topic Re: Stenciling in Home

Stenciling-UPDATE

caroln242 — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 12:52:02 GMT

I want to stencil one wall in my dining room. It's very bland. This is the wall:

I don't know if I should do an "all over" stencil like this:

Or a striped version like one of these:

I just want something simple. I plan on just using a plain transparent glaze for the stencil over the wall paint, which is a flat paint by the way. That way it's very low key and muted, like this:

I have asked for opinions from my sister and she said the top pic with the "all over" design is too modern looking with my furniture. I don't see it as modern, but now I'm starting to drastically over-think this. I know everyone has different opinions on decorating, but I've thought myself into a hellish corner! In the grand scheme of things it's really a small issue, but...help please...I'm driving myself nuts!

Well, I finally opted for wallpaper over stenciling. I'd leave a picture of the wall with the new wallpaper but for some reason I can't make the picture come out clear. So I'll just show the swatch taken off the website. It's a muted damask stripe...not exactly what I had in mind (yawn) but it goes nice with my furniture style. Those who thought stenciling would be too big a job on a whole wall were right! I looked at some how-to videos of stenciling and decided wallpaper was the way to go.

Re: Stenciling

Mistreatedbycs — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 20:33:04 GMT

Look at RoomMates decor dot com

I've used their products with success. It's so easy, I did it myself, although I did a whole room. Very reasonable. Very little effort.

Peel and stick ( it does stay) and you don't like it or want to change it in time, remove, there is absolutely no residue.

I did my office with the blue distressed wood horizontally and I did a little in my bedroom....love the office!

Re: Stenciling

caroln242 — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 20:32:34 GMT

By the way, if I fail to get back to anyone who replies, I have had a horrible time trying to post lately. I can't log in most of the time. When I try to log in, it just takes me to the shopping log in, not the forum log in. I've tried every link on the site to try to log in sometimes, to no avail. Then all of a sudden, maybe three days later, it works.

So, if you don't hear from me for a few days, that's why!

Re: Stenciling

patbz — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 20:36:06 GMT

Either use peel and stick or stripable wall paper ( I think stencils are very 1980s).

Re: Stenciling

Kachina624 — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 20:50:49 GMT

@caroln242 Have you tried temporarily changing browsers? I haven't heard anyone else complaining of your problem.

Re: Stenciling

Witchy Woman — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 21:11:50 GMT

@caroln242

I have stenciled my living room walls in corners and along our chair rail.

Stenciling an entire wall may be more than you want to do, even if it is a repeating pattern. If it was broken up with a chair rail, you could just stencil the top or bottom.

Unless it is very subtle and almost a textured feature, it might appear too "busy" when you are done. My opinion, for what it is worth, stenciling looks best done with a restrained hand.

My house is Victorian, so it fits our decor and does not look dated (at least I don't think so).

Someone suggested peel and stick features, and that might be a good option unless you have your heart set on stenciling.

Re: Stenciling

decaf — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 21:20:14 GMT

@caroln242To me it sounds like you want a painted stencil, not the peel and stick variety.

A painted stencil will look more elegant and custom than a peel and stick, plus you can choose the exact (paint) color you want

The stripe design is very matchy matchy with your furniture style. That may end up looking bland. The all over design is definitely not modern. It's transitional, it goes with many different styles. Of the two, I prefer that one, it's not as expected, it's more interesting than the stripe design. JMO

Re: Stenciling

ScrapHappy — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 21:59:26 GMT

@caroln242 wrote:
I want to stencil one wall in my dining room. It's very bland. This is the wall:
I don't know if I should do an "all over" stencil like this:
Or a striped version like one of these:

I just want something simple. I plan on just using a plain transparent glaze for the stencil over the wall paint, which is a flat paint by the way. That way it's very low key and muted, like this:
I have asked for opinions from my sister and she said the top pic with the "all over" design is too modern looking with my furniture. I don't see it as modern, but now I'm starting to drastically over-think this. I know everyone has different opinions on decorating, but I've thought myself into a hellish corner! In the grand scheme of things it's really a small issue, but...help please...I'm driving myself nuts!

I stenciled my parents living room many years ago, when I was in my 20's. It was a lot of work and not as easy as I thought it would be. I wouldn't undertake that project in my 50's. I also had the look of the last picture (looks like 2 different shades of green striped paint) in my living room (from previous owner). I hated it. The second picture looks more like wallpaper. Out of the 3, if I had to pick one, I'd pick wallpaper. It does add some "pop." I think wallpaper is making a comeback.

