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Home Decor

Four beautiful pumpkin decorating ideas

Put down the knife – painted pumpkins look twice as nice with half the work. You'll never cover again!
By Photography by Roberto Caruso
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Painted pumpkins in pink and white, white pedestals

Perfect posy

Make a cute vase by placing a drinking glass inside a hollowed-out pumpkin.

Painted white pumpkin filled with flowers

Precious metal

Easy how-to: Use a tall candlestick as a pedestal and give your pumpkin the royal treatment with gold leaf and spray adhesive.



You will need: One pumpkin, spray adhesive, gold leaf, a clean paintbrush.


1. Wash and dry pumpkin and spray with adhesive.


2. Lay foil overtop, one piece at a time, smoothing down into creases with paintbrush as you go.


3. Work your way around pumpkin and don't worry about crinkles; they add to the effect.



Get this look: Gold leaf, spray adhesive, Michaels. Background paint, Normandy, Benjamin Moore.

Gold foil pumpkin

Colour blocking

Easy how-to: Use a hardware-store paint chip as your palette, and for contrast pick colours a few shades apart. Experiment with texture, too: A matte finish has a contemporary feel, while glossy is more showy.



Tip: Make it for less with tester-size paints.



Get this look: Paints, Cloud White, Blushing Bride, Rosy Blush, Benjamin Moore. Candlesticks, Ikea. Cake plate, Cynthia Findlay.

Painted pumpkins in pink and white, white pedestals

Preppy plaid

Easy how-to: Paint the pumpkin with the lightest colour first, then create your vertical stripes by following its natural indents. For your horizontal lines, slowly spin on a Lazy Susan.



Tip: Don't use masking tape as a guide; it will remove your base coat.



Get this look: Paint, Cloud White, Blushing Bride, Rosy Blush, Pine Cone Brown, Benjamin Moore.

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Pink painted pumpkins, plaid pumpkins

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