Design Inspiration. Planet Stencil Library.

Today's Inspiration: Art Deco Gazelles

If you want a contemporary look, but don't want it to be too harsh or minimal, then art deco is a great design style.  It dates from the 1920s and 1930s and encompasses several references including orientalism, exoticism, Egyptian revivalism, cubism and a few other ism's.  But overall it is entirely modern.  But, and herein lies its appeal, it doesn't have to be minimal.  This Gazelle repeat stencil, VN82, from our Vintage range of stencils is a perfect example.  It takes an exotic animal and makes it smooth, sleek, slim and stylish.  It is so stylised that it is no longer realistic looking in the slightest although you recognise what it is.  Repeat the leaping gazelle across your wall and it will look wholly modern, but not cold or clinical, especially when done in warm metallic gold.  Given that art deco is hundred years old, one would be forgiven for thinking it is old hat and old-fashioned.  Far from it.  It still looks as modern today as it did back then.  This is but a mere introduction to a big design movement.  Old fashioned modernity never looked so appealing.

Rachel.  

 

The Daily Inspiration: Painting it Black

The dark side.  People are fearful of painting with dark colours, but if they take the plunge, they rarely regret it.  I have been a fan of dark colours for a long while and have no problem painting not only my walls but also the ceiling in some deep tone.  Contrary to popular belief, it does not enclose the room.  Painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls will open the room out as there is no real defined end of the walls, beginning of the ceiling thing going on.  I find dark colours warm and inviting.  But if you cannot quite go completely dark, then you can do something like this.  The wall is black but the stencil pattern has been done in white which along with the pale carpet keeps it from being all dark.  I have heard two paint companies say that black walls are going to be "it" next year.  You heard it here first.  Here the black is toned down with VN6 Black Holes from the Pure Pattern section of our Vintage range of stencils.

Rachel

The Daily Inspiration: Indoor Gardens

Lately, there has been a lot of noise about creating indoor gardens.  We have always had indoor plants, but now there is a trend to have more...for our indoor plants to be plentiful, bountiful and lush.  Maybe it is a reaction to our ever decreasing outdoor green space.  But there is also something very homely and comforting about having plants indoors.  Plus they clean our air so that is always good.  You can decorate with leafy patterns too.  This palm repeat VN165 Rainforest from our vintage range of stencils is terrific.  It does give off the same good vibes you get from real plants.  Because leafy patterns have been part of decorating for centuries, it is something that looks part traditional and part modern.  You can go either way with your decorating: antique or contemporary or a mix of both and they all work with this stencil.  To me, this stencil is what I would call modern Victorian.  Just add real plants too. For more leafy repeat pattern stencils, have a look at the natural world section of our Vintage Range.

Rachel.

Today's Inspiration: Being arty, literally

I never tire of this stencil pattern.  It is just so much fun.  Even more so when it is paired with traditional furnishings.  This can be as bold or as subtle as you like but taps into that art/graffiti/modernist vibe that is always a nice backdrop to any decorating scheme especially if you are trying to keep old things updated.  If you read the interiors magazines, there has been a lot of chatter about artful patterns in decorating for a couple of years now.  This is just the type of thing they are talking about.  Paint splatter is not easy to get right and have look decorative (as opposed to messy) and whilst the idea of standing in your room and chucking paint at your walls sounds fun and naughty, the reality is that it is hard, messy and the novelty would wear off after about 10 minutes and you may struggle to get something that looks nice.  Jackson Pollock had the skill, more than you think and the collectors paying millions for his work now, recognise that.  So get the fun results without a headache with our stencil.  The stencil looks sparse initially, but the idea is that you twist and turn and layer it with different colours to get the density of paint splatters you want.  Leave it sparse or keep going.  Use contrasting colours for a bold look or keep it tonal for something more subtle and textural.  The best bit....no two schemes will look remotely similar.  So you will always have something completely unique, like a piece of art.  MD41 Splatter stencil from our Modern Design range of stencils.  Comes in 4 sizes.  For this look, go for the large or xlarge.

Rachel.

The Daily Inspiration: Oversized Classic Damask Stencil

We have probably featured this before but it is too cool not to show off again.  Sometimes, it is fun to make a statement, do something a bit different, in a quiet way.  Personally, I love this concept.  When you look at something and you know it is a bit off-kilter (in a good way) but it is not immediately obvious why.  Very few things are more classic in decor than damask.  It is a woven pattern that has been around for centuries.  We do several versions of damask stencils from simple and small up to layered and elaborate.  It can be done in deep rich colours, or pale tonal ones.  It goes with everything be it antique or modern.  So what if you want to take a classic and have a bit of fun?  Supersize it!  The best thing about this stencil, HG1 Large Damask, is its larger than usual scale.  Is it bold and brash being big?  Not really.  Done in subtle lilac shades on a beige background it is still classic and compliments the French Louis sofa well.  It is just  a bit irreverent, slightly more unusual and updated.  A way to push the boundaries gently without rocking the boat too much.

