DIY Polka-Dot Painted Pillows


Ready for another simple and money saving installment of the Grandkid's Room Makeover I've been working on over at my parent's house?

You may remember awhile ago the painted curtains that I did in this room were inspired by an expensive fabric. Well, when it came time to find some large pillow covers on a VERY tight budget, I decided to whip out the paint again.

Painting my own pillows saved money, and allowed me to get the exact colors I wanted.

Ever ended up with the wrong paint color on your walls?

My free guide, How To Choose The Right Paint Color Every Time, will walk you through the simple steps (and tricks) to choosing the right paint color so you never end up with the wrong color again!

DIY Polka dot painted pillowsPin

Before Painting Your Pillow Covers

Purchase inexpensive white fabric. You'll want a fabric that's thick like canvas. It can be found in the section with the upholstery and linings.

I made three easy envelope pillow covers with the fabric and then was ready to paint.

Or you can find already made plain white pillow covers at most craft stores.

Supplies For Polka Dot Painted Pillow Covers

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  • Craft paint in your colors - My favorite brand is Martha Stewart, but any craft paint that lists fabric as a surface will work.
  • Pillow covers
  • Pouncers - Be sure the edge of the foam is square for best results.

How To Paint Polka Dots On Fabric

Step 1: prep your surface

Before you get started, put something like a paper bag inside each pillow cover to keep the paint from soaking through both layers.

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Step 2: Paint polka dots with pouncers

Starting with the largest size polka dot you want to use, dip the pouncer into paint and practice on a piece of paper. It's important that you get enough paint on the foam of your pouncer.

When you're ready, press the pouncer down onto your fabric, hold for a second, and give it a little wiggle to create clean edges of each circle.

Continue with each color and size.

I did large polka-dots in navy, medium ones in turquoise, and small ones in lime green.

Step 3: Touch up

After they dry, go back and do a little bit of touch up with a brush.

I found that as the paint dried there were little specs of white fabric that showed through, but they were easily touched up.

Step 4: Add your pillow insert

painted pillows kids decor

That's it! Super simple and high impact!

Other Things to Consider When Choosing Colors For Your Home

A lot of factors go into selecting colors for your home, and it goes way beyond paint color.

Things like your home color palette, existing colors in your home (that you may not be able to change), and the color of the natural light, or lack of natural light can change the way a color shows up in your home.

In my self-paced online color course, Color Made Clear, I walk you through all the steps to choosing and using color in your home to create a pulled together and cohesive look, even if you have things like cabinet color or floors you can't change.