Our Hopeful Home: Faux Ceramic Candle Holder Using Saltwash

Today I'm sharing how I turned a $5.00 wooden plant stand into a copycat $36.00 faux ceramic candle holder using Saltwash.

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I'm a huge fan of Antique Farmhouse's decor, and this next item is no exception. It really caught my eye.

There was just something about the simplicity of it all: a timeworn ceramic candle holder with plain hurricane glass and a simple pillar candle. But for $36.00 I had to pass.

Then I saw this plain wood plant stand with legs in Target's Bullseye Playground for $5.00, and my mind got to thinking.

Target Bullseye Playground $5.00 round wooden plant stand

While not ceramic, it still reminded me of that Antique Farmhouse ceramic candle holder I fell in love with.

And something told me that I could make this into the candle holder I originally wanted with a little bit of DIY magic.

First I removed the four "feet" from the bottom of it. And in order to make it look a bit more ceramic, I knew it had to be painted. I also wanted it to look vintage and time worn. So I decided to try a product called Saltwash.

Saltwash is a powder base coat paint additive that gives an authentic, layered and weather worn look to almost any surface including wood, metal, ceramic, glass, plastic, fiberboard, luan, cement and fabric with no prep work required.

Supplies For Saltwash Project

1. Saltwash

2. paint brushes

3. paint

4. mixing container

5. stirrer

How To Use Saltwash

Step One

After mixing your base coat paint with Saltwash*, apply mixture with a paintbrush, using a glob-like technique, pulling up the peaks of your mixture.

Step Two

Once the Saltwash layer begins to dry, gently knock down the peaks with gentle paint brush strokes.

Step Three

After the Saltwash layer is completely dry, apply a top coat of paint in a different color (without Saltwash in it.).

Step Four

Once the top coat is completely dry, sand the surface down to reveal the Saltwashed layer in spots, giving the piece that timeworn look.

*If you go to their website you can find instructions on appropriate paint-to-Saltwash ratios. (The formula is basically 1 part paint to 3/4 part Saltwash.) The main tip is that you keep mixing the Saltwash into the paint until the mixture reaches that thick "icing-like" consistency.

You can save any leftover Saltwash mixture for up to 2 weeks (I am so going to use it for another project).

rustic brown painted Saltwash wooden candle holder

I wanted a white base with a distressed element to it so I used a mixture of dark brown and white acrylic paint for the base. I then added the Saltwash powder to the paint mixture to create the Saltwash coat. Then I painted over the brown with a top coat of Dixie Belle paint in Fluff, as seen below.

I never did end up sanding the piece because I thought it looked fabulous just the way it was!

distressed white and brown Saltwash wooden candle holder

Just look at that faux concrete and patina! I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

glass cloche LED candle holder lambs ear garland

And while I did like the hurricane glass aspect of it, I also love my glass cloches, and I had one that fit inside the plant holder perfectly. Since the candles I was using were LED as opposed to candles with a real flame, I was able to use the cloche to cover them without any problem.

And honestly, since this is wood (despite looking ceramic now!), I would never use real candles in it. That would be incredibly dangerous!

3 LED candles in DIY Saltwash candle holder

I can't even tell you how much I enjoy the warm glow of the candles underneath the cloche at night. I know I'll be enjoying this faux ceramic candle holder for many years to come.

Well, that's it for today, friends!

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my

Faux Ceramic Candle Holder

Using Saltwash

and that I've inspired you in some way.

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