Rachel 

Today is about: Stencilling in the Bathroom

A bathroom is a place that is usually lacking in a bit of decoration.  It isn't always easy.  It has a specific function and due to the bath or shower and basin, it usually has some if not a lot of tiles on the wall.  Painting and stencilling tiles is a tricky job that has to be done in a certain way with the right product (or the paint will come off) so that is for another post.  Today, it is about available wall space.  Stencilling is perfect for bathrooms. It is a way to add a bit of pattern or art when you cannot add it in any other way. If your bathroom gets quite steamy and you need a use a dedicated bathroom paint, which is a semi sheen, then stencil with the same type of paint and stipple (the stabbing motion) your paint on rather than swirling.  If your bathroom has plenty of ventilation and therefore doesn't get too steamy or damp, then standard matte wall paint and stencilling with acrylics is fine.  Look at the available space you have.  It may only be a gap around the top of the room above the tiles which is perfect for a border or repeated motif.  It may be a section of one wall which might be good for a repeat pattern stencil or a repeated motif (like the octopus above).  Or there may be a good focal space to simply put a single large motif.  In this room, we have used our VN160 Octopus in the large size.  It is from the Natural World section of our Vintage range of stencils.  It is an allover repeat and if used as such, is more connected, but as the space is a bit awkward, we have used this as a motif instead.  It just made things a bit easier.  It is just on the wall behind the sink.  That is enough to carry the whole space and add some interest.

Rachel

Inspiration of the Day: Down the Rabbit Hole

Interiors can have a sense of fun.  Just as we use accessories and objects to tell a story or create a conversation, why not our walls.  Why shouldn't they delight and surprise on occasion?  So this is not to everyone's taste.  That is fine.  But we like to show off all kinds of different ideas and themes.  Here is an example of a scheme that will definitely surprise people.  The Alice books were never written for children initially.  If you liked them as a child, it is more than likely that they have stuck with you ever since.  They are that rare thing that can be interpreted in different ways and be loved by people of different ages and from different walks of life.  They are timeless and classic and yes, quirky and fun, a bit mysterious and irreverent.  Whilst the Alice characters work well in children's rooms so can they work in an adult scheme.  The hallway or study or downstairs toilet are spaces that spring to my mind where one can be a bit experimental.  Sometimes it is good not to be too serious (or at least have one room in the house that is a bit, well, wonderous).  VN58 Wonderland all over repeat stencil (but the characters can be used individually as motifs) from our Art Deco and Victoriana section within the Vintage range of stencils. 

Rachel

The Daily Inspiration: Stencils in the Hall

The hallway.  It is often a passage, usually not a very large space.  We might not spend much time in it and just use it to travel from one room to another.  It is usually internal with very little natural light, maybe from the front door.  So it tends to get ignored. But it is a missed opportunity.  This is usually the first space guests to your house will see.  It is also an area where you can indulge your more ambitious ideas.  One should never be afraid of colour or pattern, but if so, and it is something one loves, put it in an area one doesn't spend masses of time in.  Here we have chosen pure 1920s art deco.  Art Deco is modern but warm.  It works with many schemes and in many spaces.  The chosen colours, warm copper, eau de nil green, and pale and dark teal, are comforting and welcoming.  The stencil is VN76 Champagne Cocktail from the Art Deco and Victoriana section of our Vintage range of stencils.  Hallways can be awkward, especially if open and tall, but don't let that put you off.  If you don't want to get into height, either add or paint a dado rail and stencil below it.  That will be enough to carry the whole space.  A decorated hallway is always a joy to come home to.

Rachel.

Today's Inspiration: Modern Geometric All Over Pattern Stencils

One of the hardest things to do is imagine what a design will look like (or paint colour for that matter).  Every time you choose a colour or pattern, you do, to a certain degree, take a leap of faith.  Personally, I am still surprised how a design can completely transform when used with certain colours (and I should know as that is all I do!).  Recently I have been delving into the world of the Weiner Werkstatte, a design collective operating in Vienna from about 1903 - 1930's.  Like many artists and designers at that time, they were really starting to push the boundaries into modernity. They were driving towards art deco as we know it.  But it still retained a certain antiquity to it.  It was this combination of the old and new as seen in the early 1900's that interested me a great deal as it was a way to make modern more palatable.  So I then turned my mind to certain modern stencil designs in our range that I hadn't given much thought to.  There are several that once I started to think of colours, became much more usable.  MD42 Funky Chunks is a case in point.  It is from our Modern Design range of stencils which is mostly geometric repeat patterns.  I will be honest and say I didn't "get" this design.  Then, I saw some of the patterns the WW were doing and the colours they used and the lightbulb went on.  MD42 Funky Chunks comes in 4 sizes.  We have used the medium size.  The key is to keep it tonal so this is done in black on a dark blue wall.  Add some antique pieces, a bit of mix and match furniture and accessories, and you have a modern style that isn't going to frighten the birds.  It is very textural and very livable with. 

