Cheap DIY Planter Ideas

I’ve got planters and flowers and all the pretty blooming things on the brain lately. However, we are currently living amidst a sea of yellow pollen outside and there’s still a chance of a freeze warning or two. So the outdoor stuff will have to wait for a bit. But I have a few cheap DIY planter ideas to hold me over until I can get outdoors!

I’ve been on a self-imposed spending hiatus for a bit this year. I realized I had too much stuff and I just can’t bring myself to add more things I don’t need. So I’m on a mission to go through my craft supplies, paint supplies, and all the other random things I need to use or get rid of. I had two tiny little planters in my stash just waiting for a makeover.

Cheap DIY Planter Ideas

Last year I made the cutest DIY Planter from a terra cotta pot. It was super easy and it has a hint of black which I love. And since I’m not buying new stuff (sorry Target), I need to continue with the same color scheme as last year. Which is totally fine by me. I’m not tired of black and green yet, so these DIY Planters are perfect.

And who doesn’t love a simple DIY? A few hours is all you need to do this whole project.

Supplies for DIY Planters

small pots
paint (I used leftover Fusion Mineral paint but any craft paint or latex will do)
foam brushes
stamp and ink
faux or real greenery

Orange clay pots with a bottle of paint and two foam paintbrushes on a dining room table.

Projects like this are my favorite because there is no wrong or right way to do it. You can do whatever you want in any color scheme and as long as you love it, it’ll be great. I’m terrible at drawing and I don’t have a steady hand so if it looks a little imperfect it’s ok. There’s no point in stressing yourself out with a simple project like this one.

And you can save money on decor for different holidays or seasons by using things you already have! I’m all about saving money and using what I have on hand.

Paint Your Planters

Using a foam brush, paint a base coat on your planters. I initially chose a light pink but changed my mind after the first coat. I wasn’t loving it – a little too sweet for my house I think.

Two painted clay pots turned upside down on a table with a jar of Fusion paint.

Let it dry and then paint another coat of white or whatever base coat you want. Next, I used a stamp and black ink to stamp a cactus image on one of the pots. My stamp was a little bigger and had three images on it so it had a few extra lines where I didn’t want them. Let the black ink dry and then take a tiny artist brush to cover any mistakes with your base color.

I wanted elements of black on these DIY planters so I used a foam brush to paint black craft paint around the rim of one and the bottom of the other. I purposely drug the brush through on the rim so it wouldn’t be solid black and I’d have some white showing through. And the bottom ring is haphazard – no need for neat lines here!

A painted white and black clay pot with a picture of a cactus on the front and a green succulent growing inside.

A white and black planter with a green plant growing inside on a wooden table indoors.

Two painted planters with a white and black design with green plants growing inside.

Let it dry and pop some faux greenery in your new DIY Planters! Here’s a tip – paint a little inside the rim also so it’ll be the same color if any shows through your greenery. I didn’t paint far enough down on one of them, so I’ll either find a fuller plant stem to throw in there or paint again.

Black and white potted plants on a dining room table with a black and white tablecloth.

Closeup of painted planter pots with green succulents on a dining room table.

Saving Money with DIY Planters

One thing you may have noticed if you’ve been around this blog for a while, is I’m pretty frugal. Call it cheap, thrifty, frugal, whatever. I like saving money on things. I’m not able to spend hundreds of dollars on new decor for whatever season or holiday is coming. Nor do I want to.

Especially not when I have craft supplies that can be used or items that can be repurposed. I’m a busy mom with two part-time jobs, two kids, a dog, a husband, and I still want to decorate, but I won’t go into debt trying to have the latest seasonal things.

Three potted plants with black and white paint and green succulents growing inside on a wooden table.

These Cheap DIY Planters ideas are so simple, but so adorable. Even if you don’t have craft paint or pots on hand, they are super affordable at any craft store. I buy the small paints that are less than $1 each and for a small project like this, you only need one.

You can pick up a few faux greenery stems at a craft store too. Dollar Tree is a good option if there’s one near you and of course, everything is a buck!

It’s amazing what you can do with a little DIY effort and creativity. And don’t stress if it’s not perfect. It’s your house. Sometimes it’s hard not to get carried away wanting our homes to look like the perfect little Instagram squares.

Remember, those squares are only showing a carefully crafted snippet of what could be 100 shots and giant messes in the background. So take a step to craft your own square right in your own home. And remember that whatever you have, it’s enough. Whatever your abilities or skills, it’s enough and so are you!