How To Make A DIY Marbled Vase For Chic Home Decor With An Artistic Touch

Glass vases are one of those items that are so easy to accumulate over time. They often come with flower deliveries, or you may find a great uniquely-shaped one in the thrift store for a cheap price. Luckily, there are lots of fun ways to repurpose vases around the house, but sometimes these vessels just need a makeover. To turn glass vases into beautiful statement decor, consider giving them a groovy, marbled makeover with some paint. This is the perfect way to transform basic vases into art pieces that stand out with or without flowers. This could also be a great idea for personalized gifts.

All that you'll need to create a marbled vase is, of course a glass vase,  as well as disposable bowls, a few shades of acrylic paint, glass paint medium fill like the Liquitex Professional Effects Medium on Amazon, and plastic spoons. You'll basically be pouring on a marble pattern, which is much easier than it sounds. Glass paint is uniquely formulated to stick to glass surfaces, which is what you'll see used in faux stained glass tutorials, but it also tends to be sold in small quantities for expensive prices and may be hard to find in the specific shades you're looking for. Acrylic paint on its own will stick to glass but can fall off over time, so to make this project more accessible, try combining basic acrylic paint with a glass paint medium fill for a similar effect. To create a marbled paint effect, you'll want to choose at least three colors — more colors will mean less distinct colors and shapes. 

Lay out a plastic sheet, craft paper, or old towel to protect your surface. You should also find a small stand that can get paint on it so you have a place to set your finished vase as it dries. Gather as many disposable bowls as colors you plan to use in your marble piece and add bit of acrylic paint color in each. While the above video says to use equal parts acrylic paint and medium fill, others recommend a 90% to 10% ratio of medium fill to paint. Ensure that you follow the specific instructions on your medium fill container. Adding the medium fill will stretch the paint further and give it that clear, glossy finish, as well as help it adhere to the glass. 

Now comes the fun part — the actual painting. Load up a plastic spoon with a generous dollop of one of your paint colors and begin to smear it onto the glass. To avoid getting paint on your hands, grip the vase from the inside and rotate the vase as you paint. This is what will create the dripping, marbled pattern. Repeat this process with another spoon and color, creating more plaint blobs on the glass surface until you've added all of the colors. Obviously, the more you use of each color, the more pronounced the shade will be in the final marble pattern. Therefore, feel free to use smaller amounts of colors you only want a little of. Let the colors meet at the edges to create a natural blend while rotating continuously. 

Once you've added all your colors and blended them until you have a marble pattern you're happy with, place the vase on top of a stable elevated stand to dry. There will likely be some excess dripping, so make sure there's a sheet or catch tray underneath it. If you plan to regularly use this vase with flowers and water, then it's crucial to set the glass paint. The easiest way is with heat setting in the oven, but not all glass vases can withstand this method. Because it's unlikely you'll be able to clearly tell whether your vase is oven safe, we recommend going for air setting. This takes a lot longer but won't risk damaging your glass vase or oven. All you need to do is set the glass in a cool, dark space and allow it to set for 21 days. This obviously takes a lot of patience, and you'll need a place the vase won't be disturbed, but is the safest method by far. After this period, you can hand wash, fill with flowers and water, and display the vase. For a final protective measure, seal the vase in a final coat of glossy Mod Podge. 

One variation of this project is doing the marble painting on the inside of the vase to avoid messy handling, but this can take an even longer time to dry and set because it will have less ventilation. There are also alternative faux marble painting DIY methods out there that may be worth experimenting with, but we can't speak to the longevity of these projects on everyday glass vases.