Metallic Tartan Glass

Two things I’m currently obsessed with: metallic anything and tartan. And spray paint! Plaid is a classic fall pattern, and it’s popping up everywhere lately; metallic-finishes, especially gold, are so on-trend. Why not add a touch of these two looks to your decor with this easy paint project?

By: Tracy

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit of a hoarder of glass vases and vessels – I have an assortment of vases from the florist (thank you, wonderful husband!) which are perfect for recycling, but you could also give new life to a second-hand find or a humble dollar-store item. You’ll need a bit of painter’s tape or masking tape, and I also used some washi tape for narrower stripes (you can also use masking tape in a narrower width). You’ll also need to choose your paint carefully – I used Krylon’s ColorMaster paint which has primer built in, and perfect for painting glass.

Start by making sure your glass is perfectly clean and dry.  Apply your tape in one direction (I did mine horizontally first) and play around with the widths you leave exposed – this will be where your color appears. To keep your lines even and straight, you can use a ruler. You can reposition your stripes as needed, but be careful to not move them around too much – you want your tape to still be sticky enough for clean edges.  When you’re happy with the positioning, smooth down and be sure there are no bubbles. Tape off the top or stuff with newspaper to be sure you don’t get paint inside.

In a well-ventilated area, carefully spray all the exposed areas, making sure to apply evenly and spray far away enough to not cause any drips (I found this paint was really good for not running and dripping). When you’ve covered all the areas, allow to dry the recommended amount of time.

When the paint has dried, carefully remove the tape. You can use a ruler and pen knife (or even your nail!) to carefully scrape away any areas the paint may have run.  When you’re happy with the results, apply tape in the opposite direction.  I did my vertical stripes a bit random, but you could make your pattern more exact with a ruler. When you are happy with your stripes, again tape off the top or stuff with paper and spray again.

When the tape is dry, carefully peel away and admire your new vase – or candleholder! I can’t decide what to do with mine, but it’s the kind of shape I could do both with, or even leave empty.  If you use as a vase, just be sure to carefully hand wash, although a distressed plaid is also pretty current-looking.  I may need to paint all my orphaned glass pieces!