Looking to add more raised beds to a small space? Creating a wine box planter that can fit snugly into a tight corner or nailed to the inside wall of a balcony is a great solution. And, the best part is that you can often get free wooden wine boxes from local wine shops.
Wooden wine boxes are sturdy and have a good amount of depth for roots. Also, they are made of natural material (aka not plastic), which is better for growing food. If you are going for a rustic, natural look, the wine boxes are ready to go, but if you are looking to add a pop of #SpeakeasyStyle, here is how to create an eye-catching modern design using tape + paint.
Wine Box Planter DIY Steps:
- Prime the wine boxes using as-close-to zero VOC exterior primer. Don’t forget to do the top of the inside lip which will sit above the dirt level and should match the rest of your design.
- Pick your paint colors using a mix of darker and lighter colors. I decided to use two accent colors for the stripes: Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace and Desert Green. Then, I used Vivid Beauty and Atmospheric as the main colors. I decided to go with four colors to really pop against the (recently painted) very white balcony walls. It is much easier to use one accent color instead of two, but hey, I felt like being ambitious!
- Paint the bottoms of the boxes. I mixed and matched with the orange and blue so when they are hung up, the bottoms are alternating colors.
- Use three widths of tape to create a variety of stripes. It is best to use Frog Tape to not pull off the layers of paint.
- Lay out the white stripes. This is the most time-consuming part! I laid out a unique but complimentary design on each box, making the slanted lines symmetrical to how they will be hung up on the balcony. First, I laid out where the white stripes would go, then I framed that piece of tape with two other pieces of tape and removed the main piece. Then, I painted that area in two coats of white paint and then removed the tape, revealing the design. After that dried, then I laid the tape back over the white stripes, hiding them from the other layers of paint. For this layer, I used two types of tape with thicker widths.
- Paint the remaining area in two coats green paint. By painting the white lines first and covering them in tape, we will be able to have crisp intersections of white and green lines. This will create a sharp modern design.
- Lay out the green lines with the thinnest width tape. Create an accent design that connects to the white lines using the thinner tape.
- Paint over all tape and box areas in the orange and blue paint, creating a vivid mix of colors and angles. Don’t forget to paint the top border and the inside of the box the same color for consistency.
- Remove all tape to reveal the final modern design! Then use a tiny painter’s brush to touch up any paint bleeds or other errors.
- Drill drainage holes in the bottom of the boxes and cover them on the inside with mesh to keep the dirt from falling out.
- Attach the wine planter boxes to the inside of the balcony to create a floating raised bed, using L-brackets screwed to the inside of the box to hide the engineering.
- Fill the wine planter box with dirt and your choice of flowers, vegetables, or herbs. Enjoy your floating raised beds that are bursting with style!
This was such a fun project to do while watching trash TV. It’s easy and quite relaxing! You just need layers of paint and time for each coat to dry. I also love that it upcycles wooden wine boxes, which could’ve ended up in the landfill, but instead decorate my balcony.
Now I have the perfect morning coffee spot in my stylish floating garden bursting with color and texture. And, it’s great that our outside spaces are just as stylish as our inside spaces!
English