painting, Primitive & Proper Link Party, Repurposing, Vicente Wolf Filed UnderArticles 21 Comments

The Makeover of a Clothes Valet

August 6, 2012

In a home, it’s the little things that make a difference, and that’s what inspired this makeover.

I’ve wanted to paint the clothes valet you see here for awhile now, even had the paint to do it…

Maple Clothes Valet

But I use it to display my Grandmother’s quilt (I wrote about the quilt here), so the valet is usually tucked behind a patchwork of colours!

Vintage Handmade Quilt, Maple Clothes Valet

And you know how it is. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Originally my thought was to paint the valet in black… and I still think black would look good. But I decided to lighten things up with Benjamin Moore’s self-priming Aura paint in Tapenade CC-694 instead.

My biggest procrastination, honestly, was the sanding! Who enjoys sanding, anyway? And I know… if I used Annie Sloan’s chalk paint, I wouldn’t have to sand… but my motive was to try and use up some of the paint I already have! Besides, you’ll see I used Annie’s clear wax for the finish!

DIY Clothes Valet Makeover

I was pretty happy to forego the primer. Have you ever used self-priming paint? One less step, and you’ve got my attention!

Here’s how BM’s Tapenade CC-694 fits in.

BM Tapenade CC-694 Bedroom Story Board

It works with the green stripe in the drapery panel (I wrote about that DIY here), the hints of green at the base of the flower petals in the duvet… and also, Tapenade is a gray-green.

Here’s a look at my Gran’s vintage quilt back in place.

Vintage Handmade Quilt on Quilt Rack

I like the way the green works with the colours in the quilt. Notice the large paisley in the bottom left corner?

Here’s one more look back at the ‘Before’…

Vintage Quilt on Maple Clothes Valet

And another look at the way I’ve finished styling this little corner space.

Vintage Handmade Quilt

This is an example of working with what you have, and adding a little DIY twist to make what you have work even better. I didn’t buy anything… not even the basket filled with scarves that’s sitting under the quilt.

And if you were to ask, everything in this corner has a little story, even the basket! Did you notice the scrolls hanging above the quilt? I’ll tell you all about them in another post! Yup, they have a story, too!

How about you? Have you made any changes in your space lately? What tips do you have to share?

My thing is working with what you have to pull a look together. By tweaking a few things here and there, even the smallest changes can make a huge difference. It’s once you’ve done this that you’ll know if, or what new pieces you might like to add. Because the other part of working with what you have, is knowing what’s not working anymore, and letting it go. But wait, you might want to give it a DIY makeover first! You’d be surprised what you fall in love with all over again!!!

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY!

All Photos by Sheila Zeller

TaggedBM Tapenade CC-694, Colour, Decor, Decorating, DIY Project, Interior Styling, Painting, Refinishing Filed UnderArticles 22 Comments

DIY: Zipping Up A Lamp Shade, Painting It With Colour!

July 31, 2012

I picked up a little glazed ceramic lamp base at the thrift store not too long ago, but had no idea what to do for a shade. Knew I wanted to DIY something, but not sure what.

And then I came across a tutorial by Courtney over at A Little Glass Box. A very cool idea that I hadn’t seen before.

First, I had to buy a cheapo shade, because I needed the frame to work with.

Home Trends Lamp Shade

And I knew from my DIY skeleton lamp shade that finding a thrifted shade to fit a small lamp was harder than you’d think. So I didn’t take the time to try and thrift one, but popped into Wal-Mart instead.

Even though the shade looks a little top heavy, I knew it wouldn’t be once it was taken apart.

And that’s because the bottom ring was only attached to the fabric, not the actual frame. I was going for a drum shape, so losing the bottom ring was exactly what needed to happen.

Can you see a drum evolving from this frame?

Frame of table lamp shade

No, not so much?

Next was cutting 1/4″ wire mesh to size for the new shade…

1/4" wire mesh

And attaching it to the frame with small plastic zip straps, to form the drum shape.

DIY Lamp Shade with Wire Mesh

And now the fun begins. Have you guessed how this shade is being created yet?

Here’s a peak…

Small Plastic Tie Strap Lamp Shade

That’s right. Staggered layers of zip straps will be used to fill in the mesh and create the shade! Crazy, I know.

You actually want to attach straps in every mesh square of the bottom row, and the very top row. It’s all the rows in between that are staggered.

