There are so many things you can do to upcycle a wine bottle, and one of my favorite ways to do this is to make a table centerpiece.
I made this one for a simple dinner party I’ve got coming up, and I know I’ll be able to pull it out for years to add an instant WOW factor to any table.
This is a great and simple way to add a bit of greenery to your table, and let’s face it, greenery goes with pretty much any decor or dining table.
If you have a few empty wine bottles lying around just waiting for a new lease of life, hopefully, this DIY project inspires you to do something with them!
Table of Contents
Supply List for Your Wine Bottle Centerpieces
- Wine Bottle
- White Paint
- Artificial Foliage
- Hot Glue Gun
- Glue Stick
- Paintbrush
- Twine
- Scissors
How to Make a Wine Bottle Centerpiece
Here, you can follow my easy three-step process to create this simple yet elegant centerpiece for your table.
I’ve included plenty of photos for those of you who prefer following along visually, and also some tips that I learned while I was making this craft.
Step One: Prepare the Bottle
First up, I knew I wanted to paint my bottle white, but I didn’t want it to chip and peel straight away, so I decided to do a bit of research first.
The advice that I found seems to have worked, and it doesn’t have any chips or flaking paint so far, so fingers crossed it works for you too!
First, you’ll need to prime your bottle and remove any dirt and grease. I did this using warm, soapy water.
I let the bottle soak for an hour or so, and the label came off super easily.
Then, I used rubbing alcohol to wipe the bottle down and remove any last bits of grease. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you could always use white spirit or white vinegar.
If you want to skip the prep and paint part, you could choose a nicely colored plastic bottle instead to use as a vase.
Step Two: Paint the Bottle
Next up, I painted the bottle using white acrylic paint. I wasn’t expecting this to make such a big difference, but it really did!
It makes the bottle look sleek and modern, and at this point, I was tempted to add patterns to the bottle but decided to stick to my original plan.
If you do decide to add patterns, you could use a Cricut to cut out various shapes or words and decorate the bottle with those. I can imagine this making a really sweet idea for wedding wine bottle centerpieces, you could even slightly customize each one.
Back to painting – make sure you use acrylic paint so it sticks to the glass. Poster paints won’t cover the glass properly.
I only added one layer of white paint to my bottle, but if I were to do it again, I think I’d add a second layer to give it more of a solid color.
If you don’t have paint, you could always use white spray paint too, like I did on my chair project! This might give a neater finish.
Step Three: Twine Time!
I left the paint to dry for a couple of hours and then decided to wrap some twine around the bottle in different places.
I wrapped it around the neck of the bottle, the middle, and the base, but I think it looked great with just the base of the bottle wrapped. Have a play around at this point to see what you think looks best.
To attach the twine, I added a spot of glue and attached the end of the twine to the bottle. It dried within a minute, and then I wrapped the twine around, adding a small amount of glue every few turns.
To fasten the twine in place, I added one last small dot of glue and pressed the twine down.
This is how the bottle looked at this stage.
I love using twine and macrame in projects, you can check out loads of upcycled macrame projects here.
Step Four: Add the Foliage
The last step was to add the foliage to the bottle.
I chose a couple of different shades of green to make it look more realistic, and I love how the greenery flows down the side of the bottle.
Adding flowers to your wine bottle centerpiece is a great way to tie the decoration into a specific color scheme in your wedding decor or event.
If you want to use bigger floral arrangements, you can always cut the neck of the bottle off to give you a wider vase shape.
If you’re using these as centerpieces for a big event, such as a rustic wedding or corporate event, you could add table numbers to them using chalkboard paint.
Check out my easy DIY paint can planter tutorial if you want to make more of a planter than a vase.
Finished Wine Bottle Centerpiece
I really enjoyed making this centerpiece; it only took an hour or so (plus drying time), and you can make it while enjoying a glass of wine and watching your favorite movie.
I love crafts like this that don’t need loads of planning and thought going into them.
I’m tempted to make a few more as gifts for friends and family for Christmas (I guess I’ll just have to buy a few more bottles of wine!) I’m thinking of giving them each a personal touch to give them all different looks.
I think clear wine bottles with gold paint, white lace and cream flowers would look quite elegant too!
Top Tips For Your Centerpiece
- Add battery-operated lights inside the wine bottle, and it’ll give a beautiful soft glow. Imagine these sat on a Christmas table?!
- Make sure you don’t skip the prep step. If you want your wine bottle centerpieces to last, preparation is essential so your paint doesn’t peel off after the first use.
- Add a second layer of paint to your bottle, or use spray paint to give it a more finished look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you use a wine bottle as a centerpiece, make sure you remove the label using hot, soapy water and wipe the bottle down with rubbing alcohol to make sure anything you attach to the bottle sticks.
Then, it’s time to let your imagination get creative; you can print labels to add to the bottles, paint them, wrap them in fabric or twine, and add white candles or flowers to them.
Keep your empty glass bottles and use them to make:
– Bird feeders
– Vases
– Candle holder
– Twinkle lights bottle
– Message in a bottle (keepsake for special occasions)
– Light Pendant
– Planter
– Frosted wine bottle centerpiece
You could put a mixture of real or artificial flowers in your wine bottle vases. The size of the openings in wine bottles makes them perfect for a small floral arrangement.
If you cut off the tops of the bottles (there are plenty of tutorials available on this, and it’s simpler than it sounds!), you’ll have plenty of space for larger displays of flowers.
Depending on the space you want to decorate, you could choose neutral, muted colors or opt for something bright to give a pop of color!
Printable Project Instructions
You can get creative with this project and put your own special touch on it, but if you prefer to follow along step-by-step, use these simple printable instructions.
Make a DIY Wine Bottle Centerpiece for your Special Occassion
A simple and easy-to-make table decoration using an empty wine bottle, paint, and twine.
Materials
- Wine Bottle
- White Paint
- Artificial Foliage
- Glue Stick
- Twine
Tools
- Hot Glue Gun
- Scissors
- Paintbrush
Instructions
Step One: Prepare the bottle by soaking it in warm soapy water. Then remove the label, and wipe it down with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar.
Step Two: Paint the bottle using white paint. Allow a couple of hours to dry.
Step Three: Wrap the twine around the bottom of the bottle, the middle section, and the top.
Step Four: Add the artificial leaves to the bottle.
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