An Easy DIY Textured Paint Vase and Planter Makeover Idea
Give your ceramic vases and planters an easy makeover with DIY textured paint to make them look like pottery!
I’m in the middle of giving my living room a modern makeover. I decided to update a ceramic vase and a large gold ceramic planter with DIY textured paint to turn them into beautiful pottery pieces.
I’ve used chalk paint, and have heard of adding mud or sand into the paint, and now the acrylic paint and baking soda trend has been on my brain for a while. What easier way to achieve the modern look of stone or pottery than with an ingredient you already have in your pantry or fridge?

Welcome back to the New Year New Room Refresh hosted by Casa Watkins Living. This fun challenge is where a group of bloggers are making over a room in one month! We’ve been posting progress and update every Tuesday and the final reveal will be next week.
Update: You can now find all progress posts and the final reveal below.
- Modern Living Room Mood Board
- Is it cheaper to reupholster old furniture or buy new?
- Easy Floating Mantel Facelift
- DIY Textured Paint Vase and Planter Makeover (you are here)
- Organic Modern Living Room Reveal!
How to Make Homemade Textured Paint
What you need for paint and baking soda vases
- Leftover acrylic paint in a light and darker neutral color
- Primer
- Baking soda
- Disposable dish
- Paintbrush
- Stir stick
- A ceramic, glass, or wood vase that you want to repurpose


Pottery is made from clay and other cermaic materials. They include earthenware, porcelain, and stoneware.
How to make textured paint with baking soda
- Use a primer first for better coverage and to reduce the amount of textured paint needed. This step is not necessary but is helpful if you are painting over a bold color or pattern. My vase is black and white striped with a shiny smooth surface. Thankfully I found an almost empty can of paint and primer spray paint in burlap. Just a quick light coat outside is all it needed for my texture paint to stick to.
- Pour a little of your darker paint, about 1/4 to half a cup depending on your vase size, into a disposable dish. Add a fifth of baking soda and mix. You should have the consistency of mud or icing.
- Use a paintbrush and paint your first coat of textured paint onto the vase. You can have a lot or little texture by brushing for smoothness and dabbing the brush texture. A second coat will really add more texture once the first coat is dry to the touch. This can be applied with the same color or if the coverage is sufficient, move on to the light color in the next step.
- Once your vase is dry, 30 minutes to an hour, mix the same ratio of paint and baking soda with a lighter color of paint.
- Stipple on the textured paint mixture by pressing the bottom of the brush bristles in a dabbing motion on areas of the vase you want more depth and texture. This can be all over or just over the curves or lip of the vase.
- Let the vase dry completely. Add a coat of acrylic sealer or try a furniture wax for more color variation. You can also let the vase completely cure by not handling it very much for a week and then use it.





How to Paint a Planter

My large planter had a gold finish but a textured pattern. I decided to just go for it with the DIY textured paint using baking soda and leftover acrylic paint mix. The planter needed two coats of paint with a few touch-ups all within an hour.
No primer was needed as the textured surface helped the paint adhere.

- Mix baking soda and paint 5 to 1 in a disposable container. Apply the thick mixture in two coats with a wall paint brush for quick and easy coverage letting the layers dry to the touch.


Well, that makes this another home decor project I love! I’m thinking about trying this technique on bird figurines next. Do you have anything that needs a “pottery” look makeover with baking soda paint? Maybe something from the dollar store or thrift store?
The possibilities are endless!
Modern Living Room To-Dos
Here’s what’s left for the refresh!
Fireplace mantel makeover with corbels and ornamental molding paintedReupholster a pair of barrel chairs found in Japan with neutral fabric by a professional $$$$Purchase burled wood console table from CB2 $$$- Add second-hand modern accent tables $$
- Add mcm style with salvaged brass gear and a thrifted perpetual face vase $$$
- Simplify tabletop styling
Repurpose a large gold planter with DIY textured paint treatment and vase- Add a new area rug!
- Refigure layout
Make sure to check out all of the participants below for loads of inspiration!

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