My DIY Recycled Flower Pot Ideas

Updated: Aug 12, 2023 by Kathy Owen
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These recycled flower pot ideas will have you searching your cabinets for old items to recycle into flower pots. I’m not tea-sing when I say my DIY tea kettle flower pots are the hit of the neighborhood. I didn’t use just any old tea kettles. The ones I found in my thrift store stash are unique, and one of them got a little makeover.

Thrift store pots and tea kettles make unique flower pots

DIY Recycled Flower Pot Ideas

Our front porch is covered with kitchenware. It’s a sight. Not sure if the neighbors are jealous or embarrassed by my porch display. The Thrift Store Decor Team organized a special tour today featuring thrift store finds made into flower pots. Let’s get started… Always remember when reading through my DIY'S you can customize most of the projects in your style!

Find The Perfect Recycled Item For A Flower Pot

This is the $4 thrifty tea kettle that started it all. The black handle is what sold me. All the way through this project and up until I was writing the post, I was calling the kettle a teapot. Then out of the blue I realized I was probably using the wrong name. I asked the hubby and he said it was a tea kettle. And so it is.

Add Decorative Details To The Recycled Pot

The black and white polka dot belt is a thrift store purchase too. I usually shop at the thrift store on a discount day. I qualify for several discounts, so just about any day is good. I’m a senior citizen, military spouse (retired), and a student (kind of).

Customize The Flower Pot In Various Ways

I cut the belt to fit around the tea kettle and got out the hot glue gun. Glue gun projects are so easy. If you look at the original photo of the tea kettle, you notice there is a rim about an inch from the bottom. I used that rim as the guide for the belt. Well, the project took all of two minutes.

Cute little pot. Now, all it needs is flowers.

Potting The Flowers

I placed a pot of my favorite flowers, Lantana, in the tea kettle. I love the multi-color jewel-tone Lantana.

Restyle The Pot If Necessary

I looked and looked at the pot and decided the small belt didn’t add enough drama. That’s okay because I had a second black and white belt with a wild print. I purchased the two belts on the same shopping trip, thinking about a different project at the time.

Another round of hot glue, another 2 minutes, and done.

That looks much better. Keep in mind that I can always remove the belts and do something else with the tea kettle. The hot glue should peel off with just a bit of effort. Once I finished decorating the kettle for the second time I went to my stash of junk treasures and found some other things to use as flower pots. The porch needed a bit more color. Might as well pull out all the stops.

Make A Flower Run

More flower pots called for a flower run to the local home improvement store. It took me a while to pick out the flowers. I go for cheap and no one was having a sale. I finally found some in my price range, style, and colors. You guys know I like bold colors….in everything.

Pot The Flowers

I potted and watered the flowers in the workshop. Carrying all of them to the front porch of the house is a chore so I loaded them on the little utility wagon for the ride. It is so darn hot here I have to work smarter, not harder.

This time I put white flowers in the black and white belted tea kettle. Makes it look chic and stylish.

Decorate Porch Or Deck DIY Recycled Flower Pots

It definitely stands out from the other tea kettles and rusty junk pots on the porch.

Now take a look at the rest of the porch flower pots. The kettle in the chippy yellow kids' chair is a really heavy one. The metal handle is broken in two right at the top but that’s no problem for a flower pot.

And I know you spied the little vignette on the bench to the left of the yellow chair. The tiny teapot/kettle is so stinkin’ cute. That’s the lid on the bench. It’s cute too. Now most of you know I’ve been dealing with faux succulents in my projects and the ones in the teapot are faux. The red topped cactus in the black and white pot……formerly an espresso maker, is real.

More DIY Recycled Flower Pot Ideas

I got the espresso maker in a box lot of auction stuff. When I removed the top I realized the bottom would make a great flower pot. Don't worry, I saved the top of the espresso pot.

At the bottom left of the photo is a rusty junky flour sifter turned plant container. I thought this idea was genius. Patting myself on the back. The flour sifter still has the red handle knob. Notice I also displayed the pot lid to one of my recycled plant containers.

On the opposite side of the porch is a rusty metal star chair doing duty as a plant stand. I decorated the thrift store silver pot on the left with an old brown leather belt. Just used hot glue on it too. Belts are one of my favorite recycle/upcycle items. They make great handles on crates, wood boxes, etc.

My favorite “flower pot” is the vintage turquoise and white swirl graniteware water dipper. It was love at first sight. Now I’m on the hunt for vintage graniteware in this pattern and color. The dipper is holding faux succulents too.

unique succulent planter idea

Faux succulents are the cutest and I have the made the most surprising faux succulent display using vintage items. Watch the video tutorial below...

Succulent Reel Display

Next up is just a regular old flower urn. It might be regular but it’s pretty. The purple flowers really pop against the white of the urn. I don’t want to embarrass myself by calling the names of most of the flowers because I don’t know what they are. I just say the purple flowers or the red flowers, etc.

Make a trip to the thrift store, flea market, junk shop, wherever, and look around a bit. Think outside the box and see what you come up with for DIY recycled flower pot ideas.

What did you think of the kitchenware/tea kettle flower pots? No cookie cutter flower pots around here. Do you have any ideas for me? I’m always open to new ideas and read your comments. For more container ideas, check out my post here....15 Outdoor Plant Container Ideas

Thrift Store Flower Pot Tour

Time to see the thrifty finds and makeovers from my friends. Just click the text links below the “before makeovers” photo collage…

Petticoat Junktion's DIY Tea Kettle Flower Pots (you are here)

Refresh Restyle's Brass Plant Holder Idea

Domestically Speaking's Succulent Bird Bath

House Of Hawthornes' Colorful Bushel Basket Planter

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia's Succulent Bird Bath Planter

Our Southern Home's Decorative Potted Plant Finish

My Repurposed Life's Vintage Toolbox Planter

Tomorrow is Furniture Fixer Upper day and the lineup is a doozy. As always thanks for being here, Kathy

Kathy Owen

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Author: Kathy Owen
Kathy Owen is the founder of the home decor blog Petticoat Junktion where she shares tutorials on painting furniture and upcycling thrifty finds into unique home décor. Her DIY projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines. Kathy’s newest website is HappyHomeDIY.com