Mullens Home: December 2016

This past weekend, we won an adorable red cactus succulent from Sutherlands! I needed to re-pot 2 orchids we had that were growing out of their original pots, so I thought this would be a perfect time to do so. Of course, instead of buying brand new pots, I decided to spruce up some pots we had laying around the house, along with the new one that came with the cactus. This super easy DIY took less than 20 total minutes!

After: Pots painted and matching!

Before: Original pots

Supplies needed:

Spray Paint for base coat: Rustoleum white semi-gloss
Paint to create design: Sherwin Williams Pewter Cast (I had this sample from a previous project)
Paint brush: I used a foam brush
Pots: I had extra Terra Cotta Clay Pots laying around the house
150 grit sandpaper
Polycrylic aerosol
Orchid potting mix (I did not re-pot the cactus succulent)

Directions:

Step 1: Lightly sand Terra Cotta Clay Pots so paint will adhere.

Lightly sanded pots

Step 2: Fully paint a first coat of desired color on the clay pots.

Spray paint grip accessory helps avoid hand cramps

I always prefer using Rustoleum spray paint as a base coat because it fully seals the item I am using while giving it a really durable paint layer.

Spray paint several base coats

Step 3: Wait for paint to dry to the touch. Determine if a 2nd coat is needed. My pots took 2 full coats.

Step 4: Place design on pots using blue painter's tape.

Tape design on clay pot

Step 5: Paint desired color to create a fun design using a foam brush. I had a sample of Sherwin Williams Pewter Cast that was left over from a previous project.

Foam brush to paint the design

Pewter Cast sample I already owned

I left paint streaks in my gray (Pewter Cast) paint to give the pot some texture and character. For a more modern look, I would suggest several coats in this step to omit any streaks and "bleed through" of the base layer.

Paint design on clay pot.

Step 6: Repeat for other pots. I went with a straight, clean line on the cactus succulent.

Design on succulent pot

Step 7: Add 2 polycrylic layers on the pots in a well ventilated area.

Aerosol polycrylic

Step 8: Fill pot about 1/3 fill using correct potting mix for re-potting plant. Since I was re-potting 2 orchids, I used Miracle-Gro Orchid Potting Mix.