Rainbow style: How to create DIY painted vases for a bookshelf

13 Jul 2022

Add a burst of colour to your shelves with these rainbow vases. You can start this activity with a morning hunting at op shops for ceramics you like the shape of. Or, if you have plenty of vases and jugs, breathe new life into them with your favourite Resene paint colours.

The vases make a colourful statement on a bookcase painted in Resene Half Rice Cake and Resene Pine Glade. Wall in Resene Carrara.

You will need:

• Vases (Fleur used a mix of glass, pottery, ceramic and metal vases)
• Coarse grit sandpaper
• Cloth/rag
• Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer
• Paintbrush
• Resene testpots in your choice of colours (Fleur used Resene Drop Dead Gorgeous, Resene Light Fantastic, Resene Wellywood, Resene Now Or Never, Resene Plan B and Resene Showstopper)

How to:

Step 1: Start by giving all your vases a good clean and allow to dry.  Then sand with a coarse (60) grit sandpaper. This can be a bit tricky on hard glass and ceramic, but just do your best. Wipe away any dust with a cloth. 

Step 2:  Prime the vases with one coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. 

Step 3: Paint over the vases in a range of colours in two coats, allowing dry time between coats. Fleur used Resene Drop Dead Gorgeous, Resene Light Fantastic, Resene Wellywood, Resene Now Or Never, Resene Plan B and Resene Showstopper. Some colours and some vases may need an extra coat, especially if there is a pattern on the vase. 

The rainbow vases also look stunning against a wall in Resene Dark Knight.

project and images Fleur Thorpe

Published: 13 Jul 2022