Pottery Barn Pumpkin Pillow Dupe: How to Paint Your Own for Fall

This painted pumpkin pillow is my DIY version of the Pottery Barn pumpkin pillow. You need a plain pillow cover, six colors of acrylic paint, and about an hour. Here are the exact paint colors I used and every step, start to finish.

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I adore this time of year and the colorful way you can decorate your house for the fall season. 

Fall pumpkin pillows are one of the most budget-friendly ways to add a seasonal touch to your home. Whether you add a pumpkin throw pillows to a bench on your fall porch or the sofa in your living room, they instantly add a pop of fall color.

While I love Pottery Barn’s beautiful fall pillows, their prices do not always fit my budget for a seasonal item. So I took matters into my own hands and painted my own version.

Why Make a Pottery Barn Pumpkin Pillow Dupe?

• It is budget friendly. You can create the look of a Pottery Barn pumpkin pillow using a simple pillow cover and basic craft supplies.
• You pick the colors. I made my pumpkin softer and lighter than the original.
• No sewing. You paint on a store bought pillow cover.
• It is a quick project. Once you have your supplies together, the painting process is simple, with drying time between layers.

Materials to Make a Painted Pumpkin Pillow

I love projects that need only a handful of materials. You probably have most of these in your craft room. If not, Hobby Lobby or any craft store carries them. I also linked the essentials in my Amazon shop.

• Pillow Covers in a light color. Cotton or linen works best.
• Pillow Inserts
• Assorted basic acrylic paint in six colors. Deco Art Dark Chocolate, Burlap, Spiced Pumpkin, Honey Brown, and Deep Ochre. The green paint is Folk Art, Forest Moss. (You can also use acrylic fabric paint or a textile medium.) 
• Assortment of paint brushes
• Paint tray or palette
• Water and paper towels 
• Pencil to draw or trace your pumpkin 
• Plastic shopping bag and a paper bag to slip inside the cover

Tips for Painting on Fabric with Acrylic Paint

Have you ever painted on fabric with acrylic paint? It is a lot like painting on canvas. Here are a few tips before you begin.

• Wash and dry the pillow cover first. This removes sizing that can keep paint from sticking. Iron it flat.
• Acrylic paint works best on natural fibers like cotton and linen. It does not bond as well to synthetic fabric.
• Thin the paint with water for a soft, watercolor look. That is what I did for this pillow.
• Textile medium is optional. It keeps the paint flexible and soft. I skipped it because I wanted a watercolor effect.
• Test every color on a scrap of fabric or a paper towel first.
• Let each layer dry before you add the next one. Air dry or use a hair dryer.
• Heat set the finished design. Lay a thin cloth over the paint and press with an iron.

How to Paint a Pumpkin on a Pillow

Step One: Prep the Pillow Cover

Before you start painting your pillow, make sure the cover is clean and wrinkle-free. Then slip a plastic shopping bag wrapped in a paper bag inside the cover. This keeps paint from bleeding through to the back. Work in a well-lit room.

Step Two: Draw the Pumpkin

Next, lightly sketch the pumpkin and stem with pencil. Add curved lines for the sections. Keep the lines light so the paint covers them.

Step Three: Start with the Lightest Color

Mix a small amount of Deep Ochre with a little water. Always test your paint color on a scrap piece of fabric first. Then when you are ready, fill in the pumpkin.

Since I wanted my pumpkin lighter than the Pottery Barn pillow, I added more water to soften the color.

I didn’t want my pumpkin to have the same level of darkness as the Pottery Barn pillow, so I adjusted my colors by adding more water.

Step Four: Build the Sections and Shadows

Creating shadows with acrylic paint involves using various shades of the same color to give the illusion of depth and dimension in your artwork. The beauty of acrylic paint is that it lets you layer and blend colors on fabric. Once the previous layer is dry, you can create gradients, shadows, and intricate designs by layering paint.

Start by gradually painting strokes along your pencil lines to define each section. Repeat with Spiced Pumpkin, then Honey Brown. Darker shades along the section lines create depth. More water makes a lighter shade. Less water makes a darker one.

If you make a mistake, you can often correct it by letting it dry and then painting over it with the background color.

Repeat this process as needed.

Step Five: Add Highlights

Mix Burlap with a little water, then brush it over a few of the darker areas to lift them up.

Step Six: Add the Accent Lines

Switch to the fine brush. Use Dark Chocolate to paint thin lines along a few of the sections. Do not outline the whole pumpkin. A few lines look more natural.

Step Eight: Dry and Heat Set

Let the fabric air-dry, or use a hair dryer after painting. When your project is done, you can heat set it with an iron by simply placing a thin cloth over your painted fabric area and ironing. 

