DIY // GLASS CENTERPIECES

Recently while shopping for some decorating inspiration, I spotted some beautiful, brightly colored grouped vases. I fell in love and set out to recreate this look for myself in the form of DIY glass centerpieces.

I headed to my favorite antique store, where I found three interesting clear glass bottles at a great price, and then headed home to start my project. Then I decided that I wanted to create two different vase groupings with two totally different looks and shapes. So I searched the house for some glass jars that I had on hand—those turned out to be a pasta sauce jar, pickle jar and a couple of other interestingly shaped jars.

I washed and dried all of the vases and jars. (TIP: Washing alone didn’t completely remove the residue that the labels left behind. Some cooking oil and a sponge scrubber does a good job removing this residue.)

All I needed to get started on my project was some enamel paint made especially for glass. I already had two small jars of turquoise paint on hand.

The painting process was surprisingly quick and easy. All you have to do is pour some of the enamel paint into the jar and slowly twirl it around until the entire insides are fully coated. Once coated, dump the remaing paint into the next jar until you have painted the insides of every jar. Then all that you have left to do is let the paint dry, which takes about two days.

These easy and beautiful DIY glass centerpieces add an affordable pop of color and personality to weddings, baby and wedding showers, or home decor.

(TIP: I didn’t wear gloves, and after the first few minutes into the process, I immediately regretted it as my hands were completely stained. I used the cooking oil to remove the paint, but gloves would have been easier!)

I was so pleased with the results that I decided to make a dining table centerpiece out of one of the groupings. All I needed was a table runner and some flowers that coordinated with the vases. Once again, I had flowers and some pretty fabric on hand.

I took my fabric and cut a long table runner the length of the table with a little overhang on each side. Then I quickly hemmed the edges with some iron-on hemming tape that can be found at any craft store. I placed some pink flowers into my vases (Oh PS, I’m loving the turquoise-and-hot-pink color combination right now) and voilà! My centerpiece was complete.

I used the bight colored plates, silverwear and napkin rings from my last DIY blog post to dress the table even more. I now have the perfect excuse to throw a dinner party!

These DIY glass centerpieces would also work great for DIY wedding centerpieces!

 

 

 

 

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A tutorial on how to make DIY paint pour art

125 thoughts on “DIY // GLASS CENTERPIECES”

  2. I found your link on Pinterest and fell in love immediately…just painted a ton of vases/jars a beautiful aqua color for my upcoming wedding, I couldn’t be happier with the results! Fiance is thrilled as well. Unfortunately I missed the detail about the enamel paint, so just used regular paint…worked fine on most jars but slid right off of the sides of some others, I keep re-twirling it hoping it will stick! DOH! Still love the result, will get more bottles if I need to!

  3. ok, i feel like i just got punked!! lol!! i am not "crafter" by any stretch of the imagination, but i thought this sounded pretty easy 😉 i went to michael's and showed them what i was trying to do and said i needed enamel paint. they said "martha" stopped sending enamel so they stopped carrying it, but acrylic or multi-surface would work just the same. ok, cool. i picked my colors and away i went, so excited to try my project. i poured the paint into a bottle and it was so thick and didn't move. at all. i had to slap and pound all sides of the bottle to get the paint to move around at all. it took me like 30 mins for one bottle and my hand are all red and sore 🙁 can someone please tell me what kind of paint i can get in place of enamel that is runny and will spread around the inside of the glass easily? or do i *have* to get enamel? i don't know anything about paints – can i add water to acrylic to loosen it up? my one bottle looks super cute, but i can't go through that again 🙁

  6. There are plenty of ways that you can decorate your glass vases to make them stand out and look the way that you want them to. Plenty of times I have decorated the vases in my home to look great for what ever time of year it was. I really want to get more decorative glass vases around my house. It will help to make it feel more like home.
    http://www.suecogifts.com/dept-45350

  14. شركة تنظيف منازل بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة تنظيف مجالس بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة تنظيف فلل بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة تنظيف شقق بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة تسليك مجارى بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة رش مبيدات بالمدينة المنورة
    مكافحة حشرات بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة تخزين عفش بالمدينة المنورة
    نقل عفش بالمدينة المنورة

  15. شركة تنظيف شقق بالدمام
    شركة تنظيف منازل بالدمام
    شركة تنظيف فلل بالدمام
    شركة تنظيف بالدمام
    عزل وتنظيف الخزانات
    خدمات التسليك والتسربات
    نقل وتخزين الاثاث
    مكافحة الحشرات ورش المبيدات
    خدمات التنظيف
    شركة تنظيف مسابح بالمدينة المنورة
    شركة تنظيف موكيت بالمدينة المنورة

  19. Well, an inspiration will come up anytime and anywhere we are. Yet, an action to make it real is sometimes a hard work and struggle, even just stealing other people creative ideas.

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    • I used real flowers in them and water. The paint chipped a small amount on one of them after the water was used. I suggest adding a small solo cup of water inside your painted jar for the flowers to go in to avoid that.

