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DIY Faux MilkGlass Centerpieces
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DIY Faux MilkGlass Centerpieces

March 30

We got one more project for today, just in time for our afternoon crowd! Our next DIY project was sent by Annie, who some of you may know from Marry You Me. She gave old vases a new life by dressing them up as milk glass!

From Annie:
For me, DIY is at it’s best when it saves you money and time and adds a special touch. Vintage milk glass is beautiful, but I know first hand how hard it can be to track down good pieces without spending hours driving around, scouring the internet, or paying a fortune. So I wanted to replicate the look of milk glass on a budget using some vintage glass vases and glossy white spray paint.

DIY Faux MilkGlass Centerpieces

What you’ll need:

– Assorted vintage glass vases (I found mine at a local thrift store, 9 pieces for $5)
– Rubbing Alcohol (optional)
– Brown craft paper or newspaper
– Latex gloves
– White glossy spray paint (I used Krylon Multipurpose Indoor/Outdoor Gloss White)

DIY Faux MilkGlass Porcelain Centerpieces

See Also
couple portrait at Kona Beach
A Vibrant Destination Wedding on Kona Beach in Blue & Gold

Instructions:
Step 1: Use rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball or paper towel to remove any sticky residue from the vases. Wash vases with soap and dry completely.
Step 2: Lay down paper on your spraying surface in a well-ventilated area. Shake spray paint for 1-2 minutes before spraying. Shake between sprays as well. Wearing gloves, work from side to side spraying vases with spray paint. Don’t get too close to the vase to avoid drips/runs. (No need to spray paint the inside of the vases, just do the tops; spraying the inside then using them for flowers with water will cause the inside paint to flake off).

Step 3: Rotate vase until covered, let dry a few minutes before adding a second coat. Let dry completely.

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View Comments (65)

  • Um, can I say freaking amazing? I loooove milk glass and was lamenting the impracticalness of trying to buy a bunch piecemeal considering the time/gas/shipping costs. This is a PERFECT solution! I know that we don’t necessarily vote for the DIY winners, but I feel like this has to be it. This is quick, cheap, and does not discriminate against all of us non-crafty brides! Win win win win win!

  • This is such an easy and gorgeous DIY! Thanks so much for sharing!

  • I have been collecting hobnail milk glass since I was 14 years old. I thought about using them in my centerpieces but I was so worried that they would break or people would take some home so this alternative is perfect. I can keep my pricey milk glass collection safe AND use milk glass vases at the reception. Awesome idea with the spray paint!

  • Those bottles look so lovely- and pristine! I have been spray painting wine bottles for my wedding centerpieces. I have found it takes a while, requires numerous coats and the paint runs really easily. How do you get yours to look so nice? Any tips? TIA!

  • THIS IS AMAZING! I love milk glass pieces but they don’t come cheap. Thanks for the tip!

  • Love this idea – I’ve seen it around a couple places (psimadethis.com). If you wanted to go edgier, you could try black glossy spraypaint too – a girlfriend of mine has been playing with that for her wedding. Tres (faux) chic!

  • I LOVE it! I am always trying to hunt down milk glass for photo shoots. This will save me a lot of time 🙂

  • Just Fabulous! I just love this! So clever and economical and yet looks absolutely charming. The whole table looks Fabulous!

  • i love this idea. I have been thinking about doing something like this for my wedding, but never put all the other types of random jars and such in the category! Thanks for sharing.

  • I LOVE milk glass and this is such a wonderful way to recreate the look if you can’t find it @ your local antique store. Thanks!!

  • I can’t even get over these. They look just like the milk glass I bought a couple weekends ago! I need more for a baby shower I am planning so I might sneak a few of these in and see who notices!

  • love love love!!!! I cannot wait to try this DIY project!!!!

  • So I do have to ask how do you keep from reapplying and also streaks… i have NO tried yet but just my past exp. seems to bring me to ask? But I love this look!!!

