In this post: This Pottery Barn Inspired Numbers Canvas is a simple and inexpensive DIY project. It’s made with several small canvases and plain old craft paint!
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Anyone interested in a really inexpensive project that can have a big impact in your space?
What about a Pottery Barn-inspired project?
But for super cheap (like Dollar-store cheap) and SO easy (like ANYONE could do it)?
Who doesn’t love Pottery Barn? Their catalog is filled with inspiring images of perfectly put together rooms and gorgeous spaces. But what’s a girl to do when a piece you love is no longer sold?
Why DIY it, of course!
This Pottery Barn art used to be sold for about $75 or so.
But I had a funny feeling that I could recreate it for much less! I also wanted anyone to be able to do it – no silhouette for cutting out numbers and no need to purchase a huge canvas. Really easy steps but with huge impact!
Pottery Barn Inspired Numbers Canvas
Supplies
- 6 – 9”x12” canvases from the dollar store (could use more canvases or larger canvases if you want a bigger finished piece)
- Paint – I used DecoArt Americana paints in Snow (Titanium) White, Buttermilk, Burnt Sienna, Lamp (Ebony) Black **I have noticed in Canada we can even get DecoArt paints at Dollarama!
- Brushes – Large and quite small
- Sanding Block
- Behr Glazing Medium or another glazing medium
- Paper printouts of numbers in various fonts and sizes
- Staple Gun & Staples (optional)
Instructions
1. Paint the surface of the canvases black with a large brush. Let dry.
2. Cut out numbers. Arrange them on canvases – with some sideways and some off the edges. Trace with pencil.
3. Put some buttermilk paint in a plastic cup. Add a couple of drops of white. Mix it up. With the small brush paint inside the pencilled numbers. Try to be tidy, but don’t stress about being perfect. Let dry.
4. Using the sanding block, lightly sand the surface of each canvas. If you happened to get outside the pencil lines while painting the numbers, now is the time to sand it away!
5. Pour some glaze into another plastic cup. Add a few drops of burnt sienna paint and stir. Brush entire surface with glazing medium. Let dry. (Don’t panic, it may look a little blue when wet. It doesn’t dry this way.)
6. Using a staple gun, staple the canvases together on the back side. Use as many staples as necessary to create a sturdy piece. (Optional. You could just hang each canvas individually.)
Guess what? You’re done!
Hang ‘em up – Either individually or as one large stapled-together piece.
The cost of this DIY décor project for me was only $12. I already had the staple gun and staples, the brushes, paint and glaze. All I had to buy were the canvases. Even if you had nothing on hand, this project would only cost about $30. NOT BAD for a custom piece of art! And definitely much cheaper than the original (no longer available) Pottery Barn piece!
I bet you could do this in the span of a kid’s nap time! What do you think?
I love this project! Thanks again for inspiring me! This was one of the first projects I tackled and just love it! I have posted a link to your site on my tutorial.
http://threechicksoneegg.blogspot.ca/2012/05/numbered-canvas.html
Great idea, however there is no way I could paint the numbers. Laughing.
There’s a pencil outline to follow – all you need to do is paint inside the lines!
Wow! Yours looks way better than Pottery Barn! Thank you for the idea!
Thank you Lori! Have fun with it!
I love this it’s very cool. Looks a lot like old fashioned type press. Definitely going to give it a go!
Do you guys think this would work with a green ocean colour as based? But what about the typographic element?
Thanks!
I am not able to find the Behr Glazing Medium. Any other product recommendations? All my store had was a faux glazing. I have everything else I need. Thanks.
The faux glaze is the one you need!
I like your version better than pottery barns! You could also paint the canvas in the color of the numbers then use some double sided tape to set the numbers down, spray paint black over the canvas then remove the numbers – for a lazier version đŸ˜‰
That’s a great idea too!
What dollar store sells the canvases? would love to try this. thanks
Hi Karen! I’m not sure where you’re at, but I bought ours at Dollarama (Canada). đŸ™‚
That’s why I can’t find them here at the Dollar Tree in the U.S., maybe I can try online. thanks
Michaels has them too – if you have a good coupon they’d be cheap. Do you have JYSK? I saw some there a few weeks ago.
Oh wow, I am in love! Thank you for sharing this idea I am totally going to make this for my house. I am visiting from Monday Funday Link Party.
Carrie
Thank you for visiting!! So happy you came by!
So simple yet carries so much! Great idea! Thanks for sharing
http://www.ananasa.com/blog
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing
Looks great!Will most definitely try been looking for something to occupy my wall.Thanks for the tutorial.
You’re welcome! Enjoy!
Very neat why don’t you go to Milk & Tea and do a class on this.
http://milkandtea.co
LOVE this! Why didn’t I think of using canvas? Geez. lol
I have a huge blank canvas that I’ve been trying to decide what direction to take with….I think I might know now.
Lol. Well, I’m glad we could help! đŸ™‚