Do you love vintage clay pots that look like they've been weathering on the French countryside for decades? Did you know you can get the look with brand new clay pots? It's actually quite easy and I'm going to show you how I transformed my large terracotta pots with French Country style.

Transform Clay Flower Pots With French Country Style

But I couldn't stop there, I also added a French graphic onto the largest pot. It's easy to do and I'll be sharing instructions for how to do that too.

It doesn't take long at all to completely transform ordinary terracotta pots.  If you shop for clay pots at the end of the season, you can get great clearance prices.

Here's What You'll Need To Make It

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Large Terracotta Flower Pots
Matte Waterbased Paint (Chalk Style Paint)
Spray Misting Bottle
Laser Printer (can use inkjet with extra step)
Image Transfer Medium

You can get a glimpse of what the terracotta flower pots looked like before the French country transformation in the photo below. My apologies for not having the best photo to share.

The weathered outdoor flower pots are so pretty grouped together on a front porch or corner of a patio or deck. Paired with other vintage decor, they are lovely set in flower beds too. The elements will weather the patina even more.

I've been wanting the look of vintage pots on our deck for years but purchasing the real thing can carry a hefty price tag. I'm so pleased that I finally have them for a fraction of the cost.

Here's How I Did It...

There are two ways to paint the clay pots to get the time worn weathered patina.

Option 1 - Paint Wash Patina

This is the option I used to paint my clay pots. Thin chalk paint with water to the consistency of milk. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the color Versailles.

Brush the paint on with random brush strokes and let it dry to the touch. Spray the pots with water to dampen the paint. Don't worry about drips because that just adds to the patina.

With a damp sponge remove some of the paint (this is called a wet distress technique) in some areas so the terracotta color shows through the paint (pictured below).

Option 2 - Whitewash Patina

In a small container thin the chalk paint with water to a 1:1 ratio. Brush the paint all over the pots with an inexpensive chip brush. Wipe the excess with a damp lint-free rag. If you want the paint darker, repeat the process until you have the look you like.

No need to apply a protective finish over the paint because you want the pots to continue to weather over time. All three of my pots were painted last summer and they withstood our harsh Canadian winter and still look fantastic!

How To Add French Graphics Onto Painted Terracotta Pots

Step 1 - Finding A French Graphic

Look for a vintage printable graphic that you like. Etsy or the Graphics Fairy website are great sources like the French Wreath With Bird graphic I used for my largest pot.

Step 2 - Print Graphic

The image transfer technique I used works best with a laser printer. But you can use an inkjet printer if you allow the ink to completely dry for a few hours. Otherwise, you risk the ink smearing in the next step.

Print the graphic in black and white on the "best" printer setting. If your graphic has any text be sure to reverse the image (mirror image) before printing.

Step 3 - Prepare Graphic

Cut around the graphic as close as you can to remove the white space (like pictured below). The less paper, the less that has to be removed.

Step 4 - Transfer Graphic Onto Pots

You'll need an image transfer medium (see supply list) and this image transfer technique to transfer the graphic onto the flower pots.

This is what it will look like when you are done.

I was so happy to finally plant some flowers in these pots last weekend. Soon these lovely French Country flower pots will be bursting with colorful blooms that cascade down the sides.

For more French-country-style clay pot inspiration, you can see how I transformed these clay saucers from the dollar store into pretty French Country Coasters for our deck. I also made French Country Place Holders with mini clay pots and saucers from the dollar store.

But here's an idea for how to turn your lovely French country flower pots into a water feature like our DIY Stacked Flower Pot Fountain.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope you were inspired by these French Country Style Outdoor Flower Pots.

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