I wanted to create a feature wall in our bedroom and had my mind set on wallpaper. Not just any wallpaper, but Lotus BP 2053 from Farrow & Ball. I got a BIG reality check when I received the price per-roll. It was steep! And most importantly, more than I was willing to pay. Looking for a bargain I went to e-bay, but couldn’t find it in the color I wanted. So, I spent weeks trying to come up with another vision. Then, it finally occurred to me that a stencil would be the perfect substitute for wallpaper. Stencils are inexpensive, available in many patterns and offer an opportunity to do something unique. In addition to walls, just about anything can be stenciled: fabric, furniture, even floors.

I found the stencil on Etsy and chose a metallic paint from Ralph Lauren for a rich dramatic finish. After all this, it took me 5 months before I gained the confidence and had the time to actually execute the project. For me there were too many variables. Not having stenciled before, confusing written instructions and contending with a 1 1/2 year-old made the project seem more difficult than it actually was.  Finally, I decided the project had to be done. I went to YouTube and voilà!  I watched someone apply a stencil and it not only gave me instructions, but made the whole thing look easier than I thought. I dropped our son off with his grandparents and my husband and I spent the afternoon stenciling our feature wall.

Certain areas were harder to stencil than others, such as around the window, in the corners and at the bottom. In these places I was unable to tape the stencil to the wall.  Instead, my husband had to hold the stencil while I pressed with the roller brush, praying the pattern didn’t smudge too much.  There are some imperfections, but I like that. I think they add character.

I am so proud of this project. It came out better than I imagined; it was the missing touch our bedroom needed.

Image above: Supplies, a dense foam roller, styrofoam plate, paint & paper towel (to blot off excess paint)