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A black bench with tan pillows, one featuring a painted pumpkin. Two small gourds sit beside the pillows, and a basket with orange berries is nearby. The setting appears to be a porch decorated for autumn.
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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
Total Time9 hours 5 minutes

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

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.