Design Inspiration. Planet Stencil Library.

The New Five Point Star Stencil Is Not Only For Christmas

This year I intend to stencil fabric to use as gift wrap instead of stencilling paper. A simple star stencil is a suitable motif for the festive season but could be used at any time of year. It can decorate a ceiling, a wardrobe or be a pretty addition to a nursery.

We have many different star stencils but for ease and speed I shall choose HO10 -5 Point Star.  if you type the word 'star' into the search on our website you will find a few different star stencils. This one is in the Celebration Section of our new website and there are similar star stencils in the Holiday section of our older website.

The Five Point Star stencil is handy to decorate table linen as well as wrapping and a single star from the five will fit nicely onto a greetings card should you be making your own.  I fancy stencilling cards with Instant Size and Metal Transfer Leaf. Both light and dark colours of card stock should work well with a metallic finish. 

The HO10 Five Point Star stencil will repeat in all directions by fitting two of the star shapes in the stencil over two of the stencilled imprints that you have created; either above and below or by matching two from either side.

Last year, I used the five pointed star stencil to decorate a table runner and is back on the table again this year.

The material is roller blind fabric. I painted both sides with a matt finish wall paint. It is important to paint both the sides to prevent the fabric curling. When the decoration is complete apply varnish to both sides too.

The table runner has the advantage of being wipe clean. It has a festive side for December and a different pattern for the rest of the year’ It has been switched over to the star side for our Christmas events at The Stencilled Home.

The Stencilled Home is where The Stencil Library partners live and was the title of our first book published in 1998. The book takes the reader on a tour of thirteen rooms at our home. Also, we host real tours where you get to visit eleven of the rooms....I turned two of the original rooms into offices and storage....and no one wants to see that. Information on the tours and classes were published in a recent post on this blog and on our Events page. 

Signed and unsigned copies of  The Stencilled Home book are available on both of our websites. Within the pages there are fifty patterns to trace and cut, it would make a good gift and could be combined with a tracing pencil, stencil film and cutting tools from our accessories section at the website.

Helen

 

Buy one, get one free. My mistake, your gain.

Would you like a free stencil? Yes? Then, read on.

Because all our stencils are made to order we won’t usually have discounted excess stock to offer. However, I miscalculated the quantity on a large order of stencils going to a shop and cut a lot more than they needed and so rather than have them sit in the office I am offering you a 'buy one, get one free' on all Basic Borders from our Budget Collection  Just choose and pay for one Basic Border stencil on our website. Then, in the special instruction section on the order form tell me which other Basic Border you would like free of charge. You may choose two of the same design if wished.

If you are ordering by phone rather than through the website, just give me the information when you call. Our contact details are here.

Basic Borders are a range of stencils that we created for shops, so all the prices and the sizes are the same. Basic Borders cost £11.25 each and their design size varies between 2 and 3.5 inches. (50mm and 90mm) The total size of the stencils including the surround is around 4 and a half inches tall (115mm) and just over 10 inches (260mm) long. All the Basic Borders start with the code BB. If the code does not start with BB it is not part of this offer. There are 106 rather lovely BB's in the Budget Collection, there is bound to be one, two or more to suit you. Enjoy browsing and choosing....this will not be happening again. I hope.

Helen.

Shepherd Huts at Hesleyside Huts

I stencilled one of the fabulous shepherd's huts at Hesleyside Hall in Northumberland.   

The hut was called Bracken. My brief had been to soften the edges of the decoration inside the hut with stencilled 'greenery' to match the wallpaper. The interior was designed by Anna Charlton and it was already cosy and welcoming before I got there. I just added forest themed twiddly bits. Hesleyside Hall has been home to the Charlton family for over 750 years. These luxurious huts and cabins nestle within the gardens of Hesleyside Hall, landscaped by Capability Brown in the 1700's as so many of the grand country houses were.  The interior of Bracken includes a wood-burning stove, king-size bed, kitchen area and en-suite shower. Outside there is a porch with rocking chairs and a large bath tub that you heat by lighting a log fire under it. There's a fire pit for each hut and marshmallows are provided for toasting in the flames. Not that I had time for any of that. I was here to work.

