Succulent Planters with FolkArt Painted Finishes

Thanks to Plaid Enterprises for sponsoring today’s post; all opinions are honestly my own.
Succulent Planter Boxes with FolkArt Painted Finishes
Friends, one of my favorite things about being one of the Plaid Creators this year is the opportunity we had to try out new products and introduce them to you just as they’re hitting the shelves in stores near you! Today, I get to show you the newest specialty paints you can get your hands on, the FolkArt Painted Finishes collection. These are seriously so cool and they’re totally different from anything else you’ve been using. They are designed to add dimension and texture to home decor accents by creating the effects of Rust, Concrete, Moss, and Barnwood. All of the finishes except for Barnwood are for indoor/outdoor use, and they are so much fun to use. I decided that the easiest way to show you some of the different effects would be to start with the same surface and let you see how differently it turns out based on which of the Painted Finishes you apply!

Painted Finishes

I started with three unfinished wooden boxes that are graduated in size so I could make a set of faux succulent planters for my new bookshelf.

Succulent Planters made with Painted Finishes

First, I want to show you my favorite of all the finishes, Barnwood. This particular finish is intended for indoor use only and is designed for use on raw, unfinished wood. It adds an aged, worn look with a rustic feel and brings out the natural beauty of the wood grain. Here’s how it works.

barnwood3

Step 1: Sand your wood if necessary, then apply a coat of your Barnwood Tint.

It goes on really easily, like a stain. In fact, you can leave it as is if you want. Allow it to dry completely.

barnwood4

Step 2: Brush on a coat of Barnwood Wax.

Step 3: Quickly, while it’s still wet, scrape the excess wax from the surface of the wood.

I used an old plastic gift card to do the scraping and it worked like a charm.

barnwoodprocess

The remaining wax will settle into the pattern of the wood grain, highlighting it and making your piece look beautifully weathered. All that’s left to do is let it dry!

barnwood

My final step for this project was to add Spanish Moss and a faux succulent, which Flynn the kitten is enamored with and constantly trying to eat. What do you think?! I absolutely love the look of the Barnwood finish…how pretty would this be on a rustic sign, a crate, or anything else you can imagine?

Barnwood Succulent Planter

Next up is Concrete! This easy to use dab-on formula totally gives the illusion of real concrete, which is totally on trend as a decor accent right now, and comes in two colors {dark and light} for depth and variety. You can use them alone if you like, but I prefer them together because it enhances the look. The concrete finishes can be used on a variety of surfaces including wood, metal, plastic, and terra cotta, and the thick, textured paint has a dimensional effect you can feel as well as see.

concrete2b

Step 1: Sand if necessary, then dab on a coat of Light Concrete.

For applying these paints, the Painted Finishes brushes are just the right size. They come in a 3 pack, are 1″ in width, and are made of 100% Hog hair with flag tip bristles. They’re easy to control and perfect for working with the thick texture of the paint. Once your first coat has dried, it’s time to move on, or you can totally leave it this way if you like the look as is.

concrete3

Step 2: Dab Dark Concrete onto the surface to provide shadows and accents.

You can also do this in reverse if you prefer, starting with a coat of Dark Concrete, then adding the Light Concrete later as highlights.

concrete5a

Once your planter is totally dry, it’s time to add moss and succulents! Wouldn’t you take one look at this and think it was truly made of concrete?

concrete succulent planter

The third finish I want to show you today is Rust. There are two colors, Dark and Light Rust which can once again be used independently, but I think they definitely work best together. Used on wood, metal, plastic, or terra cotta, these finishes give the illusion of actual rust.

rusty1

Step 1: Sand your surface and apply FolkArt Metallic paint in Silver Anniversary.

Since wood doesn’t rust, we have to start by making the planter look like it’s metal. If you’re starting with a metal surface, this step can obviously get skipped. Make sure the paint is totally dry before moving on.

Step 2: Use your Painted Finishes brush to dab Dark Rust in strategic places on your surface.

Try to think about where weathering and rust would naturally occur on the piece.

rusty2

Step 3: Apply Light Rust on top of but not totally covering your dry Dark Rust.

Step 4: While the Light Rust is still wet, lightly spray with water using a spray bottle to allow the paint to run and drip just a bit.

This will add to the natural, realistic effect.

rusty3

Once all your paint is dry, it’s time to fill the container with moss and a final faux succulent!

Faux Rust Succulent Planter

Ta-da! Here they all are together. Originally they all looked the same, except for their sizes, and now they look like three totally different surfaces! Which is your favorite?

all3planters

The only part of the FolkArt Painted Finishes collection I didn’t use on my planters is Moss, which works a lot like the Concrete. It’s textured to give the appearance of real moss and comes in both light and dark to create shadows and highlights. Here is a look at the finished effect on the birdhouses the Plaid Creators team made during our trip to Plaid’s Headquarters a few months ago.

birdhouse2

All of the FolkArt Painted Finishes are water-based, non toxic, and made in the USA. They are brand new, available in stores near you this month, so be sure to grab some and try them out for yourself!

Here’s a peek at how my planters look on the Crate Bookshelf I created, along with my painted birdhouse which uses all of the finishes together.

cratecase4

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these new additions to the FolkArt product line. Which is your favorite finish? Have you tried any of these yet? If so, what did you make? Share all about it in our One Artsy Mama & Friends Facebook group!

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