Can You DIY Pottery Barn Style? (This Thrifted Vase Says Yes!)

Have you ever admired a Pottery Barn vase but cringed at the price tag? Don’t fret! Today I’m going to show you how to create a stunning, Pottery Barn-inspired vase right from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a little creativity, some basic supplies, and a thrifted vase.

In this tutorial, I’ll guide you through the process of transforming a thrift store find into a sophisticated vase. With a few simple steps, you’ll be amazed at the difference a little DIY can make. So, let’s get started and prove that you can DIY Pottery Barn style!

From Thrift to Thrifty: Transform Your Vase into Pottery Barn Chic (Budget-Friendly!)

Have you ever fallen head over heels for a Pottery Barn piece but been brought back to reality by the price tag? I know the feeling! I recently spotted their new Tuscany Terra Cotta Vase and was in love. However, the $299 price tag was a major buzzkill. For that kind of money, I could practically redecorate my entire living room!

But I wasn’t going to let a high price tag deter me. After studying the photos, I knew I could recreate the same style at home for a fraction of the cost. So, I headed straight to my secret weapon: the thrift store. Thrifting is a goldmine for finding unique and affordable pieces that I can upcycle into something truly special.

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On the bottom shelf of the vase aisle at my local Savers I spotted a vase that was the perfect shape and size to make my version of the Pottery Barn one. It’s a glass vase that someone else has spray-painted green.

Now that I have the vase it’s time to get started on it’s transformation. Here are the materials that I used and the paint colors.

Step-by-Step Guide

Now for the fun part!! Let’s give this vase a stylish makeover. For this DIY project, I will first give this vase a textured base using one of my favorite techniques. This will be followed with a few neutral paint colors and painting methods to create that aged pottery look.

To achieve that aged pottery look, we’ll start by adding a textured base to our vase. This will create a more realistic and authentic appearance.

Once the textured base is dry, you’re ready to add color and create that aged pottery look.

Creating a Textured Base: The Foundation for Your Pottery Look

Want to create an aged pottery look in a flash? The secret lies in a simple ingredient: joint compound.

This handy building material, often found in the paint aisle of home improvement stores, is perfect for adding texture and depth to your projects. Just be sure to use joint compound, not spackle.

For a more authentic pottery feel, I added a little play sand to the joint compound. This will create a gritty texture similar to the Pottery Barn inspiration vase.

But don’t worry if you don’t have any sand on hand. Joint compound alone can still create a beautiful, textured finish.

Simply mix the two ingredients in a disposable container until you achieve the desired gritiness. First add a big scoop of the joint compound into the container and sprinkle in sand until the mixture looks gritty.

Cover the entire vase in the joint compound. Once it is coated you can use the putty knife or even your finger to even it out over the vase. For any bumps or uneven areas, use a wet finger or a damp paper towel to gently smooth them out.

Allow the joint compound to dry completely before moving on to the next step. This may take several hours or overnight.

Painting the Base Coat

Once the joint compound has dried and hardened it’s time to give the vase a base coat of one neutral color. For the main color of the vase, I used Folk Art Matte Line Toile paint. Any medium-toned matte paint will work.

I love using big fat paintbrushes for this type of project, it makes the painting process so much quicker and easy. They are traditionally used for chalk painting but work great for this type of project as well.

Adding Depth with Neutral Paints:

After the beige base coat of paint has dried it’s time to add depth to the DIY vase makeover with other neutral beige/brown paints.

Take a paper or plastic plate and pour out a small amount of each neutral paint color. Here I have Folk Art vintage white, Folk Art linen toile, Apple Barrel lite mocha, and Apple Barrel territorial beige.

Use the same paintbrush for this layering process. Also, have a paper towel handy to use for tapping off the excess paint.

Take just the tip of your paintbrush and dip it into one of the shades, tap the brush on a paper towel to remove the extra paint, we are going for a subtle look for this step.

Gently tap your paintbrush onto the vase. Concentrate on the bottom third of the vase and also the rim and tip section of the vase (we are doing something bolder for the center).

Don’t overthink this! Just take turns with each of the paint colors, tap off the excess, and then tap your brush onto the vase. Overlap the colors so you can’t make out where one starts and the other ends for a seamless look.

Creating the “Ancient Pottery” Effect

Now it’s time to give this vase an ancient pottery effect. Using a deep green paint (Apple Barrel English Ivy Green) and a little bit of black paint. The Pottery Barn inspiration vase is all black but I love green and it fits with my style better.

Remember to use a light touch when applying the paint, as this will help to create a more natural and aged appearance.

Focusing on the midsection of the vase, start to tap on the dark green paint. Occasionally add a small tap of black paint on top of the green to create an aged look.

Also, add the green to the bottom rim of the vase and also the top rim and edge.

Finishing Touches

Optional: To seal and protect your vase coat it with a matte clear topcoat. If you think that you will be getting the vase excessively wet on the outside then take the time for this step. I’ve done other vases in the past with joint compound and paint and have not done this and they have remained unchanged, but I don’t submerge the vase in water and am mindful when filling and emptying it.

DIY Success!

And there you have it! I’m so thrilled with how this DIY project turned out. By upcycling a thrifted vase, I was able to create a stunning Pottery Barn-inspired piece without breaking the bank.

This DIY project proves that you don’t need a designer budget to create beautiful, unique pieces for your home. So, don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with different techniques. You might be surprised at what you can achieve.

Now, it’s your turn! Head to your local thrift store, grab a vase, and let your imagination run wild. With a little DIY magic, you can create your own Pottery Barn-inspired masterpiece.

Looking for more vase makeovers, here are a few that I’ve done.

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