Q: I'm looking for a subtle way to add character to my dining room. Since I don't want to spend a lot of money, I was thinking that doing something with paint would work. Do you have a suggestion?A: I've got a great idea on how to add subtle elegance to a room by adding some stencils to the walls. Use the fabrics or the rug in the room to help determine the stencil design. That's what we did in the dining room at the DIY/Habitat for Humanity project house.
Before we get started, I want to tell you about the base for the walls. We glued tissue paper to the walls, then base-coated it with paint and glazed it to give a simulated leather finish. Now the stenciling will add an extra element to give a little bit of drama to the space.
There are many different options for stencils: you can buy precut stencils from any crafts or decorating store, or you may prefer to make your own. I used a Florentine scroll pattern for my demonstration -- it's a favorite among my customers.
You can make sample board to help you choose the colors you want to use. I wanted to use colors from surrounding rooms.
1. Here's how to put the stencils on the wall for placement. When placing stencils, think about how they look in relation to the others. You can create a random pattern by taping stencil copies or blue tape to the wall. Make sure the stencils aren't lined up: you don't want this to look perfect, because it's the randomness of the pattern that will give this room some flair.
2. Fill in the design with the same color used for the glazing color (but don't add any glaze). Use a stiff-bristle stencil brush (they're better than regular paintbrushes for filling in tight areas), and "pounce" the brush on newspaper to remove excess paint before putting it on the wall. Lightly tap the brush inside the stencil to apply the paint, making sure to completely fill the stencil.
3. Apply the second color (I chose green because it ties into the living room and the kitchen, which both flow into the room). Apply it the same way you did the first color. The paint is thin, so it'll dry very quickly, but still you should be careful when removing the stencil. Lift it straight off so you don't smear any paint.
One thing I'd like to share with you is a pro tip: I like to use the lid of my paint can to stencil out of. That makes it possible for me to get a little bit of paint without overloading my brush. Remember, the key to stenciling is get a little bit of paint and wipe most of it off.
Once I've already established my stencils, I want to make sure I don't have anything in my horizontal and vertical lines. I get it the way I like it, and then I paint. When applying stencils by window frames, doorways and ceilings, I apply half or even a fourth of my stencil; that way it looks like wallpaper, where the pattern goes on and off the surface area.
Stenciling can be a time-consuming process (our average-size dining room took about three hours to stencil). Just be patient in determining your pattern and in painting in the stencils, and I think you'll be very proud of the work you did.
