Paint Your Own Pottery

Went here with my girlfriend a week ago. Very pleasant experience. They even called me with a suggestion for my lettering before they finished my mug. I highly recommend this place.

We had a very pleasant experience at this location! They do require a reservation, which initially seems odd, except that it guarantees that the shop won’t be overcrowded… and that, to me, is a GREAT thing! The staff we came into contact with were very accommodating and because of that, we’re headed back soon!

I love Paint Your Own Pottery! I’ve been coming here for 10 years with my kids. We have a collection of cereal bowls the kids painted with the kids’ initials and year painted on the bottom… great way to create memories and have a useful everyday piece of pottery. There is new management and things operate more smoothly. I look forward to the new Saturday adult-​only (BYOB) painting class!

Sounds like the old management was horrible but the new owner is anything but! This place has a very wide variety of pottery to choose from. Our group also arrived soon before closing time but they waited until we were done – we never felt rushed. The staff was helpful and nice. They answered all our questions and didn’t seem to mind my kids incessant chatter lol.
The pottery was finished before the scheduled date and the owner was incredibly friendly and sweet to my kids when we came to pick up our pottery. Everything looks great and we’ll definitely be returning!

New Owner + New Management = Wonderful Time!
We watched this place go through some changes over the last several weeks and decided to give it a try again. We were not disappointed! The new owner could not be more gracious and her staff was really wonderful. Our little group enjoyed the event very much and our treasures came out PERFECT! We’ll be coming back soon!

Recently went here using a groupon and I’m sad that others didn’t have the same experience. The owner that greeted us did mention that they just changed ownership and were changing things around. This was the first time my friend and I had experienced painting pottery, all 3 girls working there were super helpful and cheerful. Offered donuts and coffee and had a great selection of paints. Very fun atmosphere. We ended up painting for 3 hours and never had a problem. Most people in the room were using the groupon offered which makes it super affordable. I wouldn’t have gone if I hadn’t of purchased it but I will definitely be going back when my mom comes to visit. Don’t let the negative reviews veer you away — they’ve really changed for the better from what I could tell!

Unfortunately I have to join the chorus and report a negative experience. The painting part was fine — we were greeted and helped by a very nice employee. Since we needed the craft by a specific date, we came in well in advance to make sure the store will have plenty of time to get it done. Two weeks later, the owner quickly glanced at my receipt with the pick up date and told me that «well, it’s not ready yet». No apologies, no expression of regret — just a statement. My child made the craft as a gift and was extremely upset for not being able to give it.

I was scheduled to pick up the pottery that we painted a week ago but to our surprise nobody notified us that its not going to be ready for another day. What a hassle to drive to downtown Fairfax! I’m really annoyed by them not giving a courtesy call that the pots are not ready yet. The invoice clearly says OCTOBER 20, 2013 not OCTOBER 21, 2013!!! In fact all the people that were there the time we did the painting was also there to pick up their pots and come to find out it’s not ready too. Cute little place but lacking on customer service rapport.

I took a girl I was house sitting for as a special girls day out treat. The owner was annoyed that we hadn’t made a reservation, but after a while let us sit at one of the many empty tables. We picked out our choices and paint and were given no instructions from anyone on what to do. I received a phone call over two weeks after leaving the store and went to pick up the pieces after school one day, they were closed when they were supposed to be open! It’s not convenient for me to get there so I just went back today and the cupcake that my little girl painted was not hers! They looked around the store and then said the owner would call me another day to talk to me. Upon my insistence they called her and she told me that this happens once in a blue moon and that I should «do her a favor» and decide to be refunded or come back and paint another one. Ha! As if I would go back. There was no apology, nothing! Then they had the nerve to blame it on me, saying that we didn’t put our initials on our pieces. We were never told to put our initials! The employee said they always tell their customers and that she had written my receipt so of course she told me to put my initials. So I asked her where the initials went if she had made me put them on my item, and she said I must have painted over them! I couldn’t believe it! They were so rude and unprofessional, I will never go there again.

My grandaughter and I walked in here this past Saturday afternoon to check it out. I went one time many years ago and had a wonderful experience. This time, not so much… AT ALL. The music was blasting, it was very crowded, and the owner seemed to be completely stressed out. The sign said they closed in an hour, and she said they closed in half an hour. Not the warmest greeting I’ve ever received… It was such a huge turn off we basically turned around and walked right back out again. When I was looking up this phone number online, another paint-​your-​own called The Clay Café in Chantilly popped up. We drove over and ohmahgoodness… we had an ENTIRELY different and FABULOUS experience. Getting ready to write a 5-​star review for them, so check it out!

When I walked in, no one offered to help or welcome me. The variety of the pottery is limited and the size is small compared to the one near my home. The owner was, like another reviewer stated, stressed out and unfriendly and didn’t offer any information on how the store worked.
The younger staff was nice and explained the pricing to me and was helpful when I asked her questions. But when she put me at a seat where I was sharing with others and I was just getting settled in my spot, the owner told me to switch to another table because it was empty, and I ended up sharing it with a couple anyway because they came later than me.
Whenever I asked for more paint the younger girl was generous but the owner looked at me as if I were begging for food. I had been waiting for three weeks for their call, so I called them today and I could recognize it was the owner’s voice who interrupted me when I was talking. She told me the number didn’t go through when she tried calling me more than a week ago, which tells me that they weren’t trying hard to reach me. I asked her to repeat the number she took down and it was wrong. Then she said she copied the number down wrong and didn’t apologize for it.
I am glad that others had better experiences but I would recommend going somewhere else if you’re a novice. If you know what you are doing as a painter and have been here before, then it should be no problem coming back. However, I was extremely disappointed in how everything operated so I find another location next time I pursue a project.

