Wandering around my favorite local antique mall (The Depot in Concord, NC) last week I spotted a huge basket of gourds. All different shapes and sizes for $5 each, and they already had a hole for a planter or birdhouse! Naturally I bought three, and immediately thought to paint them.
Gourds naturally have a nice, rustic look and are beautiful as-is (my kids call them bee hives!) but our home style is a bit more modern. And white paint worked wonderfully on these!
Read below for a full step-by-step tutorial for painting your own autumn gourds. They would go great near a front entryway with pumpkins or hanging on a back porch.
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Supplies
Dried Birdhouse Gourds
Sandpaper (coarse, under 200 grit)
Clean Damp Towel
White Spray Primer (I used Valspar Project Perfect Paint + Primer Flat)
White Spray Paint (I used Valspar Chalky Finish Paint in Ultra Matte)
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Looking for gourds? Try your local farmers market, seasonally at grocery stores, or on Etsy.
Step 1:
Sand all rough patches on each gourd. You will still have some uneven texture on the gourd after sanding. It is part of its organic beauty!
Step 2:
Throughly wipe off each gourd with a damp towel.
Step 3:
Prime! Apply two light coats of primer to all sides of gourds in a well-ventilated area. Dry according to can directions.
Step 4:
Apply two light coats of spray paint. I used a chalky finish style spray paint with a matte finish to give the gourds a more modern look (it helps hide imperfections too!) Dry according to can directions.
Step 5:
Tie grass cord in a knot to top of gourd and hang.
This is a simple and affordable DIY that can be completed in an afternoon. The texture of the gourds is really fun and unpredictable, which I love. And the grass cord ads a nice bit of contrast too. The gourds have an Autumn look in a fresh, modern way.
Happy Making!