Firstly we needed to make the stencils. I know you will ask where the paper came from; it's Sybilla by Living Quarters and here's a link to it. The stencils are custom made for this one project and are not for sale. We do have some lovely tree stencils amongst our own designs and you will find them at our web site. A good starting point would be this collection as it has trees and flowers similar to the one's stencilled in the Bracken Hut.

I started by decorating the window shutter beside the bed.

 

I wanted it to look pretty from the outside as well as in. When the shutter is open one sees a delicate stencilled flower; and when it is closed one sees a tree design and then the flower is visible only when you pass by the cabin window.

I stencilled with artist quality acrylic paints by Golden and by Liquitex. Some of the Farrow & Ball paint that had been used on the kitchen area was included in the stencilled flowers and berries.

After the little door on the window was finished I tackled the bigger doors under the bed then embellished the pocket door to the shower and lavvy. All were stencilled with motifs from the wallpaper and wherever possible I made the painted decoration an extension of the paper design. None of the stencils had to be particularly robust; they just needed to do this one job so we were able to offer the delicacy of the original without worry about the longevity of the product.

Greenery was stencilled over the bed and under it.  I had to test that the stencilling looks good from the pillows on both sides of the bed.

For a similar ivy stencil see our DR1 Designer Ivy stencil.

I had a lovely day working in the most charming surroundings. I took photos and videos of the stencilling process and no doubt they will appear on the @thestencillibrary Instagram and Facebook accounts. Anna and William Charlton fed me frequently and popped in to check on my wellbeing even though they were busy with a television crew filming in another cabin.  Holiday makers staying in a neighbouring hut came visiting with offers of wine and food, they took this picture of me as I was clearing up to leave for the evening.

I could have done with a long, log lit, bath on the porch, enjoying a book from the mini library while sipping the wine that the neighbours offered but I needed to head home and pack stencils for our mail order customers. Hesleyside is in the dark skies area of Northumberland almost on the border of England and Scotland, not far from the Kielder Observatory. To learn more about Hesleyside Huts and to make a booking go to their site. The Charlton family have created a magical experience for their visitors ...just read the reviews and take a look at the tree house! 

Good night Bracken, you were a delight to spend time with and when I get a chance I will return to see you with all your soft furnishings back in place.

Helen Morris. Author

Best of British Mother's Day Gifts. 25 ideas for gifts made in The UK

The Make It British website champions manufacturing in the United Kingdom and they included our stencil classes in their Best of British guide to Mother's Day Gifts made in the United Kingdom.

They wrote

'Treat her to an experience you can enjoy together with a stencilling class from The Stencil Library. After a guided tour around The Stencilled Home, enjoy tea, cake and a stencilling session. Decorate and take home a cushion cover to remember the experience forever.'

They were recommending one of the classes and tours that we host at The Stencil Library. We have a few scheduled throughout the year and the next one is in May. However, private Tea and Stipples can be booked for up to four people at other times. 

So, thank you Make It British for our mention. My Mum and I enjoy excursions where we see and do things...especially when they involve tea and cake.

The following information is from the Tours and Classes section of our website. Contact and booking information is there too.

TEA AND STIPPLE

Tea, Tour, Make and Take (2pm to 6pm) - £47.00

Friday 19th May 2023

After a guided tour around The Stencilled Home, enjoy tea, cake and a stencilling session. Participants decorate and take home a cushion cover. Ideal for a treat to yourself or with friends. Allow 4 hours.

Private Tea and Stipple classes can be arranged on mutually acceptable dates. Price per group (up to four people) £170.00

Helen.

 

 

Salon Bergen 2022

I'll be participating in the SALON of decorative painters in Bergen, Norway next week so I will not be able to post stencils or supplies  The website will be accepting orders, Chips will be cutting them for you but they will not get mailed until I return on the 24th May.

I apologise for any inconvenience.

If you would like to know more about Salon Bergen follow the posts from The Stencil Library's Instagram and Facebook pages. @thestencillibrary or visit the Salon Forever website

The SALON is a gathering of dedicated decorative painters from around the world coming together to exhibit their work and discuss old and new techniques, products, and information in the field. The Salon, which began in 1992 in Belgium with a small gathering of professionals, reconvened in 1996 and has been coming together in growing numbers every year since.

