DIY Abstract Architecture Planter, 2 Ways

Quarantine has not helped my plant problem at all. Since we’re not spending our entertainment or eating out budgets lately, I’ve been funneling those straight to home projects and plants. I’ve had these blank planters for a while and wanted to give them a little makeover- we have enough plain terracotta pots! – and I kept getting drawn to this style of abstract, architectural outlines. A wrap around design in this style would be perfect for a planter so you can admire your plant baby from every side!

I was so excited to use my Cricut Joy for this one since the smart vinyl’s narrow width, long length, and no need for a cutting mat made it crazy easy to crank out BUT I realize not everyone has one. So I’m sharing two ways you can achieve this look 1) with a Cricut (or any vinyl cutter or, if you really want, you could hand-cut with an Exacto blade?) or 2) hand painting. There are pros and cons to each, but I always want to make sure the DIYs here are approachable before sharing. That being said, let’s get into it!

You’ll Need
blank planter
permanent vinyl
transfer tape
Cricut Joy
cut file

– OR –

chalk
paint
paintbrush

If You Have a Cricut Joy

1. Upload the cut file to the Cricut design space. If you are making this for the linked planter, make sure the width of the file is set to 14.5″. If you are making this for a different planter, you can adjust the cut file in a vector program.
2. Load the permanent vinyl and follow on-screen instructions to cut. Unload.
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3. Remove the background vinyl (the parts you don’t want on the planter). Apply the transfer tape carefully to avoid bubbles.
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4.  The gridlines on the transfer tape are incredibly helpful for this part! Starting with one end of the design, line up the bottom just slightly below the edge of the planter and press in place. I found this gave me more wiggle room when applying the rest of the design on the curved surface and it’s easy enough to trim this excess off once the whole design is on.
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5. Here’s where it gets a little bit different from other vinyl projects. Instead of getting the whole piece on then removing the transfer tape, once you get the first 2″ or so on, peel off the transfer tape from that portion and cut the transfer tape away. Applying vinyl to a curved surface can be tricky, so you’ll want to pull the vinyl down towards the bottom of the planters as you work your way around to make sure all the edges touch where they need to go. If the vinyl is left on the transfer tape, you can’t pull the vinyl. It sounds a little confusing, but you’re essentially working the opposite of what you’d normally do. Work in sections and once the edge of the design lines up with the bottom of the planter, firmly press down with your fingers until you reach the end.

Note: Vinyl bubbles when moisture gets trapped underneath. Because this is a planter design, I’d recommend either only using this method for drought tolerant plants (like cacti or faux) or glazed planters that keep water sealed inside. 

If You Want to Paint Your Design 

1. Draw your design on the planter in chalk. (You can download the printable template for this design here). 
2. Work from outside, in to fill with paint.
3. Let dry completely.
4. Optional: Use a spray acrylic sealer to finish. This will help protect the paint from dirt and scratches.