I've seen people paint the outside of PVC feeders.
What kind of material are you hoping to use? You do want something that is easy to clean and doesn't absorb moisture.
I use the Chicken Fountain for the water supply (hooked to faucet with autofill). During temps consistently below freezing, I unhook it and have a bird bath heater in it to keep the water from freezing.
http://chickenfountain.com/
The tube feeders using 3-4" PVC look nice, too. I have four...