The Salon is now recognized as the most important and significant gathering of decorative painters in the world. 

Participants of The Salon include teachers from schools as well as those who are independent commercial craftspeople. The Salon is a way for some of the most unique traditions within the field of decorative arts to be shared amongst one another and ultimately, passed onto participants’ students. 

The opportunity enhances and extends the level of communication between serious and committed craftsmen.

The Salon is also a way for visitors and the outside public to experience the high quality of work present and meet the real masters of this craft. Ongoing demonstrations and an exhibit hall allow visitors and participants to view works specifically created for The Salon.  

Helen

 

 

A carpet of crocus at Wallington Hall, Northumberland

It has been a long while since I took you all on a day out with me. A date for your diary this month might be to visit the lawns of the walled garden at Wallington Hall in Northumberland and see them carpeted with violet coloured croci.  

I chanced upon an image of it on The National Trust website and could not believe that I had not seen them because I visit Wallington Gardens fairly regularly. So, armed with my camera, my National Trust membership card and some warm clothes I set off to find the flowers.

When I got to Wallington I thought that I would take a quick trip around the house...but there is no such thing as a quick trip. I tend to forget how beautiful it is.  One of the volunteer cooks had just baked scones and encouraged me to stay a while.  The time flew by and I may have missed the best of the daylight when I reached the gardens. I spent hours there enjoying the flowers and taking endless photos; sometimes on my belly in the mud. The crocus lawns were fairly crowded when I arrived then emptied towards closing time. I think I was the last to leave. Wallington Hall is a National Trust property near Cambo in Northumberland. It is very close to Kirkharle the birthplace of the 18th century landscape architect Capability Brown, combine the two for a full day out, both have cafes! 

My visit was around the 12th of March 2018 but the flowering time will depend on the climate each year, it may be an idea to check at the National Trust's Northumberland page before planning your visit. 

Update...it is looking fabulous right now.

Helen.

Hello. I'm still here.

Just a little note to apologise for not taking you on my travels at the moment. Like many of you I haven't been anywhere since the lock-downs started. I apologise for not bringing you inspiration and information from the stencil projects we've been working on or the new stencil designs created for our website The Stencil Library. We have been working constantly, we are still fine. The tours and classes remain cancelled until we are able to host again. Mail order is unaffected and we are cutting and sending stencils everywhere that is accepting mail.

 I miss writing our blog and chatting with you. I've shown some of the new work onto our @thestencillibrary Instagram please visit and say Hello. AND I will post a project, some stencil inspiration or travels from another era and I will do it by the end of this weekend. There, I have said it so it has to happen. I want to be back!

Missing you, thanks for checking in. Helen.

New Jaipur Panel stencil as seen in Homes & Gardens September 2019 issue

Stylist, designer and general interiors supremo Katrin Cargill has created some beautiful projects with our stencils over the years so it was lovely to design a stencil for her 'Indian Summer' featured in the September issue of Homes & Gardens magazine. So, let me introduce our new Jaipur Panel stencil.

The stencil is offered at 15.3/4 inches high (28cms) but like any of our other stencils can be scaled to fit your decorative scheme. Just email or phone us with the size that you need. The Jaipur Panel is a perfect fit for many cupboard and cabinet fronts. We have quite a few Indian style stencils in our India and China collection and there is a crossover in style with some of our Ottoman range too.

I sent ideas back and forth to Katrin and we decided to re-draw the OTT47 Panel no 1 from our Ottoman stencil collection and frame it with a simple coach-line border. The result can be ordered on this link or at stencil-library.co.uk. The UK site is much smaller than our usual one and houses the special designs that don't fit with the normal collection. Jaipur Panel is one of those. The UK site ships worldwide.

I used Cerulean Blue and Cobalt paint on the samples that I sent to Katrin and she stencilled hers with Arsenic by Farrow & Ball. 

The September issue should be on the shelves any day now...mine was a subscription copy.

