Do you love the idea of adding pattern and design to your space but hate the price of wallpaper? With a wall stencil and a whole lot of patience you can achieve big design for low cost.

Above is a stencil I used below the chair rail in our living room in Florida.  It’s the Casablanca Moroccan Wall Stencil at http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/allover-stencils.html and it’s only $39.95.  This stencil is a fill in style- the lighter outline you see is the overall wall color and the colored moroccan shape is the color of paint applied through the stencil. As you will see I got a lot of use out of it!!!

Here’s a wall I did for a client.  Isn’t it gorgeous?  They have a beautiful pool area and this draws the eye from the front door to the doors leading to their oasis.

My Stylish Spaces partner, Stacy, and I used the stencil for an accent wall in a master bedroom as seen above.  The room was visible from the open concept living area and this really made it a focal point!

I stenciled the same pattern on an office wall for a client who desired a tone on tone look.  The subtle colors created a soft and calming pattern on this office wall.

Here’s a bedroom accent wall I worked on for a client.  It was an open stencil design where you would paint the whole wall the overall color you desire and then the stencil is the white outline applied.

Here is another example of an entry wall I did for another client.  It’s an outline style- very feminine and delicate looking.  The overall wall color is the darker color and the stenciling is white.  The photos show it in progression.

Completed stencil with decor back in place.  It’s perfect with her farmhouse style!

You can use stencils many other places such as I did on my stair risers!  I stenciled every other riser for an unexpected surprise.

I used the stencil on a huge homasote bulletin board too.  You can search the blog for more information on making an over size bulletin board.

All of the examples above were done with http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com. I found them to be high quality, good value and the website has EXCELLENT information. They provide all of the stencil directions, the supply list and more.  There are even video tutorials.  You can buy directly from their website or on Amazon. Trust me- once you go on their site you will want to stencil your world…..or be overwhelmed by the possibilities.  I think I lost focus and sleep for a night trying to decide which to buy and what to stencil!!!

Obviously I have logged a lot of hours stenciling and this blog isn’t showing every project.  After all that time on the ladder what would I add to their directions?

1. I would tell you to keep even pressure when applying the paint.  Be consistent so the stenciled design has similar color tone.
2. Be patient- you will cover the main area quickly but when you do edge work it’s slow and requires some small brush work.
3. Glossier paints are slippery and I would avoid working with gloss sheen.  Any latex works but stick to a flat, eggshell or satin max.
4. Wash your stencil off daily.  This is awkward given the size.  A hose and a scrub brush or peel it off after it dries.  If you leave the paint on it eventually the build up distorts the stencil design.
5. When you finish stenciling use small brushes to clean up any bleed through paint or uneven edges.
6. Step back to look at the wall and be forgiving.  This is a hand-stenciled, hand-painted wall.  It will not be absolutely perfect but no one will know because the overall image will knock their socks off!

I’m plotting my next stencil project as we speak.  I’m looking at the tile stencils from Cutting Edge for our basement bathroom.  The nagoya would be PERFECT for my plan 🙂 See a sneak peek of what’s coming in the near future using http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/cement-tile-stencils-floor-stencils-nagoya.html.

What do you think?  Ready to take the plunge?