Flower Pot Painting Ideas

Gardening and painting are two of the simplest, most accessible creative outlets that you can utilize to create unique home decor without paying too much money or getting out of the house.

So, if you have some old, unused terracotta pots lying around as well as some paint (be it acrylic, chalk, or any other kind), then you have what it takes to decorate your home with some lovely painted planters.

However, searching for flower pot painting ideas can be quite overwhelming, as there are countless styles, paint varieties, colors, and shades. But worry no more, we have you covered!

We’ve gathered some great flower pot painting ideas and organized them according to patterns, styles, and seasons to make picking the right idea easier for you.

So, grab your flower pots and brushes, and let’s get to painting.

Patterns

There are endless possibilities when painting patterns on your pots; you can repeat one pattern throughout the entire pot, paint a few patterns on one flower pot, or mix and match by painting some pots with one pattern and adopting a different pattern for others.

Either way, these painting ideas can intertwine beautifully, so don’t be afraid to experiment with your painted planter.

Geometric Painted Flower Pots

Geometric Painted Flower Pots

Using geometric shapes to paint pots gives your pot a sharp, neat look. Besides, this type of pattern also gives you a lot of leeway with color choice, as it isn’t limited to a specific color palette.

You can paint these shapes using only a brush if you have steady hands, or you can use ribbons and strips to outline your borders if you want your painted flower pots to have an extra precise look.

We recommend this pattern for terra cotta pots, as they tend to look edgy and elegant.

Rainbow Painted Flower Pots

Rainbow Painted Flower

The great thing about rainbow-painted flower pots is that you can paint a rainbow in any shape you like and on any type of pot.

For example, you can paint a terracotta or raw clay pot with a zigzag-lined rainbow, an ombre rainbow, a circle rainbow, an arrow-shaped rainbow, or any other shape.

You can even forgo traditional rainbow colors and combine any group of colors/shades to produce a beautiful spectrum that’ll further augment the beauty of your painted flower pot.

Better yet, this’s an easy, simple pattern; you’ll only need a brush and some acrylic or spray paint, or you can create it using a sponge and stencils instead of brushes.

Black and White Terra Cotta Pots

Black and White Terra Cotta Pots

Black and white paint has a certain appeal; it’s a timeless classic pattern that can be used in any craft, from painting pots to designing clothes and painting buildings.

There are also many folklore and historical symbols that adopt the black and white style (like the Yin & Yang symbol), and they always look extraterrestrially stunning.

So, it’s certainly a good idea to paint terra cotta pots, or even raw clay pots, in black and white. You can create your own pattern or adopt any ready-made design you prefer.

Either way, any drawing you create with black and white paint would look marvelous on your flower pot!

Half-Dipped Terra Cotta Flower Pots

Half-Dipped Terra Cotta Flower Pots

Another famous DIY pattern that you can use for painting flower pots is the half-and-half pattern.

All you need to do is bring your flower pot and dip its half, third, or quarter in acrylic paint, then take it out and let it dry.

Again, this would work great with both terra cotta pots and raw clay pots. You can paint them in their natural brownish color, or give the planters a full coat of color first, then dip them in paint.

This technique of painting is quite simple and doesn’t require an artistic genius. Besides, if you have a porch, this contrast between colorful shades will definitely brighten it up.

Drip Paint

Drip Paint

An exceptional DIY that’s also kid-friendly is drip painting. The easiness of this pattern allows everyone to participate, and it’s pretty fun for kids and adults alike.

For this pot painting idea, you’ll be placing the pot upside down then spilling gallops of paint on the edges of its (now upside-facing) bottom.

Then the paint will start dripping down the sides of the pot, creating abstract patterns that many people find aesthetically pleasing.

Kids tend to love painting planters this way, as it’s easy and results in a different pattern each time.

Marble Flower Pots

Marble Flower Pots

There are so many ways to paint marble on pots. Although everyone does it their own way, the main idea is to cover your pot with a solid color, usually black or white.

Once your background color is dry, you start streaking it with the contrast color, typically gold or silver.

A personal favorite color combination of ours is the white and gold marble, as it tends to brighten the entire look.

Some people, on the other hand, prefer the mysterious elegance of black and silver.