Helen

Canal art stencils, Anya Hindmarch and roses in December

During an early morning walk down Pont Street in London, I stopped to admire the shop window of Anya Hindmarch which was decorated with large folk art roses. To me, this style of traditional roses are a cheerful site whether they painted on window boxes and shutters in pale muted tones or bright and exuberant on the sides of the canal boats and it reminded me that we created several stencil designs based on roses and castles of traditional narrow boat painting, they are for sale in our Folk Art section and I thought you might like to see them. This one is 295 Rose Trio

and this is 297 Rose Centrepiece,

there are more of them.

I have pictures of a room that was stencilled in murky pinks and greys with the same stencils of roses. I can not locate the photos but try to imagine it, the quiet colour palette looks very pretty with these designs.

Our 298-Rose Garland design could make a door decoration to look as lovely as the one at Anya's shop and we make monogram stencils too.

If you wanted to decorate to the same overblown scale as the windows at Anya Hindmarch remember that we make each stencil to order so they can be scaled up or down in size for you....within reason.

Helen

Chinoiserie with stencils.

This time last year I was creating sample boards and fabric for a client that wanted a handpainted Chinoiserie room with stencilled wallpaper and matching fabrics. These are a couple of shots from the samples, in case you are inspired to stencil something similar for yourself or your customers.

The stencil that I used for the samples was the Chinoiserie panel CH4 from our Chinese Style collection. The panel can be used independently or as part of a set of four stencils which repeat in sequence to make a long and very wide decorative border.

The minimum depth of the border is 44 inches (1118mm) that size is described as the 'small' panel on our website, but you can order it up to 96 inches deep (2438mm) and we describe that size as X. If even more height is needed consider marrying it with a contrasting design above or below the panels. I add extra butterflies and birds to further extend the height if the area is very high. Using all four of the panel stencils will give the effect of handpainted Chinese wallpapers of the 18th-century. The stencil that I used is 96 inches high but I only needed to use a section of it for the samples. I have reused this same stencil for over twelve years now and it has travelled to many countries. When I decorate the room for our customer I will have the luxury of a using a new set and that set will belong to them after I have completed the project. One of the advantages of using a stencil to create a mural such as this is that the stencil gives the shape, structure and form but the stenciller controls the colours and can make each flower bird and butterfly differ from the next by way of colour choice and shading. 

The fabric that I used was silk, if the budget does not stretch to real silk there are some good fakes that are washable and give an effect of silk. I used a silver leaf wallpaper to stencil onto. This again is top of the range. If your budget does not allow such luxuries select a less expensive wallpaper or stencil directly onto the painted wall. The advantage of this paper is that the client will be able to remove it, roll it up and transport it to a new home if desired. There are a few tutorials on 'how to stencil onto fabric' on this blog and I have put a couple of them onto YouTube. A quick and simple demonstration of stencilling onto material can be found on this link.

Helen.

Today's Stencil Inspiration: Complex, But Worth It

When I say complex, I mean more laborious than difficult.  But sometimes the effort is worth is.  People look at this picture and ask where the stencil is because the pattern, which is indeed created with a stencil, does not look like most stencils.  This is another design inspired by the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and is a wonderful example of chinoiserie.  It is CV28 Royal Pavilion Fretwork and it is from our New Classic Victorian range of stencils.  It comes in two sizes and the larger is designed so that you can create this design up to chair rail height or thereabouts.  It is a 5 layer stencil.  This is where the laborious comes into it, but it is designed this way to make it simple to use.  This comes with full instructions, each layer is numbered and has registration marks to match them up, and you use a single colour on each layer.  Two colours for the wavy background and three for the 3D fretwork effect.  As it is a single colour per layer, you could apply the paint with a paint roller to speed up the process a bit. But at the end, you will have something that only otherwise, exists in a palace.