Check out the layer of white!

White Zip Strap & Wire Mesh Lamp Shade

Looks kind of funky, don’t you think?

I really liked the layered colours of Courtney’s lamp in the tutorial, so I wanted to layer colours into my shade, too. But it meant spray painting zip straps!

So I figured out how many I would need in each colour, and counted them out. Yes, seriously, I did!

Zip Straps and Spray Paint

Did I mention, I bought a bag of 1000 small zip straps? And in total I used 575 of them, give or take a few!

I couldn’t figure out a fast and easy system to spray these puppies, so I just resorted to threading them – One. By. One. – onto fishing line, and then sprayed away, trying to cover both sides of the straps!

Tip:

Make sure you spray the straps ahead of time, because they definitely need to dry overnight, and the longer they dry, the better. Otherwise the paint will rub and flake off too much when you’re attaching the straps to the mesh.

Here’s the colour layering in action.

DIY Lamp Shade with Zip Straps

One thing to keep in mind is not to pull the straps too tight. The ones you see sticking out have deliberately been pulled tight to anchor the mesh to the frame, but they were only temporary until they could be replaced with the blue straps.

Are you feel’n it yet?

Here’s a look at the finished shade…

DIY Zip Strap Lamp Shade

I know it looks a little ‘Dr. Seuss’, but hang on… you haven’t seen it turned on yet!

I used a small 60w clear bulb…

DIY Zip Strap Lamp Shade

And was blown away by how different this little lamp looks when it’s on!

I love the shadows it casts…

And check out the reflection on the lamp base.

Doesn’t it remind you of a White Sea Anemone in an ocean of blue?

Here’s one more look back at the lamp and shade in its ‘Before’ state…

Martha Stewart Lamp Shade

And the ‘After’ of the total shade makeover!

What do you think of my little Crazy for Colour project? Would you zip up 575+ straps to make one of these shades, too?

Today I’m joining in the party fun, and linking my project up here…

I want to thank these awesome ladies for being such great hosts!

Such a fun project! And so many more to do Why not pop on over and check out all the other projects, too? Who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to do up your own crazy colour project… or maybe it’s just a crazy project. Seriously, zip straps turned into a lamp shade? Who knew???

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

All Photos by Sheila Zeller

TaggedColour, Decor, Design, Display, DIY Project, Lighting, Mission Possible Link Party, Painting, Repurposing, Thrifting Filed UnderArticles 38 Comments

A Little Gloss and Too Much Shine!

July 23, 2012

I love summer, and am seriously enjoying it while it’s here! You’ve probably noticed fewer posts per week, and I just want to say, it’s all good! I’m taking this time to enjoy the sunshine, my friends and family, and all that summer brings our way And of course, a few projects, too.

So you’ll understand when I say I got sidetracked the other day with a mini project!

I’ve had this picture frame kicking around for quite a while now.

Dark Brown Photo Frame

But I’ve never loved the dark brown. No, not so much… in fact, not at all!

So, when I was busy in the garage the other day, just on a whim I decided to haul out the primer.

Primed Photo Frame for Painting

Wasn’t sure what I was going to do exactly, but knew I couldn’t go wrong with a coat of primer.

And since I had a can of gray spray paint handy from another project…

Gray Spray Painted Photo Frame

I decided I couldn’t go wrong with gray, either!

The frame took the paint really well, and the finished coat was awesome. It was smooth and even… but it was just way too shiny for me in the end. I guess glossy paint will do that, right?!

So I hauled out the sandpaper and started scratching up the frame, and dulling it down.

Distressed Photo Frame

Hard to tell there was any gloss to begin with. Do you think I got carried away?

You might remember that I was the lucky winner of a Sand Dollar print by Wooden Spoon Editions quite some time ago, which I wrote about here and here.

Well, I decided to introduce the distressed frame to my Sand Dollar print, you know, just to see how they would get along.

Distressed Photo Frame

The gray might be a little on the blue side, but I like the way these two play together.

How about you?

Have you changed anything up lately?

Remember, it’s all in the details… I had no intentions of distressing this frame when I set out, but when I didn’t like the shiny finish, I knew that leaving it would be no different than if I had left the frame dark brown. I wouldn’t use it. And what’s the point in that? Never be afraid to make the pieces in your home all about you. That’s what it’s all about!

