Succulent Planter: A Thrift Store Upcycle
6 Materials
Easy
When an outdated piece landed in the thrift store, I grabbed it up, brought it home, and gave it a new look and a new purpose. Yesterday's trash became today's treasure!
One of my favorite things to do is peruse the thrift store for unique items. There's never a shortage of dishes, clothes, or toys, but I'm always keeping my eyes open for something a little different - something with hidden potential that just needs a little sprucing up to become something fabulous. That's just what I saw in this outdated tray of tired votives filled with stones.
Succulents are everywhere now - except in my house. So when I saw those cute little votives, I knew they would be perfect for planters since succulents don't need a lot of soil or moisture. And the tray was perfect for sitting in a sunny windowsill. All it needed was a little spray paint, some pea gravel, and a gorgeous collection of succulents.
This was the very first time I've painted with a textured spray paint and WOW - this stuff is amazing! The fine sand-like texture was perfect for a tray that would hold desert-like plants. I chose the color "pebble" and it was just the look I was going for. It totally and instantly updated the tired tray .
A few of the votives had pretty little etched leaves on them. Kind of cute, but not at all what I needed for this project, and those colors certainly had to go. For the planters, I wanted a flat finish - something to complement the textured tray, yet unassuming enough to allow the succulents to be the star of the show.
I chose Rustoleum's camouflage "khaki" paint - just the look I wanted.
Once the votives were dry, it was time to add the succulents. I chose three different varieties. Aren't they just so cute?
I used some cactus, palm, and citrus soil - perfect for succulents. Then, it was time to line them on the tray.
Finally, I filled in the gaps between each planter with some pea gravel I had left over from an herb vignette project, and I was done! I love how it turned out and I now have a lovely collection of little succulents sporting their style in a planter that's just as unique as they are!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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4 of 38 comments
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I've got into succulents recently and love what you did, so pretty
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Thank you, Carolyn.
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Taking something so garish and 70's looking, and turning it into something so perfectly zen and modernized, was a stroke of genius! Love the finished project, and thanks for introducing me to the textured spray paint idea (never even knew that was an option). I'm headed to the thrift store. Can't wait to try out something similar, as I've been wanting to experiment with succulents for a while now, (but was too scared I'd kill them). Great job! What a beautiful end result (and would also make a very lovely gift). Nicely done!
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Thank you for your very kind comment! I think you'll really love the textured paint. I'm keeping it in reserve for another project. It's just that great! Hope you find the perfect piece for your project. :)
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