  • @Karen, @Sarah
    So the key is keeping a good distance from the vase, and not overapplying in any one area. I would spray, and then keep turning before an area could get enough to get runs. Shaking the can vigorously in between every few sprays really helps (I shook the can every time I turned the vase), also not spraying continuously helped a lot – I used short bursts of spray as I moved over the vase going in a side to side motion. I did two coats, but you may need more if you have darker glass to spray. Primer could help darker glass as well. I recommend testing your spraying technique on a throwaway piece of glass that you don’t plan on using, and figuring out what method is working for you. This spray paint tutorial video from Rustololeoum might be helpful! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_PcG95Ox1k

  • What a great idea and looks easy too. The table setting is perfect!

  • Isn’t it Fabulous… Simply Maaaaaarvelous… To qoute the rocker Billy Idol; “…Nice day for a white wedding…” Shows ya’ that a little white paint and itz good ’nuff for a wedding! White On!

  • Love this idea-so easy and elegant. Am planning on brightening up my home with some white accessories for the spring/summer and am definitely going to use this idea!

  • I am so excited about this post I am going to make some for my shop way cute. Great Job and love the antique feel of the photos!!!

  • How creative! I’d never thought something so simple could look so elegant!

  • What a great post. It has such a great 50’s feel. Congrats! –

  • thank you so much for this! it’s an 11th hour switch in our plans, but i think it would be lovely to have some of this milk glass along with our mason jars. just scooped up some vases at the thrift store! can’t wait to play this weekend. thank you for sharing.

  • I’m gettinmg out my spray can and giving my vases a face lift! So simple so elegant- Mollie O

  • What a creative idea and easy to do on #17! Reminds me of Grandma’s vases.

  • Just wanted to say thanks for the brilliant idea!! I actually went out and bought spray paint this weekend and did all of my clear glass vases like this (I was originally planning on doing a mix of both white and clear).

    You are my hero – thanks 🙂
    Nicole

  • I just bought a bud vase from goodwill for $.59 and a can of white gloss spray paint for $3.65 for a test run. I think it went pretty well. I’ll need to do a third coat tomorrow, but it looks darn good. I can’t wait to do more of these. Fantastic idea!!

  • I did this for my wedding centerpieces, it was great and easy. People were asking if they could take them home.I got most of my ideas from this site if anyone wants pics let me know.

  • Erin, I would love to see some pics of your centerpieces. This is what I plan on doing as well 🙂

  • Such a good idea!I needed a few white textured vases to put on my escort card table along with family wedding pictures and I was planning on doing this until I went to a couple nearby thrift stores and ended up finding some actual milkglass vases! I found 7 total all were under $1.00! Try your local thrift stores, I was very surprised at the quantity of vases that were there.

  • Thank you for the info.

    Is it possible to travel with these by plane after painting them or do you recommend doing them at the destination?
    Tx

  • I am doing a vintage style wedding, and I love this site! I would just like to say, that I have actually found about a dozen milk glass vases at varies goodwills (oddly enough) yard sells and flea markets over a few months time and have not had to pay over a dollar for any of them!! What a steal!

  • I think a blood red and turquoise version of this would look great too!

  • Thank you for this post. I am getting married next year and since seeing this post I have been trying to buy a few vases every couple weeks. I have spray-painted about a dozen so far and they look gorgeous. I did have a couple that dripped a little and I found that a little sanding and second coat did the trick. Thank you again!

  • Hi, I would like to know how to paint red ‘mercury’ glass. I have the silver looking glass paint but I really like the red ‘mercury’ glass vases and candle sticke we find at Christmas.
    Thanks,
    Maggie

  • how many scans of paint did you use to spray all of the milk vases?

  • OH THATS NICE… FUUL OF ARTIST COLLECTION MILKY GLASS I THINKS RED LOOKS BETTER

  • sou apaixonada por artesanato. fiquei maravilhada quando vi o post de louça branca feita em casa. So tenho uma duvida, no caso de pintar xicara posso usa-la em microondas? obrigado.

  • Can I do this to a glass lampshade or will it become too opaque to let light thru?

  • I LOVE, LOVE how these turned out! I have several similar vases, and this would be a great way to spruce them up! 🙂

  • I did this yesterday!! I love them!! Wish I could post a picture for you all. Some did run so redoing those but I think they turned out amazing! So glad I found this Pin! Oh found all mine from thrift stores all 25 fro $10..Thank You so much

  • Thank you! I was going to pass on a great deal for vases for my wedding because the seller would not separate the milk glass from the clear vases, but now I can take them all and spray paint the clear ones! Woohoo!!

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