How to Decorate Plant Pots

Using potted plants to decorate your home or outdoor space is a handy way to bring color and life to a dark corner or city dwelling. The flowers or foliage you put in the pot can be highly decorative, but so can the pot, and you don't have to spend a fortune to make it so. With some inexpensive terra cotta or plastic plant pots and some creativity, you can create a unique look for your patio or bedroom.

Things You'll Need

• Acrylic paints
• Clear matte sealer
• Small and medium sized paint brushes
• Antiquing solution
• Hot glue
• Beer
• Terra cotta pot
• Plastic pot

Instructions

1. 

   Paint them. Painting a plain terra cotta pot is easy using acrylic paints and a clear matte finish sealer to protect your work from the elements. Start with a clean, dry pot, then determine what you want to paint on the pot, such as flowers, sun icons or even the names of your family members, then using small- and medium-size brushes, simply paint it on. Once dry, seal it with your spray sealer and you are ready to put a plant in it.

2. 

   Antique them. Hobby shops sell two part antiquing solutions perfect for use with terra cotta or concrete plant pots. The products allow you to create a bronze and green patina look, or a rusted iron finish to any surface. You can also select shiny faux finishes, such as a shiny copper or aluminum surface. Follow bottle directions to create an antiqued plant pot.

3. 

   Glue it on. Hobby shops have all kinds of fun attachments you can add to a plant pot. For indoor plants, you can adhere raised letters to spell a word or name, or hot glue some silk flowers to the pot for a cheerful look perfect for a kids room. You can hot glue matchbox cars onto a painted road surface on your pot for the men of your home. Let your imagination be your guide and simply browse through the hobby shop to make a fun new pot. Other suggestions include gluing on buttons, stamps, glitter fabric and faux fur.

4. 

   Collage it. Cut out pictures of flowers or save old seed packets and, using a collage medium such as Modge Podge, glue the pictures down in layers to cover your pot. Once you have covered the entire surface, finish it off with a final layer of collage medium and seal with a clear matte acrylic sealer.

5. 

   Add some moss. Plan ahead for this trick. Take your unglazed terra cotta pot and paint it with beer. Rub some garden soil over the painted-on beer. Keep the pot moist and in a shady spot in your garden. Within a month or two, your pot will be covered with a beautiful green moss.

Tips & Warnings

• Throw a pot painting party. Invite your friends over and ask them to decorate a terra cotta pot using your acrylic paints for your garden. It's a fun and creative activity for nearly any age group.

• Don't put pots with hot glued items out in the weather, but use them on covered patios or in indoor areas. Rain will break down the hot glue seal.

References

• yougrowgirl.com

Resources

• Michaels- antiquing solutions