The Daily Stencil Inspiration: The Vertical Border

We always think horizontally when a border is mentioned.  But there is such a thing as a vertical border and it is very effective.  It can be used in different ways but I particularly like making stripes with them for an all over repeat pattern as here.  This is CV14 Anglesey Border, one of three vertical borders from our New Classic Victorian range of stencils.  It comes with one set of dots down one side (so that if you wanted to recreate this effect, you could), but you can either not use the dots at all or if you wanted a gap between borders, stencil in the dots only on the other side.  Also, this has a repeat that also works as a motif so you can pull that out and use it in different ways.  Once you start thinking about it, you can do so much with these borders. 

The Daily Stencil Inspiration: You Can't Beat a Bit of Neoclassicism

Classical design from ancient greek and roman times was a bit special.  When you think about it, it has been in use in the design world in some shape or form ever since.  It is reminiscent of a sophisticated time so it is still used to lend an air of gravitas whether it is in architecture, interior design or the decorative arts.  This border is from our new Classical Victorian range of stencils.  It is CV8 Putney Tile Border.  I am no great historian but during Victorian times, Britain was at the height of its game.  The Empire was huge, the Industrial Revolution was in full flow.  It is not surprising therefore that architects and decorators sought to compound that power by referencing classical design within victorian design. Classical elements of style were yet again used thoughout buildings be it public or private.  To this day, if you want to lend an air of formality and sophistication to your home, a neoclassical design is good place to start.  It is a more formal design and therefore will not be to everyone's taste nor would it suit everyone's homes.  Sometimes, it is used in a more formal room like the dining room or rather a room you want to emphasise as formal, where it might not look good in another room of the same house.

The Daily Stencil Inspiration: Subtle Impact

We have often talked about how a design can be made more subtle with the use of colour, but it can also apply to the design itself.  There are certain designs that although large are also subtle in style.  This large KN2 Scandinavian motif is exactly such a design.  It comes in two sizes and this is the largest size at 26" x 24" as a square.  Turn it so that it becomes a diamond shape and it is even taller at about 36" (just under 1 metre).  By the time it sits atop a skirting board as here, it is quite large taking up a big chunk of the lower portion of your wall.  And yet, it is still a quiet design.  Here we have stencilled in white on a dark grey so the design does stand out, but the nature of the small shapes within this simple motif mean that it will always be subtle.  Another way to have pattern in your room without it being the main focus.

Todays Stencil Inspiration: The Large Border

I am sure I have mentioned the concept of a large border before.  Basically it is a way to cover a large portion of your wall space but it works just like a border so is quite straightforward to position and repeat.  This is CV10-L Pavilion Border from the Classic Victorian section of our New British Inspired stencil range.  It is 33 inches (84cm) deep so when used at the bottom of the wall as here, covers all the space below where a chair rail would traditionally lie.  On another note, this design was adapted from designs at the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, a chinoiserie gem.

Todays Stencil Inspiration: An Alternative Ceiling Rose Idea

According to Wikipedia, the "ceiling rose" dates back centuries to Tudor times.  A rose, symbol of secrecy, was suspended above a table where important meetings would take place and symbolised the freedom to speak plainly without repercussion.  Over the years, it evolved into a decorative item used in all sorts of buildings including homes.  But there is still an association with secrecy in that an added ceiling rose quite often was there to conceal the wiring for overhead lighting, although in many cases now is there purely for decorative reasons.  We do several designs that are suitable as ceiling roses many of them classical and traditional but we do have some designs that would work that are something a bit different.  This, BU3 Moths to a Flame, is one of our favourites and we have featured it a few times, but it is just such a great alternative to the traditional patterns.  It can work wherever you want something a bit more contemporary, surprising or fun.  It is a formal pattern of butterfly and moth silhouettes, but you can make it less formal by having a few of the butterflies fly off into the distance.  This has been made in two pieces and has a central void for going around a light fitting.  We have other dedicated ceiling rose designs that have been set up in a similar way.  If you want to use another circular design we have as a ceiling rose, please contact us first to discuss.  We can look at adding a void in the centre and also how we can make it in a way so that you can keep it up on a ceiling as you work.