But, whichever combination you choose, even if you come up with your own color pallet, we’re certain it’ll look gorgeous!

Plus, you’ll have a lot of fun creating these DIY marble patterns with your kids.

Celestial Elements

Celestial Elements

Celestial elements can be breathtaking when painted on almost anything. So, if you decide to paint them on your old pots, you’ll find that it completely elevates the pot’s look.

The great thing about this idea is that you have complete freedom over everything, from the elements you choose to the colors you paint with.

For example, if you’re into horoscopes, you can paint your star sign in your favorite color, or you can paint the sun or the moon on a black background.

The ideas here are endless, and you can take inspiration from so many sources, starting with mother nature.

So, go grab a random pot, and unleash your inner artist.

Ombre Painted Planters

Ombre Painted Planters

Ombre is one of those patterns that’s been popular for quite some time now; it’s been very trendy in hairstyling and fashion, so why not extend that to flower pots?

It’s a very aesthetically pleasing pattern, and it allows complete creative freedom. It allows you full control over which color to paint and how many shades of it to use.

So, paint any color of your choosing, starting with the darkest shade gradually moving on to the lighter ones, or starting with the lightest shade then going darker.

We’re sure that whichever style or color you choose, your DIY ombre pot will look exquisite.

And the cherry on top is that it’s a great way to teach your children about the different shades and colors by including them in this DIY project.

Faces

faces

The last of our DIY pot painting ideas in this category depends on your preference, your kids’ preference, and, if you’re gifting the painted pot, then the recipient’s preference.

If you love and idolize a particular artist, actor, singer, historical figure, friend, or family member, you can make art out of it by trying to paint that person on the planter.

Now, we recognize that this could be a very advanced project, as not everyone can paint faces. But, you can still try; it’ll be a fun experience, and the result doesn’t have to be perfect.

But, if you’re concerned about accuracy, you can create a stencil and just trace it over. Either way, the planter will be stunningly unique and personal.

Styles

Everyone enjoys a certain style when it comes to decorating their home.

Adding painted pots is a great way to augment and complete this style. So, here are two of the most popular styles.

Boho Pots

Boho Pots

The Boho style fits all seasons, and we’re sure that once you start painting your flower pots in this style, you’ll never get enough.

Boho combines many elements that bring peace and calmness to your space, and adding that to a planter or a flower pot strengthens these vibes even more.

There are many elements you can paint on your planter to implement the boho style. For example, you can paint vines, rings, hats, abstract silhouettes, or any woven art.

If you’re already a fan of the style, then figure out how you’d like to display it at home and replicate the painting on your planters using markers, paint, or even nail polish.

Vintage Pots

vintage pots

Another style that you can go with is vintage, a style that’ll make your flower pots look like the ones you used to see at your grandma’s house, shining with a country chic cottage feel.

Vintage painted pots look almost worn out; they’re usually whitish all over, with black or darker brown streaks at parts.

These painted flower pots look like they’ve seen a lot and would make such an excellent gift for anyone who’s into vintage pieces.

Crafts

In this section, we’ll explore some pot painting ideas that’ll need a little more skill and require the presence of an adult, as there’ll be a lot of material manipulation.

Glitter Flower Pots

Glitter Flower Pots

Many people believe that glitter makes everything better, and terra cotta pots are no exception; glitter does add a “spark” to their beauty.

Better yet, making glitter flower pots is quite simple.

All you need to do is grab a glue stick and paint whichever pattern you prefer on your terra cotta pot.

Next, sprinkle a generous amount of glitter in whichever color you choose on the design you’ve drawn.

Wait for the glitter to dry and stick to your pot, then start shaking it to remove excess glitter, and voila, you’ve got yourself an extra sparkly, super cute flower pot!

Spray Paint Crafts and Stencils

Spray Paint Crafts and Stencils

Using spray paint for your DIY pot-painting project will give you a great deal of control; there’s a vast collection of paint to choose from, and the whole process will be a lot cleaner, as you won’t have to mix paint.

Even more, it’s a great and fun outdoor activity for you and your kids, and it’ll fully transform your terra cotta clay pots by covering all the traces of previous colors.

Another thing that you can use when painting flower pots with spray paint is stencils, that’s if you wish to paint more precise shapes and make everything easier for yourself and your kids.