Rachel

The Day's Inspiration: Chinoiserie Panel Stencil

There is nothing more quietly dramatic or classic than chinoiserie panel decoration.  For a long time, we have had a fascination with designs from the Far East.  It is easy to see why.  Centuries ago, it was completely exotic and rare.  It was in the realm of very few people and those few tended to be royalty and the like.  We have aspired to have similar in our decor ever since.  Over time, this has become more and more accessible.  Now, with a bit of imagination, some paint and a stencil, it is easily and economically executed, but no less beautiful or exotic.  This scheme was created using our FS4 Tree of Life stencil which comes in three standard sizes.  The large 6-foot tall version is on the wall in multiple colours and the small 2-foot version in tonal shades on the chair. Using big stencils is no more difficult than small stencils.  The method is exactly the same, you just have more to do.  But the effort is always worth it.

Rachel

Today's Stencilling Inspiration. Bats!

The Stencil Library has designed a repeating stencil with rather super little bats all over it. Well, it is the season. 

The great thing about it is that it looks a bit abstract.  Almost like a fractured zebra stripe, but when you look closely, you realise it is loads of little bats.  So if you fancy a bit of Victorian goth in your decorating, this can work year round.  Or of course, you can use it on seasonal decorations or outfits. 

This is a petite stencil so is good on furniture and small items, but as an allover repeat can cover large areas too.  You can use it as a border or pull out individual bats for a random scattered effect.  As with any of our designs, we can usually make custom sizes too if you want a bigger sheet or bigger scale.  As is, this measures (sheet size) 8 inches (20cm) tall x 7.5 inches (19cm) wide.  To help with scale, the largest bat has a wingspan of 3 inches (7.5cm).  Normally this stencil costs 10.00 GBP (+postage if applicable), but you can have it at 8.00 GBP (+postage if applicable) until Oct 31, 2017.  This is a newly designed special stencil and is not on our site yet, so orders can be taken directly.  Just email us with your full shipping address requesting the Mini Bats stencil and we will send you a PayPal invoice. Or you can phone us and pay with a card.

Rachel.

Stencilling Inspiration for the Day

Get on our Wavelength.....stencil that is.

Simple geometric designs like this can add texture so that it is a step up from flat colour.  Here it is given a bold treatment in white on black but done in tone on tone and you have a lovely contemporary pattern that would actually compliment just about any interior style be it modern or antique.  This is the VN55 Wavelength stencil from the Pure Pattern section of our Vintage range of stencils.  Pattern doesn't have to mean bold.

 

Tours of The Stencilled Home 2017

By popular demand, we have scheduled a couple of final dates for 2017 for tours around the stencilled home at The Stencil Library. We have scheduled Wednesday evening 15th November at 7 pm and Saturday morning 9th December at 10 am.  The December 9th tour will have a bit of a Christmassy theme. Bring friends!  Booking is essential.  If the December morning tour fills, we will add one in the afternoon.  We take a  max of 15 people.  Telephone 01661 844844 or email us to book.

The tours last about 2.5-3 hours.  Tickets are 10.00 GBP per person.  You get a tour of and chat about the stencilled home from top to bottom, refreshments by way of tea/coffee and biscuits and a demo on how to stencil with different mediums and on different surfaces.  Please note that the house has staircases to negotiate. The tour is relaxed, inspiring, full of information and fun.  People come time and time again.  If you have never been, it is a treat.

Rachel.

Barack Obama, Chuck Close and beautiful stencil work at Ushaw, Durham

Ushaw, the North East's newest heritage site has gorgeous stencil work! I visited it with a friend and fellow decorative painter. We had gone to see the exhibition of large and life-like tapestries by Chuck Close. I am always impressed by his work.

This one is a self-portrait. The exhibition has been extended until the end of October and is well worth seeing. The tapestries are impressive and I want to return and take another look because I got distracted...hugely, by the room in which they were displayed.

In fact, most of the building distracted me,

the stencilling,

the tile work,

the gilding and wood carving,

the stained glass,

I could go on and on so I will show you a few snaps from my brief time there and link you to their site so that you can plan your visit, there is a book called Treasures of Ushaw  Whilst there, I witnessed people tucking into an 'afternoon tea'  in the refectory, my friend and I were too late to do the same but that is another reason to return, along with a walk around their gardens. The refectory has many portraits, windows and stencilled banners.