Stencil Inspiration of the Day: Details

We do spend a lot of time on this blog showing off stencils over large surfaces or covering large areas, but you don't necessarily need to do something on such a large scale.  This photos shows off a corner of a desk we had painted. It was just lacking in that little something so we added two borders from one of our Furniture Stencils, F16 Brushstrokes No. 3 stencil.  Each border is only 12mm wide (about 0.5 inch).  One border has been used on the top of the desk and the other along the back.  It is just that little bit of detail that can add a bit of interest and finish something off without being obstrusive.  These little borders do not have to be used solely on furniture.  You can use them on a picture rail or skirting board, door panels, picture frames, cushion covers, curtain edging and more.  Just when you want to add some pattern, akin to trim, but not necessarily on a large scale. 

The Daily Stencil Inspiration: The Personal Touch

With the holidays just around the corner (what? already?), it is time to start thinking of festive decorations and presents and so on.  Here is a little bit of inspiration for you involving our 311 Victorian Monogram (you can have your choice of one or two initials).  A monogram always adds a personal touch. You can use a stencil to do it and if you are using a stencil, you can monogram anything you can get paint onto.  Here we have stencilled a pair of inexpensive suede shoes.  This could make a great gift or just something you do for yourself to wear.  One year, I found some vintage cotton robes and stencilled a monogram onto those as gifts.  You can stencil wrap, table placemats, chair covers, decorations.....the list goes on.  We do several monogram stencils or should you want to do several, we also have many styles of alphabet stencils.

 

Stencil Inspiration for the Day: Subtle Paint Splatter

Apologies for the long break, but I had the double whammy of the quarterly VAT return and Year End Accounts so have been playing with numbers not paint lately.  But now that is done and it is back to pretty things.  I cannot get enough of paint splatter  I was thinking about why I liked it so much.  I think because it has an element of "naughty".  This was definitely something you were not supposed to do when young (yet I am sure all of us have done it...either that or writing on the walls).  Now, not only are we encouraging you, we have made a stencil to make it easier.  This is MD41-X Splatter.  It comes in 4 sizes and this is the largest.  Here we have done it in a very subtle way so that it is almost a texture rather than a bold pattern.  This stencil works as a repeat pattern.  So you use it in one colour, covering the surface, on our walls we have used beige.   Then you turn the stencil (in this case 90 degrees) and stencil in another colour on top (white here).  As this is a single colour per layer, we used a roller for quicker paint application.  You can do this as few or as many times as you like.  You could just stick with one layer or you can do this several times with several colours.  We chose two quiet colours and left it at that.  I like that this is wholly modern but would make an excellent background for your antiques and oil paintings.  It is a perfect design to mix with classic, historical and traditional.  And it still feels a bit naughty.  In my sensible middle age, I like that.

Stencil Inspiration of The Day: Creating Fireworks

Whilst at first glance this may not seem like an obvious choice for wall decoration, it does make a good, subtle backdrop.  It is quite a versatile design so especially good for rooms with lots of other stuff going on.  We have shown this as a traditional firework spray configuration but this design is made up of single curved strands of dots and how you put them together is up to you.  You can scatter them about in a more contemporary abstract way just to add some pattern to the wall and break it up without it being too busy if wished. The stencil is LTL7 Fireworks, in the large size, from our Larger Than Life range of stencils. We are also showing off metallic paints in this picture so have painted the walls and floor black for maximum impact.  We do a nice range of metallic colours by Jacquard.  There are the usual gold, silver and copper in varying shades, but there are also metallic greens, blues, violets, pinks, reds, and more.  On a pale background they are subtle but on a dark background they stand out more. These paints are suitable for fabrics too.

 

The Daily Stencil Inspiration: Having Fun with Dancing Girls

Interiors need not be so serious.  They can have a fun element.  This is hands down one of my favourite stencils in our range.  I just love the style of it and the little feather skirts and tops.  I did this stencil many years ago in my sister's bathroom.  It just worked so well in the vintage style room.  And it made a utilitarian room fun.  You could not help but smile at a row of chorus girls dancing around the room.  The border, in this case, was placed a mid wall height above where the tiles ended.  The stencil is 313 Chorus Girls and it is in our Lucky Dip range of stencils, a mixed assortment of stencils that really didn't fit into any other category.  Below is another treatment of the chorus girls.  This time done on a single wall in horizontal bands filling the whole wall and flipping the stencil every other "line". 