Rubber-Band Painted Clay Pots

Rubber-Band Painted Clay Pots

One of the most eccentric DIY flower pot painting ideas is rubber-band painted pots.

It’s a very fun project that’s quite easy to do, and it always results in individually unique pieces, so you’ll never find one like the other.

It’s also quite affordable as you’re not wasting any expensive materials to paint a flower pot or a clay pot.

First, you’ll need to paint the terra cotta pot with your accent color. Then arrange the rubber bands on top of each other so that they’re bulking in places and thinning out in others.

Just make sure that you’re using strong rubber bands that won’t snap on you. Then you can paint over the rubber bands with another color and remove them once it dries.

Galaxy DIY

Galaxy DIY

A galaxy-painted flower pot is one of the most commonly used flower-pot painting ideas. In simple words, you start with a base layer on your clay pot, which consists of darker colors such as navy blue, deep purple, and black.

Then, start adding the rest of the elements such as thunderbolts, stars, etc. You can mix and match as much as you want to create a clay pot that pleases you.

Chalk Terra Cotta Pots

Chalk Terra Cotta Pots

Turning your painted clay pots into a chalkboard is such a fun activity for your kids. You can even use it to leave messages for your little ones.

Moreover, you can make the DIY time extra fun by telling them about your childhood and how a chalkboard was a significant part of it.

It’s also a great way to have them repeatedly experiment with flower pots without creating a huge mess, as they can easily wipe the painted clay pots and restart.

Painter’s Tape and Washi Tape Clay Pots

Painter's Tape and Washi Tape Clay Pots

Using painter’s tape or washi tape are two of those flower-pot painting ideas that you get on a whim and end up creating something beautiful.

You can create geometric patterns or abstract shapes. And after painting the pot, you remove all the tape, or leave some of it; the options are endless.

In all cases, you’ll end up with beautifully decorated clay pots. All you need to do is map out your work on the flower pots, start placing your tape, then paint over it or around it.

It’ll look super cute in the end.

Seasonal Ideas for Painted Flower Pots

Most people enjoy changing their home decor with the change of seasons. If you’re one of these people, seasonal flower pots will surely complement your decor style.

Fall Flower Pots

Fall Flower Pots

Fall represents different things to each of us, but brown leaves, trees, winds, beanies, and even ladybugs and bees are pretty common fall themes.

So, paint them on your flower pot and enjoy a fall-themed aesthetic.

Halloween Flower Pots

Halloween Flower Pots

Now, we’re onto the cool stuff. To DIY a Halloween flower pot, you can use stickers, glue on some googly eyes, or paint skeletons, scary kids, or a dying garden.

Thanksgiving Flower Pots

Thanksgiving Flower Pots

Thanksgiving equals food. So, painting some herbs, fully-fed kids and adults, flowers, pots and pans, turkey, or anything food-related would be a good way to go.

Christmas Flower Pots

Christmas Flower Pots

For Christmas, you can paint anything red or green; a cactus, a ladybug, an enormous Christmas tree, or colorful flowers.

In addition, any gift idea you have in mind can be displayed on the painted pot, and you can gift the painted pots as extra presents.

Summer Flower Pots

Summer Flower Pots

Summer-themed pots are some of the most colorful and most energetic creations you can ever paint. You can choose anything from watermelon painted flower pots to pineapple flower pots.

You can also paint gigantic bees, ocean waves, surfboards, or airplanes on your planters.

Gardening Elements Inspiration for Terra Cotta Pots

Gardening Elements Inspiration for Terra Cotta Pots

What’s better than pot painting ideas that utilize elements from your garden?!

There’s hardly anything cuter than painted terracotta pots that have succulents on them and inside of them.

If you’re growing herbs like thyme, mint, or cilantro, try painting them on the planters. Also, you can have planters with watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, or bananas on them.

Conclusion

If there’s anything to take from this article, it’s that the smallest effort to paint your flower pots will definitely elevate your home decor game.

If you paint an old planter every week, you’ll find that your space is more colorful, more inviting, and certainly more exciting and kid-friendly.

The beauty of it is that you can use anything you have at home to create painted pots, and if one flower pot doesn’t turn out as expected, you can always paint over it and start again.

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