Sometimes I toy with the idea of hosting a week of stencilling and decorative painting classes interspersed with excursions to beautiful places in Northumberland and Durham...this one would be definitely on the list. The Stencil Library sells many stencils similar to the ones at Ushaw, mostly in their Gothic range but there are some in Arts & Crafts too.

I hope you enjoy seeing a little more of it.

So much lovely stencilling,

There were highly decorative ceilings

and some that were stunning because of the structure.

I felt that I was in a Vermeer painting whilst walking these corridors. There are many corridors, all of them different.

and all are lovely.

If you want to see Obama and the other subjects of the Chuck Close tapestries you will need to be there by the end of October when the exhibition closes. Entry is free, donations are welcome. Open Wednesday to Saturday. See more at Ushaw.org 

Helen.

Miss Doughty's Hat

I saw a vivid green and blue feathered hat on a vintage trading site. I bought it to compliment a long skirt that I stencilled a few years ago. If the style didn't suit me I would display it in my dressing room instead of wearing it. When the parcel arrived the hat was a perfect fit, however, the packaging in which it was delivered was almost as thrilling as the contents. The original box had been sent by post from the millinery department of Bobby's of Bournemouth to a Miss Doughty on the 30th of April 1963.

I learned that Bobby's existed from 1915 until 1972 when it was rebranded as a Debenhams store. Just twenty years before Miss Doughty purchased her hat Bobby's took a direct hit from a German bombing raid that devastated the town of Bournemouth. The history of Bobby's was fascinating and could have spent more time reading it.

I then turned my attention to Miss Doughty and her address, Bowlish House, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.  I don't know whether Bowlish House was Miss Doughty's home or whether she was working there or just visiting, what I do know is that Bowlish House is gorgeously, gloriously Georgian and is now an hotel.

 

I had mistakenly thought that Bowlish House was open for tours this Wednesday and asked the current hotel owners about booking tickets it but the tours are at 'Old' Bowlish House which is a private home and one can book tickets through Invitation to View. Goodness, if the new Bowlish House stems from the 1730's how old must Old Bowlish House be?? Anyway, this new information took me off on a tangent looking at lots of wonderful homes that host the occasional tour via the 'Invitation To View' website. Recently, I was visiting an imaginatively decorated home at Holland Park Avenue as part of the OpenHouseLondon weekend. They recommended another in Great Dunmow called Talliston and I saw that you could book tours of it through Invitation to View. 

My home is highly decorative too and is open for tours on Wednesday, Nov 15th and Saturday, Dec 9th this year. It is not part of the offering from Invitation To View. Pre-booking is needed and there is more information on our site. Contact us for tickets.

A giddy hour later I realised that I had to get my work finished and dinner made. I told my husband about Miss Doughty's hat and the Georgian house in Shepton Mallet, he looked at the photo of Bowlish House on my screen and said: "I think we stayed there in 1982, we were on our way to Glastonbury".  

I felt even closer to Miss Doughty and her delicious hat.

Helen

Information about Bobby's from Wikipedia, Dorset Life and The Bournemouth Echo, the latter was the publisher of the photo of Bobby's. Photo of Bowlish House by Bowlish House

I bought the blue and green feathered hat from Trendlistr The stencil on my skirt is LTL11-Wisteria from The Stencil Library and was the reason for buying Miss Doughty's hat

 

 

 

Stencilled Pattern onto Stencilled Pattern, the UnderCoat Collection.

No one at The Stencil Library is pattern-shy or scared of colour, stencilling pattern over more stencilled pattern is quite normal for us. 

We thought that the combination of our VN60-Tiffany and VN24-Inferno stencils, both from our Vintage style range looked rather ravishing as did the combination of our Art Deco repeat stencil with the Klimt inspired VN3-Klimtomania and so a new collection was born. 

We selected some of our stencils, paired them off and reworked the scale so that the patterns were harmonious. Then we made a mini collection of these design duos and called them 'UnderCoats'. They are all stencils from our existing ranges, they are still there and singly they make a stylish decoration for all sorts of surfaces. However...

...as a couple, they add an extra dimension to stencilled decoration.  We found that the combinations look very effective when the first layer is stencilled with matt paints, normal household paint is perfect for this. Then we stencilled the coordinating pattern with a metallic paint so that the difference between the two layers is striking. Metallic paint shines or fades with the light, sometimes in low light, the contrast is strong and then as the day brightens the secondary pattern looks less apparent. Texture paste may work well on the second layer but we have not experimented with that yet. Maybe you can try that and report back to us!

There are 16 of these duos in the 'UnderCoat' range, these are a few of them. I will bring you more photos and information very soon.

This picture shows re-sized versions of our JA45-Mokko stencil from our Japanese Style collection and the VN108-Gingham stencil from our Vintage Style range

In small areas, they are not too labour intensive and the results are unique. What do you think?

Helen