THANKS FOR TAKING A MOMENT TO STOP BY!

All Photos by Sheila Zeller

TaggedDecor, Decorating, Display, Distressed Paint Project, DIY Project, Painting, Refinishing Filed UnderArticles 27 Comments

A Mini Porch Repair… Curb Appeal Love!

July 16, 2012

Not sure if you remember, but back when I shared our DIY BBQ Pad project I mentioned another project that was on our ‘to do’ list. A little porch repair…

We had to wait out the weather (like 3 months worth of waiting!) before we could get started, since staining was involved. Finally, this weekend some good weather lined itself up with our ‘spare’ time, and we were able to get at it.

Here’s a look at the actual repair we needed to make.

Porch Repair Project

The bottom step needed to be replaced, and while we were at it we wanted to restain the porch, too.

Our neighbour caught wind of this project and offered us the use of his power washer. He also gave me a quick lesson on how to use it.

Removing Stain by Power Washing

I only power washed the decking, because the boards for the step were being completely replaced.

And then our neighbour lent us his belt sander to finish the job. We have a little sander, but he was convinced his was the better tool to get the job done!

Removing Stain with a Belt Sander

Have I mentioned that we have pretty awesome neighbours?

Before hubs did the sanding he dealt with removing the boards on the step.

Repairing a Porch

The nails were pretty heavy duty, so this was the toughest part of the whole thing, otherwise I would’ve tried to tackle it myself!

While he was doing this part, I stained the underside and edges of the new boards for the step.

Stained Boards

I wanted them to have a chance to dry before hubs needed to install them.

Here’s a look at the fully sanded deck-top.

Sanded Porch Prepped to Stain

I jumped in and took over the staining at this point. I wanted to give the whole porch a fresh coat of stain before the new boards were nailed down.

Here’s a look at the stain job.

Freshly stained porch

I’m not sure what those streaks are in the photo, because the porch doesn’t actually look streaky to the eye! You can see here that I gave the frame of the step a coat of stain as well.

Once the stain was dry – and trust me, it didn’t take long in the heat – hubs nailed the new boards into place.

Installing stair treads

And then I finished them off with a couple of coats of stain.

Cloverdale Deck Stain

This is the stain we used, which was in the basement when we moved in, and is what our landlord used on all the porches of this home.

Here’s a look back at where we started…

Porch Repair Project

And how the porch looks now.

Cloverdale Stained Porch

A quick repair job, and a new coat of stain gives this porch a refreshed look. Another ‘to do’ scratched off the list!

And did you notice the BBQ is out and in full use? Just thought I’d mention that!

What did you do this weekend? Did you play in the sun, or did you tackle a home project, too? If you’re like me, tackling a home project out in the sun is playing in the sun!

You know, it’s the little things such as a mini project like this that make all the difference to your curb appeal, and the statement your home makes. If you look closely you’ll see this porch is not made with treated lumber, and in fact, doesn’t even have a cement pad to sit on. Heck, it’s not even sitting perfectly level. But with the step repaired, and the fresh coat of stain, those aren’t the things you notice. What you see is a little porch that looks loved and cared for. And that is what makes a home feel welcoming, what curb appeal is all about!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

All Photos by Sheila Zeller

TaggedCurb Appeal, DIY Project, Exterior Maintenance, Home Exteriors, Home Staging, Painting, Painting & Repairs Filed UnderArticles 12 Comments

The Reach of Pinterest: Highschool Project Inspired by Mom’s Pin!

June 19, 2012

If you’re a Pinterest fan, then you know all about the pinning craze. And I bet you’ve been inspired to try an idea or two that you’ve pinned. But would you believe me if I told you Pinterest inspired my daughter’s History 12 project?

Here’s the pin that started it all.

Source: Pinterest

What dots would you connect between this and History 12? The dots of the cherry blossoms might be a clue

Here’s a little photo journey of the work in progress.

Starting with the supplies.

Drawing the branches in free-hand.

And then painting over them with dark brown.

You can see the pink paint ready to go in the background.

But first, a little test-run in making the blossoms. We printed the Pinterest pic for some visual help.

Just to check the colour and technique.

A little more white was added to lighten the pink…

And Kaleigh discovered that blotting the blossoms first was the way to go.

Then she set to work.

Have you figured out the History connection yet?