  25. crazy question? after painting inside of jar do you paint the outside of the jars also? I want to do this because I have lots of old jars and such a neat idea to be able to reuse them!!!!!!!!!!!!! these are beautiful cant wait to start… also should I buy paint at lowes or a craft store?? THANKS

  26. I tried this but my paint said to bake in oven for 30 min. They looked great when I put them in the oven, but were awful when I took them out, paint had bubbled and paint had run very disappointed next time I will not bake them.

  27. I just tried this because your vases are so beautiful. I bought small bottles of paint at walmart, but I don't think that was enough because it would not swirl. IS this enamel paint for glass supposed to be really thick? I am going to try again, but will buy the paint at a craft store.

    • Sorry for the later reply…honesty I am not sure of the safety of painting on old tiki torches. if there will be an open flame near the paint, it might not be too safe.

  32. After the paint dried on mine it started to create a yellow ring at the bottom. Do you know what may have caused this?

    • The yellow ring at the bottom happened to one of my 3 bottles. I'm guessing I needed to pour out more paint because it seems like the ring was at the level of extra paint settling at the bottom. Hope that makes sense. I am going to try keeping them upside down for a bit to let most of the paint drain. I'm guessing that I emptied the other 2 a little better. I'll let you know how it works.

  34. Thinners got the paint off, thanks. I tried it again, but it's done the same thing again. The bottle is tall and thin, maybe the neck is too narrow, and not enough air is getting in??? Did you leave yours outside to dry?

  35. I am not sure what would be causing the separation. Was the bottle clean on the inside? This never happened to me…might be worth trying paint thinner and retrying. Sorry!

  36. I thought these bottles looked absolutely gorgeous, so I bought One Shot paints in the exact same colors, and followed your instructions exactly, but after 3 days of drying, the paint on the insides of the bottles looks like it has separated, and slid off. Any ideas on why this has happened? I've just done a 2nd coat, and I'm hoping it doesn't happen again.

    • It has happened again, but only on one of the bottles. Any ideas on how to get it off, and start again?

    • I have this same problem. I've used the same One Shot paint and a ton of other types and every time this happens. Ive been trying different whiskey bottles, then I wash them, let them dry for at least 24 hours, pour the paint in, then I either let them dry right side up or upside down overnight. Every time the paint streaks/separates. Also, the paint doesn't dry for at least a week. I've started doing them 1 side at a time, laying one side flat for a week, then using more paint for the other side. It seems to be working but still not perfect.

    • Same issue. I used mineral spirits to thin the paint for better coverage on 2 of 3 bottles. All 3 bottles streaked. I dried them right side up. Next I will try washing the inside with ammonia, let them dry thoroughly. I'll paint and dry them upside down this time. I might even throw one in the oven to see what that does. Good thing I have lots of bottles. Wish me luck.

  37. For really tough odors or persistently sticky labels you can also add a splash of bleach to a hot soapy soak. Make sure jars and bottles are filled with the bleach water as well.

  38. I saw your pictures and thought Nell Hills, then I read your notes. I currently live in VA and Nell Hills has quit doing online orders. Thanks so much for teaching me how to do it myself, great job.

  39. Regular acrylic is water based and thus susceptible to coming off if you put water in the jars too soon, but once dry it is waterproof so should be durable.

  42. I use FolkArt enamel to paint glassware. After it dries, I bake it on by placing it in a cold oven, then turning the oven on to 300 degrees. Once the oven is at temp, bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven off and let it cool completely before removing the glassware. Once it's baked on it's completely waterproof.

  43. Did you use fake flowers with your center pieces? I have heard that when you put water into these vases that the paint either chips or actually can kill the flowers.

    Thanks!

  48. oh my gosh..this is brilliant. i never thought to reuse sauce jars and such! thanks for the great idea..i will now be using it for centerpieces for my wedding! yay! (:

  50. i got my 4 oz. paint here for under $8 a jar…it was a little more expensive than some other brands.
    http://www.dickblick.com/items/01016-5084

    there are other colors available in this brand too: http://www.dickblick.com/products/famous-1-shot-lettering-enamels/#photos

    you will just want to be very generous with it, so you might need to buy extra. my paint covered 6-7 jars and I still have some left.

    also you might want to try the paint i suggested in my post from Creative-Coldsnow. they had some good prices and you can order online.
    http://www.creativecoldsnow.com/browse.cfm/enamels/2,1610.html

  51. I bought enamel paint at hobby looby and it wasnt "runny" enough to move around inside the vase to coat. Is there a specific kind you think works better?

  52. abagail – if you use the enamel paint they should be waterproof. They worked for me when I filled them with water and flowers. good luck!!

    debbie – sorry for the late reply…I would't use this paint anywhere near food b/c of the chemicals.

  53. Great. Are these waterproof if you used fresh flowers for +/- 36 hours? Suggestions on how to make waterproof so doesn't bubble. We got flat enamel quarts for free from our local hardware store.

  56. Hi Audrey, just wanted to say I loved your project. I saw the pin on Pinterest a few weeks ago and finally tried it today. I went to Lowes and got a fabulous turquoise paint (Aqua Ocean). I am a fellow turquoise lover. This was a super easy mess free project. Your tip for using cooking oil got all the leftover residue off the glass. I can't wait for them to dry so I can use them! Thanks for the idea 🙂

  57. i say there are no rules.

    but if you use green hued bottles, whatever color paint you use on the insides it will have a green hue since the outer glass will be what shows up. but i would say go for it…it could look really great!! good luck.

