One of my favorite things to do…and luckily my readers agree… is to knock-off styles I’ve found from high-end retailers. Today I’m going to show you how I made a Pottery Barn dupe vase out of a thrift store find!
Today is the Thrifty Style Team’s October blog hop. On the second Friday of the month we all join together to bring our readers thrifty ideas for decorating their homes. At the end of my post you will be able to check out what the rest of the team has for you all this month!
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How to make a Pottery Barn dupe vase (out of a thrift store find!!)
Do you like going thrift shopping? I’ve found some great finds at my local thrift stores over the years. Sometimes there are a few gems hidden in there!!
I had a great haul last year and left with a cart full of goodies. One of the things was a kinda ugly planter..it was only a couple of bucks and I figured I could always use another pot.
Fast forward a year and it’s been collecting dust in my basement…
After taking a closer look at the planter I realized 1.) it had a great shape and 2.) I could totally cut off the ugly-rattan-whatever that was wrapped around the pot!
The pot is really heavy and well made…it just needed a little love!!
Painting the Planter
After I cut off the rattan there were markings left behind. I liked the bronze color of the vase but wanted to cover up the weird light pattern.
Using dark brown chalk paint, I coated the entire pot. Then I took a paper towel and lightly wiped off most of it.
I did that technique twice. Painted, waited a couple of minutes, then wiped off the excess. This worked to cover the bricklike pattern of the vessel.
For the next step of this project, I added an antique copper acrylic paint to the vase.
The way I did this was by first pouring a small amount of the copper paint onto a paper towel, dipping the top of a straight-edged chip brush into the paint, tapping most of the paint off before sweeping my paintbrush over the vase.
This technique is called dry brushing and will let the different tones of the vase show through.
It’s my favorite method for building detail and it gives my thrift store planter a high-end look.
Finished Vase
Next, it was time to make a floral arrangement!
Making a Fall Floral Arrangement
I wanted to make a neutral colored floral arrangement for my dupe vase.
This arrangement uses 3 different florals: cream eucalyptus, brown filler flowers, and dried seed pods.
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, GO!! They have bunches of dried seed pods for $2.99 a bunch!! Seriously, they are 3 times as much at the craft stores!!
For this arrangement, I used 2 stems of the eucalyptus, 2 stems of the small brown flowers, and a package each of the 2 pods.
The floral stems are from Michael’s but I can’t find them on the site so perhaps they are sold out. I found a few stems that I’ll link below.
for a similar look
Fall Entryway Table
Next to my entryway table I have a copper French bucket (Michael’s) with cream maple leaves (Michael’s).
To finish styling my entryway table, I added a couple of vintage books tied together with a length of jute twine. On top I added a pine cone pumpkin and hammered metal candle. Also, one of my fav photos of my youngest son and myself.
On the bottom shelf I added a pretty fantasy pumpkin from Trader Joe’s ($6.99!) and a couple of vintage baskets.
I’ll have the Fall garden wreath on my front door up on the blog tomorrow….
You can see the complete project on my YouTube channel!
Check out a few of my other knock-off projects!
Redhead Can Decorate – Affordable Fall Ornamental Cabbage Window Box
Our Crafty Mom – DIY Candy Cups Thanksgiving Favors
DIY Beautify – Copper Magnolia Wreath From Paper Bags
2 Bees In A Pod – 3 Free Halloween Printables
The How To Home – Autumn Display with Depression Glass
Vinyet Etc. – Styling with Vintage for Fall – DIY Vintage Model Boat Stand
Sweet Pea – Upcycled Plastic Bag Halloween Wreath
What Meegan Makes –Decorate an Olive Bucket for Fall
Lora B. Create & Ponder – Creative Ways to Display Your Collections with Style
The Tattered Pew –5 Simple and Thrifty Fall DIYs
I Should Be Mopping The Floor –Free Printable Pumpkin Garland
Cottage On Bunker Hill –Pottery Barn Dupe Vase
Jennifer Howard
cottage on bunker hill
Thanks for stopping by today! Being able to share my projects, DIYs, and decorating ideas with you is amazing. Leave a comment below; I love hearing from you!
get to know me
here are a few fun facts…
- I’ve lived in New England my entire life! Which is good beacause the beach is my favorite place to be…even in the winter I love to go breath in the salt air.
- I am an EARLY BIRD!!! I rarely sleep past 4…it’s my favorite time of day and those wee hours are my most productive. (plus, I LOVE coffee!!)
- I am a total Hallmark Christmas movie nut!! Seriously, I know, I know, they are a little sappy but they make me happy!
Pin For Later!
Hi Jen! Your pot is beautiful… everything you do is beautiful! I just noticed your little basket with the loop thingys… I have one just like it! My mom got it as a gift from my brother’s boyfriend (both have since passed) so it’s really special to me. I wonder if they are identical?! That would be a cool coincidence 😎Thank you for being a part of TST!
Julie, I think I’ve had that for at least 25 years…I guess I always loved vintage things!! A million years ago I worked at a big dept store in downtown Boston and the visual team would sell off all their old props…I think about all the cool stuff I got rid of when I got married and could kick myself!!
I love your confession that it’s been in the basement for a year; totally relate! Great makeover! I just want you to know that I hadn’t ever heard of the term dupe before, until I heard it from you. Perfect, right?
OMG, yes Lora…it was right at the base of my basement stairs by my decor hoarding shelves!! I’m so glad I taught you a new word…and it wasn’t even a fresh one!!
This turned out BEAUTIFULLY!! Loving all the gorgeous fall coming out of the vase, too! xoxo, Kristi
Thanks Kristi!! Oh, I love the dried pods…they look so cool!
Amazing, Jennifer … I would never have looked at that vase and thought I could transform it like this. Your arrangement suits it perfectly. I’m so impressed! xo
I wish I had thought of it a year ago instead of almost tripping on it in my basement for a year!!
What a fantastic transformation! I love a good thrifty knockoff, it’s perfect and didn’t cost you a small fortune, win win!
Thanks Laurie!! I appreciate it!!
Love, love, love your vase! The colors you chose are perfect Fall and your arrangement turned out so pretty too! Pinning!
Thanks, my friend!!
Thrift store makeovers are my favorite! Your vase dupe came out so pretty. I like all the techniques you used to give it a whole new life. AND Trader Joe’s is my favorite for florals all year long-THE best! Have a great weekend, Jennifer.
Seriously, Trader Joe’s is one of those “if you know, you know”…oh, and they have the best houseplants too!!
You did a great job transforming this not-so-pretty planter into something gorgeous. You will enjoy decorating with this for years to come.
Thanks Paula!! I’m just mad at myself that I didn’t figure out something to do with it the first year I had it!!
This was such a great save Jennifer, that copper paint makes all the difference! Dang, wish we had a Trader Joe’s close by, those seed pods are amazing!
Oh yes, Trader Joe’s is great for all florals & plants!! I’m kicking myself for not grabbing the little olive trees they had last week!!
This turned out so beautifully! What a wonderful transformation.
Thanks Mary Beth!! I love how it came out!