If I mentioned a timeline, would that help?

Can you picture a timeline here?

This is how Kaleigh incorporated the cherry blossom tree into her History 12 final project.

Photo by Kaleigh Duralia

Notice the blossoms have been finished with paint dabbed in the centres. And thankfully Kaleigh thought to take a final photograph, or I wouldn’t have the project reveal! I’m not sure what happened, but by the time the project was put together, I completely overlooked the last shot. Where was my head at?

Anyway, what do you think? From Pinterest inspiration to highschool project implementation! The reach of Pinterest just never ends!

Kaleigh has really enjoyed her History 12 class, in fact, has truly loved it. But she’s not a big fan of creative projects like this. Hard to tell from her focus in the photos, isn’t it? If you know Kaleigh, then you know that she’s actually very creative and has a great eye and attention for detail, but she’s just not into it. She likes to write, and if given a choice, would rather write an essay than create a visual with the content, so I’m pretty proud of what she’s done here!

Update: Kaleigh earned 23/25 on her project, with 5/5 for presentation! What do we think of Pinterest now?

Have you caught the Pinterest bug? Where have you put your Pinterest inspiration into action?

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO STOP BY!

Home… a special place that tells your story!

Subscribe to SZInteriors by email or RSS feed

Follow my Boards on Pinterest

Like my Page on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter

If you would like a little help with your space contact me here.

Looking for a colour consultation click here.

Interested in a Sponsorship opportunity? Click here for details.

All Photos by Sheila Zeller unless otherwise indicated

TaggedArtwork, Chinese Timeline, Colour, Display, DIY Project, History 12 Project, Painting, Pinterest, Pinterest Inspiration Filed UnderArticles 12 Comments

DIY: Giving Terracotta Pots A Second Life

May 28, 2012

Last week I took a little gander at my random collection of plant pots, you know to start thinking about prettifying the yard a bit. I love terracotta pots, but mine have definitely seen better days.

Like this one!

Chipped Terracotta Plant Pot

This is the biggest one I have, and it’s been around for at least 10 years, not to mention through a move or two…

Here’s a few more added to the mix.

Prepping Terracotta Pots to Paint

See what I mean? The big pots are in pretty tough shape around the rim.

So I decided to paint this bunch and give them a new life. It’s not like there’s anything to lose, right?

I started by brushing off all the dust and dirt with a stiff-bristled hand broom, and then lightly primed each pot with spray primer.

Primed terracotta plant pots

The wind showed up just in time, and made spraying evenly almost impossible.

I decided to give this Krylon ‘Make-It-Stone’ textured spray paint a try.

Krylon Make It Stone Spraypaint

But I didn’t notice until it was too late that this paint is an indoor paint. Oops! Oh well, like I said, there’s not much to lose at this point.

The pots took the paint really well, but they looked a little boring all sprayed out in stone.

So I went over the rims and sprayed them black instead.

Painting Terracotta Pots

I was trying a little ombre touch here, but a few days later, decided I didn’t really like that either! My technique was a little too blotchy, don’t you think?

So I prepped the pots for another coat of the Krylon Stone to go over the Ombre attempt.

Taping Terracotta Pots to Paint

This additional coat made a big difference to the finished look. I liked the outcome much better than the first round.

Here’s a little peak at round two.

Krylon 'Make It Stone' & Black Rim

I think they look better like this, even up-side-down

And since I liked the way the pots looked, I gave them a few clear coats to seal them, and called it a wrap. Hopefully this will help protect the ‘indoor’ paint from the elements, at least for this season!

Want to see them all planted up?

I stayed with bright red Geraniums and Dracaena in all the pots. They’re pretty hardy plants that I usually manage to keep alive!

I wanted the red to pop against the black and stone colours of the pot, and once the Geraniums fill out, I think they’ll be showy.

The Rhodoes in the background are actually our neighbours, but we get to enjoy them as a backdrop!

Remember the ‘before’ of the big planter?

Chipped Terracotta Plant Pot

What do you think of it now?

Notice the water on the rim? I think that’s a good sign that the sealer is doing its job!

Have you painted terracotta pots for outside? Were you happy with the results?

We spent our weekend weeding, and planting up flowers, herbs, and some of Makaria Farm’s famous tomatoes. I hope you’ll pop back for a little tour of what we’ve done!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!