  59. I have some old antique bottles that my Mom gave me… I'm thinking this would be perfect and now I could display them! Thanks for the idea~

  60. I save medicine bottles from work, wash well and paint with all types of paints. I originally wanted to etch them, but I realized they are tempered glass and etching doesn't work. These make great hostess gifts with a real or dried flower inside. Thanks for your ideas!
    Cathy =^..^=

  62. thanks everyone for your very kind comments. i am glad you like this project 🙂

    rachel – i can't guarantee that acrylic will work, but it is worth try on one jar to see how it works. just make sure you don't fill it with liquids ever…let me know how it goes. 🙂

  63. These are awesome! Thanks for sharing. Can I use acrylic paint if I don't plan on washing them ever? It's all I have on hand at the moment!

  66. I also saw a DIY show that used food coloring and Decoupage to do this same technique. The only reason I wouldn't use the paint is because of the fumes. I have chemical sensitivity…but I also think it would be able to dry and put water into the vases easily.

  69. Does it have to be enamel paint? I have acrylic on hand and since they will be purely decorative wondering if I could use the acrylic??

  75. Hi thank you so much for this great idea could you tell me the exact colors you used from 1-Shot? I am in love with them!

  76. hi andrea!! thanks. love your blog! cute family you have there too.
    ps. we just recently went through sump pump hell as well during the same storm. fun times 🙂

  79. These are lovely. I wonder if using white would make it look like old milk glass? hmmmm…things to try. I, too, love the Dollar Tree, and I get about 90% of my art supplies from Dick Blick!

    Awesome post!!

  80. These links were extremely helpful. My Google searches only turned up 1/2 oz jars of model paint. Thank you!

  81. you will not want to use any brushes inside the jar at all if you can help it. coat inside the jars with quite a bit of paint by rolling it around until the inside is completely covered.

    i got my 4 oz. paint here for under $8 a jar…it was a little more expensive than some other brands.
    http://www.dickblick.com/items/01016-5084

    there are other colors available in this brand too: http://www.dickblick.com/products/famous-1-shot-lettering-enamels/#photos

    you will just want to be very generous with it, so you might need to buy extra. my paint covered 6-7 jars and I still have some left.

    also you might want to try the paint i suggested in my post from Creative-Coldsnow. they had some good prices and you can order online.
    http://www.creativecoldsnow.com/browse.cfm/enamels/2,1610.html

    • I love this idea and want to do it for my wedding to create floral centerpieces. I was struggling to find the right paint that would hold up to water until I saw this post, which is very helpful! Can you tell me how many ounces of paint it took to cover 6-7 jars? Was it one 4oz can with a little left over? I have about 30-35 containers to do and want to see how much paint I'll need. Thanks much! -Kate

    • I have the same question as Kate. How many 4 oz cans did it take to cover the 6-7 jars that you mentioned, and then had some paint left over?
      Thank you

  82. oh, and everytime i try to fix the inside with a foam paintbrush, it streaks some other area. i thought this was a no-brainer.

  83. hey, yea that did help, but i got another question.. how come in your picture it looks like you have two little yellow cans of the paint? i can only find 2 oz. bottles and i used up one whole bottle on a jar similiar to the starbucks frappucinos; it was folkart brand and it took forever to cover the bottle and the opening is a hot mess. there is paint gunked up all around it. any suggestions?

    p.s. i was the one that asked about painting the outside.

  84. How did you position the bottles when they dry? I've seen some people leave them upside down to let the excess drip out, but I've also seen people leave them right side up. What did you do?

  85. just so you know – One Shot Lettering Enamel is a lead-based, high-pigment sign and lettering paint specifically formulated to cover with one brush stroke or coat ("One Shot") and to withstand the outdoor elements and last for years… i used this paint for over 30 years as a sign maker – take care to keep your skin clean – i use Fast Orange (better than Go Jo) hand cleaner, usually after wiping off most of the paint with mineral spirits… which is what i'd use to thin the paint a bit to cover these jars better and faster… One Shot sets up and dries to the touch rather fast.
    do not use on eating/drinking surfaces!

  86. Thank you SO much! I ran across your pics on pinterest. I hope to recreate this exact look for our wedding reception centerpieces in June. I found cheap glassware at a thrift store today and hope to pick up the enamel paint tomorrow. Thanks again 🙂

  87. nope. you will want to paint the insides to achieve the high gloss glass look. you can paint the outsides if you wanted to, but it will make it look flat and would make it more prone to chipping. hope that helps!

  90. I recently read an article about painting glassware and decided that I would be doing a project very soon. My cousin sent me a pinterest of yours and I just had to come and visit your blog. I'm so glad that I did. I love what you have done with glass. Thank you for the great idea of going to the dollar store.

    Mary

    • hi summer!! as long as the paint says enamel, dishwasher safe and for glass. you should be good to go. there are so many options out there. good luck and thanks for stopping by. 🙂

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