Stencil Inspiration for the Day: Why Would I Want Snakeskin On My Walls?

Because it is subtle and textural.  Yes, it will be about colour choice and scale (no pun intended).  This is MD8 Snakeskin from our Modern Design range of stencils.  All the MD stencils come in 4 sizes.  Not only does the size of the stencil increase but also the scale.  So with the animal prints, by the time you are looking at the -L and -X sizes, the scale is supersize.  This is the -L (large) size.  This version has been done in white and mushroom with a hint of pearlescent white on a beige wall, very pale and tonal.  The idea is that it is more of a texture.  The pattern is barely there.  And in its larger size, is not immediately noticible as snakeskin.  It doesn't matter if your walls are pale or dark or anything in between, if you stick to tones of your wall, then the effect will always be subtle.  Of course, what I like about it is that it is a bit adventurous.  Not much, but this is supersize snakeskin afterall and not everyone's idea of a wall finish.  You will know it even if most others do not realise which makes it a bit fun too. FYI, the stencil on the cushion is an art nouveau border DE191 Border No. 99.

Today's Stencil Inspiration: Unashamedly Maximalist Pattern

For those who want colour AND pattern;  This is DE82 Repeat No. 16, a neo-gothic repeat pattern from our Arts & Crafts range.  Gothic revival was an integral part of the Arts & Crafts style.  The stylised floral and natural patterns fitted well with the Arts & Crafts ethos.  We have gone for full impact here.  It starts with a rich jewel colour wall, a colour somewhere between royal purple and sapphire.  Then we have stencilled in black, scarlet red, orange, and white.  The effect is called random swirling where you start with one colour and randomly swirl it over the surface filling in some of the design.  Then you randomly swirl another colour into other areas and finally the same with a third and so on until the whole design is filled in.  The effect is softer than when you pick out specific shapes in a particular colour and keep it regimented over the whole surface.  The bold colour combination is not for the minimalist.  This is unapologetic maximalism.  Think of it as art covering your whole wall.  To make this work in a room, it is important that the furniture and accessories balance well.  So they should be quite minimal so as not to compete with the wild walls. 

The Daily Stencil Inspiration: Stencilling with Varnish (again, but it deserves to be seen twice)

This is such a good effect it deserves to be seen again (even though I featured it with a different stencil not too long ago).  We generally use black because it photographs better but it can be done with any colour including white.  The premise is simple.  Paint your walls in a matte finish paint (emulsion or latex).  Stencil in acrylic (water based) gloss varnish.  The effect is subtle but so effective.  The gloss finish deepens the background tone.  This effect is created because it uses the two extreme ends of the finish spectrum.  You need the contrast to make it work.  A nice bonus is that light bounces off it so it changes throughout the day.  It is slightly reflective so depending on how the light is hitting it, it may pick up subtle colour reflections of items in the room.  You can use this with any stencil pattern.  Here we have used SIB20-SR Damask, a small damask repeat pattern from our Stencil It range. With this traditional pattern, it somehow manages to look like the tonal or flocked damask of old and an updated version of it at the same time.  Because it will keep the pattern quiet, it will always be a background pattern to the rest of the room.  Again, if you want pattern, but you also want it to be subtle, this is a great way to achieve it.

