Paint

Stenciled Walls

If you want the look of wallpaper but don’t want to spend the money, stenciled walls are a great alternative!

Fun Bathrooom Decor

Bathroom Makeover

You guys know by now that I am a HUGE stencil fan.  (But I’m not talking about the ones you remember from the 80’s – I’m talking about all the amazing UPDATED stencils.) The stencils now are beautiful, and they look like wallpaper. I am obsessed with wallpaper, but (as I’ve said before) I have major commitment issues.  I get tired of wallpaper pretty easily, so stencils are perfect for me. I can have pretty patterned walls but I can just paint over them when I grow bored instead of stripping wallpaper.

Myriad Stencil

When I discovered the Myriad stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils, I knew I needed it in my house.  I’ve loved all the dalmatian spots I’ve been seeing in home decor, and this is that same look with a little quirkiness.  It was perfect for Lena’s bathroom.  It’s fun and playful – just like her!

Stenciling Supplies

To stencil you’ll need:

  • a stencil
  • paint (I prefer flat paints since they dry faster)
  • painters tape
  • small sponge roller
  • level (there are levels that clip on to onto the stencil, and they are amazing!)

And to make the process even easier:

  • stencil brush (These are great for those hard-to-reach places that the brush won’t reach.)
  • spray adhesive (This has to be applied every use, but it is helpful along with the tape.)

Taping Stencil

When stenciling along the ceiling line, I always use painter’s tape to protect the ceiling.  It’s so easy to paint the ceiling if you don’t. and the tape will protect the ceiling while holding the stencil.

Stenciling Steps

I always like to begin my stenciling in the center of the room.  If you know me, I love symmetry, so this probably has a lot to do with my crazy need for balance.  Also, make sure you use a level when stenciling.

Myriad Stencil Tutorial

The Myriad stencil is great because it offers a lot of grace since it’s imperfect, to begin with.  It would have been an easy stencil except for the fact that I used black paint to stencil with.  I had to be SO careful to wait until the stencil was completely dry before I added another segment.  There’s no hiding black paint on white walls.  So patience was important.

Stenciling a wall

I take the stencil off immediately after I’m done with the segment – while it’s still wet.  This way, I can wipe away any mistakes while they’re still erasable.  Baby wipes are a great thing to have on hand for projects like this.

Stenciled Wall

Washing your stencil after your project is complete (it’s reusable!) is always a good idea, and it should be fairly easy to remove the paint if you used water-based paint.

Where would you love to add stenciled walls?

Go create something!

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