Re: Stenciling

RainCityWoman — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 22:09:30 GMT

I stenciled hydrangeas above my large bedroom window. It was a multi color process, and I used the jars of stencil paste. Very tedious, and it took me several days. In my office I stenciled on each side of a corner that stuck out into the room That time I used a Celtic rope design, all one color, and I used a small roller and regular wall paint. The key was making sure the roller was a little dry. Too much paint will cause running down the wall behind the stencil. Tape the stencil well with each section. I got the roller on done in an hour.

Re: Stenciling

pinkcrystal — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 22:20:02 GMT

Honestly, the wall looks blah because the picture on it is too small to be the only thing there imo. BUT, the look of the first wallpaper is quite lovely also. If you got a much larger art work I think that would solve the problem or make a picture grouping. I do think you could also try just painting the wall a deeper darker color to make it pop. In the end though, you get to do whatever you want because it's your home!

Re: Stenciling

decaf — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 22:20:17 GMT

@caroln242 It looks like the all over design is a metallic paint, at least to me. That's also what makes it pop.

Re: Stenciling

River Song — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 23:10:28 GMT

With the traditional style cherry furniture and rug, what the room needs is wainscoting to add interest to the walls. Lose the two little corner tables and flower arrangements. Add a narrow console table or low cabinet, a larger piece of wall art or a grouping of pictures above the console table/cabinet. Forget about stenciling, perhaps wallpaper above the wainscoting or paint a more dramatic color taken from the rug. Google traditional dining room decor photos to get ideas on what would work in your room size.

Re: Stenciling

Somertime — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 12:32:40 GMT

If you would like something simple for the one wall this is what I would suggest and it's not a stencil. Paint the single wall in a color of your choice in a matte, satin or eggshell finish. Once dry, use tape to do stripes, either, vertical, horizontal or diagonal in the same color but in a gloss finish or a semi-gloss finish. You can do the stripes in different widths and work out a pattern. I've done this a number of times and it is very effective and not time consuming and very easy with lovely results!

Re: Stenciling

wagirl — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 14:49:17 GMT

I stenciled my downstairs which was the kitchen, diningroom, family room and livingroom, powder room----when we bulit it in 1986, but just did borders around the the ceiling---it looked pretty good. Took awhile to finish tho--you need to practice as it can go awful with smudges and mis- aligned patterns. things need to be measured and as straight as possible and we all know walls and corners in houses are not straight. and not cheap to buy the paints and patterns and good brushes--don't buy cheap brushes. I hung small pictures on the wall in the owder room and then stenciled a ribbon to look like it was hung from that. I stenciled a wooded coffee table with vines and leaves all around the top edges of it--had a stencil of a persian rug with the tassels that I wanted to do on that table but never got around to it. I did flower pots too--stenciled many roles of wallpaper border for my moms bedroom while watching Dallas back in the day--really enjoyed it and got very good at it.

Re: Stenciling

Fressa — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:03:42 GMT

I would try it on one wall or as a border at the top of each wall. Give yourself time to stare at the effect in different lighting, times of day. I find this works the best for me when I stress about paint color, etc. Hope this helps.

Re: Stenciling

faeriemoon — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 16:17:25 GMT

I like the one that looks like wallpaper. Frankly, it's easier to wallpaper to get that look than it is to do an all-over stencil.

Re: Stenciling

sometimesQVCaddict — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 17:39:59 GMT

Just note that if you do stencil, it can be time consuming to tape everything, measure perfectly (knowing most walls are not square or evenly matched), getting all the supplies if you don't have them, prepping the area, etc. If you have the time & commitment - - go for it!!

I'm in the middle of a paint project myself & even having all the tools etc. (I'm just changing wall color & trim) -- it's hours upon hours upon hours!!

If you're looking for a cheap quick fix, maybe try adding a chair molding or adding artwork or wall decor to your taste. Or quick hanging wallpaper. Your room looks pretty traditional so keep to that style unless you're going for a drastic change!!

Good luck!

Re: Stenciling

Katcat1 — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 18:24:52 GMT

@caroln242 One thing I can say is it looks like a lot of work. How about wallpaper? Or how about a different color paint for the whole room?

Re: Stenciling

Drythe — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 15:22:22 GMT

@caroln242

I think the stencils are pretty, but it doesn’t look as if your room is as large as those shown with the stencils. Stencils might appear to shrink your space.

I think post #12 @River Song has good advice, except I would use a horizontal mirror on the back wall.

Re: Stenciling

wilma — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 22:29:49 GMT

I've never stenciled, but I think doing it on one wall is fine. I don't think a classic design would clash with your furnishings.

I also like the idea of posters who suggested painting that one wall a different color. I also think you need 2 small pieces of art on both sides of your wall art or one larger landscape style piece to fill the wall better.

Good luck with your project! Let us know what you decide. Would love to see photos when you're finished.