Stencil Inspiration for the Day: Really Making A Stencil Work For You

Why stencils?  Certainly you get a lot of satisfaction from doing something yourself, being artistic without needing to be an artist.  But perhaps the main reason for using stencils is their flexibility.  Obviously there is the colour choice.  That will purely your own.  But more than that, it is what you do with the design.  You can really make a stencil design work for you.  Some offer more flexibility than others, but even the most regimented of borders can be used in different ways if wished.  Other stencils really do offer an opportunity to be creative and come up with something unique to you and your room.  Take this example here.  We have used CH12 Pavilion Panel No. 1 in the XL size from the Panel section of our Chinese Style stencils.  It is a flowering tree or shrub in a pot in the chinoisierie style.  The curving shapes of the branches on the shrub make it perfect to play around with.  Yes, you can use it as we have designed it.  Or you can reconfigure it.  Here we have used the body of the shrub on the wall, but instead of the pot, we have extended the trunk to the floor (just seen behind the dressing table).  We have continued some of the design, by just repeating sections of it, onto the wall behind the dressing table so it grows and ambles a bit but just in this corner.  Finally, we have taken a section of the same stencil and stencilled it on the fabric back panel of the french style chair.  As the chair fabric sections were well stuffed and therefore quite rigid, it was easy to stencil onto.  If you are unsure of where to "grow" a design like this, quickly stencil it onto some paper (lining paper is good) that you can cut up into sections and stick onto the wall to test how things look.  This way you can try out different things before you hit the wall itself.  Once you are happy, just snap a quick photo on your phone so you have a guide to follow. 

Today's Stencil Inspiration: French Panels

Click HERE and you will see not only the different stencils used to create these panels, but a different configuration using these same stencils.  We have used FR27 Belle Quadrant, FR28 Belle Corner, FR29 Belle Mini Border and FR31 Belle Motif.  Panels are an integral part of historical interior decoration.  I am not sure why...maybe it was simply because it was a way to divide up large wall and ceiling spaces (as historically speaking, elaborate decoration occured mostly in larger homes).  If that is the case, then it was very effective.  Of course most of that panelling was either carved wood or moulded plaster.  Now we can create it with stencils and use them in average homes on normal height and sized walls.  In order to accomodate different sized spaces, we have made these stencils in elements.  So you have cornerpieces, centrepieces, motifs, and borders.  We do a few different styles in our French Inspired range and the Classical Victorian section of our British Inspired range.  What you use and the way you use them is up to you.  You can create square or rectangular panels and to whatever size needed.  Yes, you will need to do some planning and measuring and then will need to lightly mark out the panel size on your surface so you have something to follow, but the results are always worth the effort.  This is certainly an effect that cannot be achieved with paper.  It is classic in style and is a great way to break up wall surfaces.  If you are ambitious, you can create a large panel on your ceiling.  That these stencils are in elements mean you are not working with huge heavy stencils on what is an awkward surface.  You can use panels to frame something important to make more of a feature of them.

The Daily Stencil Inspiration: Kilim For Your Walls

A kilim is a tapestry woven rug or carpet from the ancient Ottoman Empire region.  It is a traditional style of weaving still created today and is usually made up of a combination of colourful geometric shapes. It is also an incredibly popular rug style throughout the world.  Many a home has a kilim or Persian rug (or both).  The colour and pattern work so well with any style of decor even though they are...colourful and patterned.  So we came up with some kilim inspired designs like this one which we have stencilled the walls with.  This is LD2 Kilim Repeat.  It comes in two sizes and this is the smaller.  It is part of our Ottoman and Moroccan ranges (so can be found in two places on our site).  You paint the wall the colour you want the lines to be (in this case golden ochre yellow) and then stencil in the shapes (here in dark grey, light grey and cream).  It is a simple geometric stencil that somehow manages to look neutral regardless of the colours so it, like the rugs, compliment a wide range of room styles.  

Stencil Inspiration for the Day: Contemporary Silver

I do not know why, but as a metallic colour, silver automatically oozes modernity.  If I cast my mind through historical decorating styles, maybe the first time if was really used in any major way, was during the art deco era.  I certainly cannot think of it being in use before then...it always seemed to be gold or copper in the arts and crafts era.  Maybe, and I really am letting my mind run, gold was always used because it was symbolic of higher value (still is).  Silver might not have been used because it was a lesser metal.  By the time the 20s rolled around, that didn't matter so much.  And silver is a cooler (temp wise) colour so suited the paler, more minimalist interiors of the art deco era.  For whatever reason, silver has always had a contemporary edge.  And as such, use it with a historical design and it automatically updates it and makes it seem more modern.  Take this scrolly repeat FR9 Amelie from our new French Inspired range of stencils.  Do it in gold or copper and it will look more rococo or victorian.  Do it in silver and it is crisper and more updated.  We have shown it with pieces that are modern interpretations of older items, smoother, more streamlined and painted black.