How To Transform Mason Jars Into A Stunning DIY Dining Table Centerpiece

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Adulthood is as much about having whatever you want for dinner as it is about building a collection of Mason jars without even trying. A lot of those Mason jars have practical applications in your pantry and elsewhere around the house, but you can also dress them up for purely aesthetic purposes. A few coats of spray paint can give those otherwise unused vessels a pretty, pearlescent finish worthy of a prized position on your dining table.

You can choose whatever colors and finishes you want to adorn your Mason jars, but a pearl lacquer is ideal for your dining area because it naturally references culinary elements, such as proper caviar spoons and the oyster shells from which many are made, and some of the poured fondant that might cover your fanciest petit fours. You can also achieve this look with plenty of drop cloths, ventilation, and patience. Even if you were seeking a different finish, spray paint is still your best bet because it eliminates the streaks you might otherwise get trying to paint a Mason jar with a brush. You still need to look out for drips, but these are easily avoided by working in thin layers, letting the paint dry, and repeating. You also need to layer a couple paint varieties to get close to a pearl sheen, but the time and effort are worth it.

Set up your work area away from fabrics and other materials that you don't want to permanently stain; outdoors is ideal. Spray paint is easy enough to handle once you get the hang of it, but you you don't want a light draft to fling a drop onto your beautiful hardwood floors. Invest in a few non-porous drop cloths if you work inside; cheap shower curtain liners, or old ones destined for the bin, are perfect for this task. You also, of course, need to source paint. A frosted glass spray paint, such as Krylon Glass Frosting Aerosol Spray Paint, is your somewhat opaque base, and an iridescent acrylic sealer follows. While either is a nice enough effect on its own, together they create the pearly finish you're after.

Start with a clean, totally dry Mason jar. Turn it upside-down on something like an empty wine bottle headed for the recycling; this prevents the opening from sticking to your drop cloth if you were to simply set it down flat. Then, hold the can several inches from the Mason jar and spray around the perimeter until it's coated, but not soaked. Let it dry, and coat again. Repeat with the iridescent sealer, and you have a lovely, pearly Mason jar to anchor your dining table.

As tempting as it is to keep coating, don't; you lose the Mason jar's finer details beneath the layers. You can also screw the jar's original band back on for more of a finished look; give it a few coats of metallic gold paint for extra pop. A flameless tea light inside, such as Minxin Battery Operated Tea Lights, creates a lovely glow and gives your Mason jars an extra-festive vibe at parties.