How to Decorate an Ugly Terra Cotta Pot

Wash and dry your terra cotta pot before decorating it.

There may be times when you simply can't afford a fancy planter or pot for your young plants. Instead, you end up stuck with the plain terra cotta pots most nurseries sell with young plants, or you purchased them separately because they're less expensive than ceramic or glass planters. With a quick trip to the craft store and some time, you can dress up these earthen pots to add more color to your patio or garden.

Things You'll Need

• Clean rag
• Paintbrush
• Acrylic paint
• Magazine clippings, wrapping paper or decorative fabric or paper
• Decoupage glue
• Foam paintbrush
• Pencil
• Puffy paint pens
• Scratch paper

Instructions

Decoupage

1. Wipe the terra cotta pot with a clean, damp cloth. Allow it to dry completely.

2. Apply a base coat of acrylic paint for an undertone, or leave the pot unpainted.

3. Cut or tear your decorative paper or fabric into pieces and shapes proportional to the pot's size. Piece pattern, shape and size depends on your personal preference.

4. Cut a straight line at the bottom of your first piece of fabric or paper. Apply a thin layer of decoupage glue over the bottom portion of the pot using a foam brush.

5. Align the cut piece with the bottom of the pot so its bottom edge sits just below the bottom of the pot. Smooth it gently with your fingers, curving the piece around the pot's curve. Repeat this step until the bottom of the pot is covered with pieces.

6. Continue spreading thin layers of glue on sections of the pot and carefully smoothing on pieces until the entire surface area is covered. Cut pieces near the rim slightly long so you can fold them over the lip for a clean-looking edge.

Paint

1. Wipe down your terra cotta pot with a clean, damp rag. Allow the pot to dry completely.

2. Draw a design on the pot using a pencil. Use a repeating motif, one large image or or even a landscape or mural-style drawing, depending on your abilities and preference.

3. Paint over the design using a puffy paint pen in one or more colors. White works well for a simple, clean look, but you can use different colors for a bolder look. Practice writing with the paint pen on a scratch piece of paper until you're comfortable with the paint flow.

4. Allow your painted pot to dry completely before moving it or placing a plant inside it.

References

• All Free Crafts; How to Decorate Terra Cotta Pots or Plastic Plant Sleeves; Jane Lake
• Apartment Therapy: Look! DIY Puffy Paint Terra Cotta Planters

Resources

• Apartment Therapy: DIY Textured Planters