UPDATE and DOWNGRADE: see update in caps below…
I have been twice, the first time experience was better than the second:
First Visit: had a voucher from Certifikid to use. Called the morning I wanted to go to see if a reservation was needed, was told no. Headed over that afternoon w/​my daughter (toddler). The young girl working told me I needed a reservation, so I explained I had called to make one and was told I didn’t need one. She said «ok, I will make an exception but just this one time.». Um, ok, thanks? Ironically I was the ONLY person in the place, for my entire painting experience, so I’m not sure what the issue was? She did become much more helpful after that, gave me some pointers, etc. Got a call a week later that potter was ready, which turned out great.
Second Visit: called to make a reservation, spoke with the owner Suzanna, who was fairly pushy and not helpful, I was trying to ask her if I needed to count my 18-​month old in my reservation number, she just said «how many chairs?» and didn’t offer me an answer. When we arrived they didn’t have my reservation on file but did remember talking to me so took someone elses reserved table and gave it to me. Suzanna tried to get us set up, but was all over the place, talking to us one minute, someone else the next, walked away, came back, started over, etc. We finally just figured out what we needed on our own. No one gave us any pointers or instructions, so I showed the other folks with me what they needed to do. Luckily I had been there before. Suzanna came back and gave us another person’s leftover paint and I said they weren’t the colors I wanted. She asked what color did I need, I said gray, and she said she didn’t have gray and that I should use the black leftover paint. I went ahead to the counter to get the green I needed, and saw they did have gray. SO ANNOYING. I asked the other girl working to get my gray and she did. The one positive part was the younger woman who rang us up gave one person a discounted fee since she only painted one very small item. I thought that was nice.
Agree with other users, they are stingy with paint — I was painting two large items, they gave me four small circles of paint. I had to get refills at least 6 times, both visits. And each time had to wait for someone to appear from the back room to help. Hard to do while also watching my child. Took forever! The selection of pottery to paint is also small.
It’s been over two weeks and I still haven’t received a call that my second visit items are ready… I understand they take a little longer during holiday season so hopefully they are ready in time for Christmas.
UPDATE: I ended up calling to check on products and found out they didn’t have my phone number to call me when they were ready. Went in to pick up and the rude owner woman lectured me saying ‘you didn’t leave your number so we couldn’t call you’. I politely replied I wasn’t asked for my number… she just repeated «well we couldn’t call you since we didn’t have your number». Again I said no one asked for my number, which was met with silence. Not one hint of apology or acknowledgement of a lack of communication.
I have been to other pottery painting venues and Fairfax and had a much calmer, organized, and pleasant experience.

If you have kids under 8 don’t go here! The owner glared at the kids in our group anytime they spoke in more than a whisper. We had to practically beg to get more paint as well. I’ve never felt so unwelcomed somewhere. Then when I picked the items up, she complained about our group. Won’t be going back.

Paint Your Own Pottery. Store Name Says It Accurately! You’re Really On Your Own — No tips or pointers for novice painters.
I’m surprised to read that other reviewers had a drastically different experience than mine. My visit was on Apr 6, 2009.
It was my second time of pottery painting and first time for my son. I had much better experience at Clay Café in Chantilly a few years ago. The space is too small and crowded to bring younger children of preschool age. There was nobody to help us to get started. Had this been my first time, I would have been clueless and frustrated. We waited longer than we wanted to get our paints. Rationing out only 4 colors of paint in small amount, this studio was stingy with paint compared to Clay Café. This was very different from my first experience a few years ago at Clay Café where I had free access to the paint. When we ran out of the rationed paint, we hesitated to ask for more because we were afraid of upsetting the store clerk (owner?). Many of their brushes were bent out of shape.
I did get a call to inform me my pieces were ready for pick-​up.
$ 7/​person for studio time + price of the pottery you choose to paint.
We painted a spoon rest ($ 14). 1 mug ($ 13). 1 small trey ($ 20).
It took us about an hour and cost $ 64. It’s not a cheap activity to do on weekly basis.
I wouldn’t recommend this studio if you are :
— first time painting pottery.
— serious about designing and painting your pottery because of limited access to paint and brushes that are out of shape.
— have younger children.
I would recommend this place, if you’re looking for a small quaint mom-​and-​pop shop atmosphere.

I take our young children here to paint 2 – 3 times a year. We really like the atmosphere (not as commercial as some of the chain pottery places). Suzanna, the owner, is a pleasure to work with. She gives tips and compliments the kids’ pottery (no matter how it looks!)

What a cute little find!
I went here with a group of girls for a special occasion, and we had a blast.
As far as fees go, you pay for studio time and the object you’re going to paint. Prices vary for objects depending on size, detail, etc.
The girl working was very helpful in paint selection, telling us amateurs which colors would come out of the kiln well, which would look good on the things we were painting, etc.
It takes about two weeks for your works of art (yeah, that might be a stretch for me) to be fired. They’ll call you when it’s ready for pickup.
If you’re going with a group, I recommend making reservations so that you’re guaranteed seats, and ones all together.