Stenciled Walls

Closet before:  

Now with beautiful new color thanks to Dutch Boy Refresh paint.  It's a light blue called Fountain of Youth. The perfect backdrop for a fresh new look.  Speaking of fresh!  Not only is Dutch Boy Refresh paint zero VOC, check out the key features:

• Exceptional hide and durability
• Gives mildew-resistant coating
• ZeroVOC / Greenguard® Indoor Air Quality Certified

Tools needed:

1. Cutting Edge Stencil’s “Whispering Elm Wall Pattern Stencil“
2. 3 different colors of paint (I used less than 1/2 a quart for the closet.  It doesn’t take much.) Our stencil was made using Mythic Paints in Woodbury and Bleached linen for the pattern.
3. 3 foam rollers
4. Paper towels
5. Paint tray or foam plate
6. 3 pieces of painter’s tape

The stencil comes with very easy to read directions, tips and tricks.  At first, I felt overwhelmed with placement and where to start.  I chose the right top corner of the wall since this is the most viewed side of the closet.  No measuring required.  Once I developed a pattern (eyeballing stencil placement), the rhythm and pace sped up.

1. Place the stencil on the wall (secure with a piece of painter’s tape).

2.  Roll the foam roller into the paint, covering the roller.  Then roll on folded paper towels to evenly coat the roller.

3.  Roll over the open areas of the stencil. 

4.  Repeat until entire wall is covered in the 1st stencil pattern.

5.  Repeat with Steps 1-4 for Stencil #2 and then with Stencil #3.

6.  Clean stencils by laying them in the utility sink under running water and rubbing with a sponge.  Hang to dry.

Tips:  Use a clean foam roller for each color/stencil. After coating the roller with paint and rolling on the paper towel, roller is good for about 3 turns with the stencil. Again – no measuring required.  It’s magic.  Okay, maybe not but the pattern works out and imperfections aren’t noticeable.

Here is closet after with the look of painted wallpaper.  No ripped or torn wallpaper in the future, no wallpaper removal. There is no lighting yet in the closet so colors are off a little in pictures.  

 “I love wallpaper patterns but after tons of wallpaper scraping in our old farmhouse, I will never apply wallpaper.  Scraping wallpaper is my least favorite DIY project.  Using the cutting edge stencil was the super easy. Little prep, little clean up and once I got a rhythm going, it went quickly. I love that it looks like wallpaper but I chose the colors, it was so much less expensive and I did it myself!”


Closet now.