Painted Cottage Pot

Before You Begin

You do not need a perfect new pot. A slightly weathered one, an old herb pot or something already sitting unused in the shed can often have far more character once it has been cleaned and painted.

Painting the Cottage Pot

There is no single design to follow. Start with a few simple shapes and let the decoration grow slowly around the pot.

1. Clean the pot Brush away loose soil and dust, then wash the pot if necessary. Let it dry completely before painting.
2. Choose a simple palette Pick three or four colours that sit happily together. Ochre, moss green, cream, rust and soft brown work beautifully for an autumn cottage look.
3. Plan the main shapes Decide whether you want a border around the rim, a larger motif on the front, scattered little designs, or a mixture of all three.
4. Position your stencil Hold or lightly tape the stencil against the pot. Work with one small section at a time rather than trying to wrap a large stencil around the curved surface.
5. Use very little paint Dab most of the paint from the stencil brush or sponge onto scrap paper first. A nearly dry brush gives much cleaner stencil edges.
6. Build the colour gently Dab rather than brush across the stencil. Add several light layers if needed instead of one heavy coat.
7. Lift the stencil carefully Peel it away while the paint is still slightly wet and allow the design to dry before adding nearby details.
8. Add freehand touches Use a small brush or paint pen for dots, little berries, vines, stars, veins on leaves or other tiny imperfections that make the pot yours.
9. Let everything dry Give the paint plenty of time to dry before handling the pot heavily or adding twine and other decoration.
10. Seal if needed If the pot will be handled frequently or used somewhere damp, choose a clear sealer suitable for the paint and terracotta and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

If the pot will hold a living plant, remember that terracotta naturally breathes and absorbs moisture. Choose paints and sealers carefully and avoid coating the inside or drainage hole unless the product is specifically suitable for that use.

Patterns from Around the Cottage

Stencils make the project easy, but the design can still feel wonderfully personal. Choose symbols and shapes that belong to your own little corner of the world.

If you do not have shop-bought stencils, simple shapes can be cut from sturdy card or stencil plastic. Even a single leaf, star or crescent can be repeated around the pot to make a convincing pattern.

What Could the Pot Become?

A painted pot does not have to contain a plant. Once decorated, it can find all sorts of little jobs around the cottage.

A Pot Made for Someone

One of the loveliest things about this project is how easily the decoration can be chosen for the person who will use it.

Handmade does not mean complicated. Often a simple border, one repeated motif and two carefully chosen colours look more charming than a pot covered in every design you can find.