Wood Antique Plant Stand Decorating Ideas

Strip and Stain

• If you would like a plant stand with a natural appearance, you can strip the plant stand of any paint and stain the piece to provide a layer of protection and highlight the natural appearance of the wood. Sand the plant stand with medium-grit sandpaper and a sanding block to remove the paint manually or apply a chemical paint stripper to chemically strip the paint. Once the paint has been removed, allow the wood to dry for 24 hours and apply the stain according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Paint

• If the antique plant stand looks rough all over, you can give the entire piece a new paint job. As with staining, begin by taking off any flaking paint. Then apply an appropriate primer for the type of paint that you want to use on the stand. If you plan to use the plant stand to display real plants, consider using waterproof paint, which will be more resilient against spills. You can also use spray paint to cover the plant stand, though the paint job generally won’t last as long.

Stencils

• Whether you keep the plant stand's original paint job or have to apply new paint to the stand, you can also add decorative touches through the use of stencils. Use any type of stencil that you like, such as appropriately themed flower stencils, and paint through the stencil to transfer the design to the stand. Stencils can be added to any area of the plant stand that has a surface large enough for the design to fit.

Covers

• If you would like to keep plants on the top of the plant stand, but store supplies or other items on the lower shelves, you can use a fabric covering to hide the entire contents from view. Depending upon how the antique plant stand is made, you may need to make slits in the top of the cover to allow any protrusions or decorative pieces to poke through the fabric.