How to Turn a Dated Vase Into a Beautiful Vessel With Decoupage

Give old vases new life with this DIY project.

Published on March 15, 2024

The next time you see an outdated vase in your attic or local secondhand shop, look beyond its pattern, and you'll likely find that it's brimming with design potential. So long as a vase is structurally sound and you like the shape, you can transform it into modern décor by giving it a decoupage up-cycle.

For this project, we covered the pattern of an old vase with paper flowers cut out from leftover napkins and affixed them to the vase using craft glue. You can use any pattern that fits your personal aesthetic, including geometric patterns, stripes, wildlife, and beyond. No matter what look you're hoping achieve this, DIY craft is a wonderful way to breathe new life into old vessels.

Vases before and after decoupage — Martha Stewart

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

Paint brushes
All-purpose cleaner
Microfiber cloth

Materials

Paint
Vase
Craft glue for decoupage
Paper napkins

Instructions

Clean the vase:

Martha Stewart

Spray an all-purpose cleaner onto a microfiber cloth and wipe the vase clean.
Paint the vase:

Martha Stewart

Using a paint suitable to the material of your vase, paint the entire surface of the vase to cover its existing pattern. Let the paint dry completely.
Cut out paper napkins:

Martha Stewart

Remove the backing from paper napkins and cut out your desired shapes. Cut out as many shapes as you need to cover the vase.
Glue the paper napkins onto the vase:

Martha Stewart

Place the paper napkins over the vase. Once you're happy with your design, dip a paint brush in craft glue and apply the glue over the napkins. Let the glue dry completely.