
If you have ever been to the Salvation Army thrift store, you’ve probably stumbled upon shelves and shelves of mismatched vases, like the ones above. Looking at them they probably don’t go with your décor and remind you of something your Grandma used to keep. We can easily fix that and create a beautiful fall diy for your flowers.

I like the look of the stoneware vases I was seeing and wanted to create a similar look. It’s always a good idea to find some inspiration before you get started. I like these vases from Anthropologie, Pottery Barn and Urban Barn. They had a good texture and a nice shape. Both of these will help you to choose your paint colour or texture and the shape of the vases.

When at the Salvation Army thrift store, ignore the colour and design on the vases. You only want to look at the shape, this is harder than it sounds! Remember the paint will cover up the design on the vase, so try your hardest to look past it. Once you have your vases, follow the step by step below to transform them into something more modern.
MATERIALS
- Vases of various sizes and shapes
- Damp cloth
- Base colour – I used Rust-Oleum Flat White
- Texture – I used the Rust-Oleum Accents Stone
- Fresh or Dried Flowers
STEP 1: Clean the vases
Using a damp cloth, wipe down the outside and inside of your vases. This will ensure the paint will properly adhere. If you want to get started right away make sure you dry the vases as well.

STEP 2: Create a base
Since your vases will most likely be all different colours or have patterns on them. The best way to start is with a base colour. Then all of your vases will be uniform. Depending on how vibrant the colours are you may need two coats. Wait for the base layer to dry before starting on the texture layer. (As you can see I tried the Accents Stone spray first and realized I needed a base first!)

STEP 3: Texture layer
Spray a light layer, making sure to go side to side when spraying or you will end up with an uneven surface. The layers for the Accents Stone will have to dry for about 15 minutes between coats, or when it is slightly tacky.

STEP 4: Add another layer of Accents Stone
I ended up adding three light layers in total to get the coverage I wanted. Obviously the spraying didn’t take very long but waiting in between definitely added some time to this project. I simply set a timer and worked on another task while waiting.

With those four easy steps you can create a modern look for any space in your home. I ended up using these on our dining table. To create a bit of separation I used this beautiful wood cutting board from Steelwood Design along with some dried flowers for fall. I love that I will be able to keep these throughout the fall season.

If you have an afternoon this project was really simple and affordable. Let’s look at the budget for this easy fall DIY.
- Rust-Oleum Flat White (base coat) – free (I had an old can from a previous project)
- Rust-Oleum Accents Stone – $7.99
- Salvation Army thrift store vases – $7
- Flowers – $10
TOTAL: $24.99

Looking for more fall diy inspiration, check out my recent post. Whether you need to decorate for fall or create something for a Halloween party this post has you covered!
Affordable Decor budget friendly Easy DIY Fall Decor home decor Rust-Oleum DIY thrift store DIY Thrift Store Finds Vase decor Vase DIY