sweeten the pot

From Habitat magazine - issue 30

With just a few Resene testpots, crafty kids can make an endless array of adorable creations.

Painting up kid’s pots, three ways

Brighten up your kid’s bedroom or study space with these fun and fresh ideas with plant pots. Using Resene testpots, a plain terracotta pot has been transformed into three pattern-tastic designs from a dino footprint pen cup to a faux cacti garden.

To create the dino prints, paint the pot in Resene Yabbadabbadoo. Once dry, take a dinosaur figurine and lightly dip the foot into Resene testpots using Resene Neva and Resene Wild Thing. Randomly apply the prints all over the pot.

The table beneath the dino pot is in Resene Yes Please and the table top under the smiling pot is in Resene BFF. All of the walls are painted with Resene Poured Milk.

For the cacti garden, take large river stones and paint them in various Resene greens – we painted ours in Resene Wham, Resene Kermit, Resene Away We Go and Resene Mother Nature. Then use Resene Cotton Wool and a fine brush to paint patterns to depict the different textures of your cacti, from spots to prickle-like dashes, etc. Place them into a painted pot plant like ours, painted in Resene Pink Ribbon, Resene Cotton Wool and Resene XOXO.

If you’re looking for something sweet and simple, paint your pot in Resene Cotton Wool and Resene Wild Thing. Use a fine brush to paint on a happy face. Use a pencil to outline the face beforehand if it’s easier. Our face features were painted in Resene Black, with freckles in Resene XOXO.

Did you know: If you’re planning to use terracotta pots for plants, you need to always seal the pot inside and out with Resene Terracotta Sealer before painting to avoid the moisture from the soil travelling through the pot and blistering off the paint?

Top tip: Have fun labelling the drawers with symbols and easy words to help your children work out where to put their things away.

Left: The wall behind the chest of drawers is in Resene Alabaster and the floor has been stained with Resene Colorwood Rock Salt natural wood stain. The unicorn toy, Stay Magical poster and frame are from Kmart. The Lampan Table Lamp is from Swedish Furniture. Right: Under the cacti garden, the table is painted Resene Wild Thing.

Let’s get chalking

Add a playful element to drawers – all while keeping things tidy and in place – with this cute chalk idea. We painted the drawers in various Resene colours using Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, which, when dry, you can write on with chalk. It can be easily rubbed off with a damp cloth when you want to change it up. We had a bit of fun labelling the drawers, including using symbols and easy words to help kids work out where to put their items away. Don’t be afraid to go big with colour and make it a statement piece – we painted the drawer frame in Resene Yes Please, with drawer fronts in Resene Zappo, Resene I Dare You, Resene Wham, Resene Pretty In Pink, Resene Splish Splash and Resene Candy Floss. The wall is painted in Resene Alabaster and the floor in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt natural wood stain.

Styling: Leigh Stockton
Images: Bryce Carleton

Want to get your own free copy of future issues of habitat magazine?

Printed copies of habitat highlights are available from late March 2024 at Resene ColorShops and resellers, while stocks last. You can view back issues of habitat magazine online.

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