DIY Painted Glass Vase (Pottery Barn Knockoff)

It’s time for a craft session…make this DIY painted glass vase in about an hour…and for way less than our inspiration vase at Pottery Barn!

So before we get into our craft session, I have a little story to tell. A while back, my daughter showed me this vase from Pottery Barn. Neither one of us could believe the price…in fact, at first I thought it had to be a mistake! But it wasn’t. We both decided that we could absolutely DIY this vase, if we could find the right shape. It didn’t have to be exactly the same, but we wanted it to be close.

One trip to Hobby Lobby, about an hour messing around with the tape and spray paint, and $10.00 was all it took to come up with this…

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DIY Painted Glass Vase

This is a really fun craft, but there are a few things I figured out along the way that will make it easier for you!

• First, carefully consider the shape of the vase. If there’s a curve, like the one we chose, it’s tricky to get the tape on straight. The vase should be between 8 and 10 inches tall, and if the sides are straight, your tape line will be super easy to apply. A cylinder vase like this or this will work well. If you have access to IKEA, there are good choices there at reasonable prices. This one is very close to the Pottery Barn inspiration vase.
• Place the tape that is going to create your line, and press it firmly to the glass with your fingers.

• When your main tape line is in place, cover the top of the vase with any kind of paper. Since we had loads of packing paper at the time, that’s what I used. Make sure to tape the paper securely to the vase.

• Now it’s time to paint. Place the vase upside down and apply the paint lightly. Plan on at least 3 coats to make sure the glass is covered properly. I used a 3 oz. can of spray paint, and was able to cover two vases with 3 coats of paint each, but I drained the can dry. A larger can of spray paint would guarantee that you won’t run out.

• Let the paint dry completely before removing the paper and tape. When you are removing the tape that creates the line, pull it down at an angle. This will help keep your paint line perfect.
• This vase can be used with fresh flowers that require water, but be careful when you wash it. Don’t submerge the vase in water…it’s best to wipe the inside with a damp cloth. Use a soft towel to gently dry it. These gray vases were made for my daughter, and for the holidays, she filled them with small round silver ornaments. Faux or dried flower stems would work well too, and that choice would eliminate the need for water.

The day we painted these vases, the house on Sutton Place was a wreck. We were in the middle of moving, I had just packed up the dining room, and the furniture had been removed. I always used the dining room table for photo shoots, because the board and batten made such a good backdrop. So taking these images was a challenge, but when there’s a will, there’s a way!

I’ll close with my usual reminder about taking time for yourself. You may think you don’t have time for a project like this, and perhaps you really don’t. But it was fun, and it was relaxing, and it would be a lovely gift to give yourself. Not only the gift of the vase, but the gift of time. The day I painted these vases, I had a million other things I should have been doing. But when they were finished, I was truly happy that I carved out the time, and made it happen. Until next time…