Do you have old, tacky baskets lying around? Make them beautiful again with this tutorial by Rachel from Maison de Pax! All of the products used in this tutorial can be found on our website at www.countrychicpaint.com.

Hi Country Chic Paint fans! It’s Rachel again from Maison de Pax, and I am so happy to be here! Today’s project is SO simple, but it provides endless possibilities. Almost everyone has an old basket lying around…and if you don’t, you can find plenty at thrift stores for a steal. This little tutorial on how to paint a basket will help you make any basket perfect for your space.

I started with this fabulous basket that held my fabric scraps… but it always hid in the closet because orange is not a color I typically use in my home.

All it needed was a coat of Country Chic Paint… And here are my tips/tricks to painting a basket...

Step 1: Use a Rough, Natural Bristle Brush

To get into the crevices around the woven basket, a natural bristle brush that you can jab, stab, squish, a smoosh (yes, a technical term) will provide the best coverage.

Step 2: Dampen Your Brush SLIGHTLY

You don’t want to water down your paint, per se, but you also don’t want the paint to glob onto the basket. Let the woven material provide the texture, not globs of paint; dampening your brush will allow the paint to soak into the basket better.

Step 3: Paint to Your Desired Coverage

I purposefully left some of the brown showing through; I liked the slightly weathered look it provided. But you could certainly cover more completely if you wanted.

Step 4: Be Sure to Turn the Basket a Million Ways to Make Sure You Get Every Angle

Obviously handles are an area that are easy to miss a spot, but with a basket you technically have that potential across the surface, as well. Make sure you look from above, below, sideways, and diagonal to assure you haven’t missed a section.

Step 5: Add Your Own Taste!

I used a strip of painter’s tape (be sure to press it down firmly at the edge where you intend to paint… it’s easy for paint to seep under the tape because of the texture of the basket). By painting Rocky Mountain below the line, I created a simple dipped look, which I love! Also, note that I used another natural bristle brush, but this one was flatter to allow a little more control over my paint.

Step 6: Consider Your Basket’s Material and Use to Determine Your Top Coat

If your basket is of natural material (rather than a faux plastic or something), then you probably don’t need a top coat. Yay! The paint absorbs slightly into the natural materials, so unless you’re trying to achieve a solid color and intend to abuse the basket on a regular basis (like using it for your kids to store their toys), then you should be fine without any sealer. That’s always reason to celebrate in my book.

What do you think of the finished look? Do you have baskets ready for a makeover?