When your pumpkin pillow cover is completely dry, add your pillow insert and style your beautiful new fall pumpkin pillow. I love mixing handmade pumpkin cushions like this one with solid pillows and other fall patterns.

How to Wash a Painted Pillow Cover

Hand-painted pumpkin pillow covers can be washed once the paint has completely cured. Turn the cover inside out. Use a gentle cycle and a mild detergent. Skip the bleach. Air dry it flat. Spot cleaning is the gentlest option for a decorative pillow.

More DIY Pottery Barn Dupes You’ll Love

If you love these ideas, you might also enjoy some of my other favorites

Painted Pumpkin Pillow FAQ

You can, but the look changes. Burlap has a loose weave, so thinned paint sinks in and looks blotchy. Use thicker paint and expect a rustic, less detailed pumpkin. A tight weave like cotton or linen gives you the smooth, shaded look in this tutorial.

I hope this inspires you to paint your own pumpkin pillow. It is one of my favorite fall projects. If you make one, I would love to see it.

Print SaveSaved!

Yield: 1 pillow

Pottery Barn Pumpkin Pillow Dupe

This painted pumpkin pillow is my DIY version of the Pottery Barn pumpkin pillow. You need a plain pillow cover, six colors of acrylic paint, and about an hour. Here are the exact paint colors I used and every step, from start to finish.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time9 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Materials

• Light colored cotton or linen pillow cover
• Pillow insert
• DecoArt Americana Dark Chocolate acrylic paint
• DecoArt Americana Burlap acrylic paint
• DecoArt Americana Spiced Pumpkin acrylic paint
• DecoArt Americana Honey Brown acrylic paint
• DecoArt Americana Deep Ochre acrylic paint
• FolkArt Forest Moss acrylic paint
• Assorted paint brushes including a fine detail brush
• Paint tray or palette
• Pencil
• Water
• Paper towels
• Plastic shopping bag
• Paper bag
• Thin cloth
• Iron
• Hair dryer optional
• Textile medium optional

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Wash, dry, and iron the pillow cover. Place a plastic shopping bag wrapped in a paper bag inside the cover to prevent the paint from bleeding through.
• Lightly sketch the pumpkin and stem with a pencil. Add curved lines to create the pumpkin sections.
• Mix Deep Ochre with a little water and test the color before painting. Fill in the pumpkin, adding more water for a softer color.
• Add Spiced Pumpkin and Honey Brown along the section lines to create shadows and dimension. Let each layer dry before adding more color.
• Mix Burlap with a little water and brush it over a few of the darker areas to add highlights.
• Using a fine brush and Dark Chocolate, add thin accent lines along a few of the pumpkin sections. Do not outline the entire pumpkin.
• Paint the stem with Dark Chocolate. Mix Forest Moss with a little water and add a touch of green where the stem meets the pumpkin.
• Allow the pillow cover to dry completely. Place a thin cloth over the painted area and heat set the design with an iron.
• Add your pillow insert and enjoy your new pumpkin pillow.

Notes

Use a cotton or linen pillow cover for the best results with acrylic paint.

Test your paint colors before applying them to the pillow. Add more water for a softer, watercolor look.

Allow each layer of paint to dry before adding the next.

A hair dryer can speed up the drying process between layers.

Heat set the finished design with an iron before using or washing the pillow cover.

Spot cleaning is recommended, but the cover can also be washed inside out on a gentle cycle and air dried flat.

Make Your Own Pottery Barn Pumpkin Pillow

This Pottery Barn pumpkin pillow is such a fun way to add a handmade touch to your fall decor without the designer price tag. With a plain pillow cover, a few paint colors, and a little time, you can create your own version and choose colors that work beautifully with your home.

I hope you’ll give this fall pumpkin pillow a try. It’s an easy project to bring out year after year, whether you use it on your sofa, a favorite chair, or your fall porch.

Happy crafting!

More Pumpkin Projects from the Hand Crafted Society

This pillow was my project for the October Hand Crafted Society blog hop. Jennifer at Cottage on Bunker Hill made gorgeous pumpkins with dried flowers. Amy at Amy Sadler Designs made beautiful wooden pumpkins. Carol at Blue Sky at Home and Crystal at Sweet Valley Acres joined us as guests. See all of their pumpkin projects below.

More about me!

Hello, I’m Wendy – a dedicated homemaker with a deep passion for decorating, gardening, cooking, and crafting. I find joy in harmonizing beautiful elements to fashion a space that is both comfortable and inspiring. I will help you create a beautiful home, one project at a time.

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