DIY Textured Vase | Inspired by Pottery Barn

8 Materials
$2
1 Day
Easy

Do you love the trend of vintage looking pottery? You can find it everywhere, from Pottery barn to Target. These textured vases have also caught my eye! If you’ve been following along for a while you know in the spring we shared how to create a faux stone looking bunny for Easter. As I was pulling out my fall decorations this year, I thought I’d like to add a tall vintage looking textured vase to my fall display.


A while back I picked up a tall vase at the thrift store for $2. I knew it would be perfect for this project.

Inspiration Vases

Several months ago Steph and I spent some time strolling through Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. We love to browse these stores for inspiration. Not only were we inspired, but also excited to try our hand at recreating this amazing vintage looking pottery that looks like it’s been around for centuries.

Tap to watch our video tutorial

Vase BEFORE

Here's a look at the vase before. It had already been painted. With this in mind, I wanted to make sure that the texture would adhere well, so I decided to spray it with some primer. Just a little peace of mind, I hate to go to all that work and have it chip off.

Supplies Needed

For this project you will need:



  • vase (old or new)
  • primer (optional)
  • drywall joint compound
  • dirt
  • putty knife
  • sponge
  • paint brushes
  • paint (I used an off-white, taupe, brown and dark grey acrylic paint)

To create this mixture I added a little water to thin down the drywall compound, then I added a little dirt to this mixture to make it gritty. This will help create the rough texture on the pot. Please see the video to see how I mixed this compound and applied it to the pot.


Apply Joint Compound

Begin applying the joint compound mixture to the vase with a putty knife. You may want to wear gloves for this, drywall compound really drys out your skin.


Completely cover the entire vase with this mixture. Feel free to use your hands if that’s easier. I used both the putty knife and my fingers to get it the way I wanted it.


Once the textured vase is completely covered with the joint compound mud mixture, let dry for 10-15 minutes.

At this time, take a sponge to dab and remove any peaks or ridges, as well as any marks from the putty knife.


Let the textured vase dry completely before adding color and dimension with paint.

Adding Depth & Dimension with accent paint

Once the vase is completely dry it’s time to add dimension and a sense of age with layers of paint. Without a doubt, this is the fun part!


I wanted the base color for my textured vase to be an off white, so I added a little taupe to some white paint that I had on hand.


The textured surface of the vase is very porous. With this in mind you’ll want to cover the entire surface of the vase with paint. This will seal and protect the textured finish.

Now that the vase is painted with the base color, finally it’s time to have some fun and add in the vintage and aged look with layers of paint.


You can see here how the dark grey paint remains in the crevices and really add depth and dimension to the vase.


Randomly add the accent paint here and there around the vase. Dab with a wet paper towel or coffee filter to blend. Then let completely dry.


Again for more in depth details and a list of the colors we used, please see our original post.

Our Pottery Barn Vase Dupe

Doesn’t it look amazing?! Doesn’t it look like pottery that’s centuries old?


It this a project you are going to try? Do you have something lying around your house you’d like to try this technique on? We’d love to know your thoughts on this project.


Thank you for spending some time with us today!


To see what we are working on before it’s on our blog, follow us on  Instagram.


And as always here at Sunny Side Design

WE HOPE TO BRING YOUR HOME TO THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET!

Resources for this project:
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  3 questions
  • Kathy Kathy on Jan 07, 2021

    Going to try😀 I have two large amber glass large pots that I’m tired of their color. I’m guessing that these are for inside only??

    I have a large covered porch I would love to put them on occasionally....but didn’t know if it would hurt if they should get damp.

  • Donna Glenn Donna Glenn on Jan 12, 2021

    This is diffently an inspiration,thanks for sharing,did you use a chalk paint?

  • JH JH on Jan 08, 2022

    These are really nice. You are very talented.

    Some of us may not like the idea of dirt. This is not a critique, just an idea for those that may prefer a different method or even a similar style with a bit cleaner lines.

    May I suggest an alternate to the dirt? Sand, would be an option.

    You can also use the textures paints as well and then paint to your taste.

    The textures paints will give you a bit more control over the textures as well.


Comments
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4 of 9 comments
  • Ste4055749 Ste4055749 on Jan 09, 2021

    This is GENIUS! I am definitely going to do this...thanks for sharing & I also loved the video.

    • Sunny Side Design Sunny Side Design on Jan 09, 2021

      Thank you, I’m glad this an idea you’d like to try. Let’s us know how your project turns out.

  • Inelda.fitte Inelda.fitte on Jan 08, 2022

    Very nice. I have tried baking soda. Dry wall will be next.

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