One of the things about lettered stencils is that they invoke random flashbacks like art school, industrial signs, even summer camp (pretty much everything was labelled there, even underwear). We've always meant to use them to decorate furniture. Thats why we love this step-by step modern transformation of an older, shabby chic cabinet into this....
Here's the before. Now we don't have anything against casual cottage style, but the after photo really appeals to the industrial modern in us. We love the whimsical use of stencils which to us invokes an old locker. It would also be fun to write something personal like a poem (we've done this before in chalkboard paint).
We found these photos on the website of Danish magazine Bolig. While we don't understand Danish, they give several helpful step-by-step photos of how they used stencils to makeover the cabinet into something more our style.
You could get the same effect using stencils on almost anything (even on a pail like in the first photo on the left) if you download and cutting out some free stencils from one of many websites. Or you can plan exactly what you want to write and order a custom stencil online that will have it all finished and lined-up for you.
>>> Create stencils online here at stencilease
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I like this make-over, I too am fond of the cottage style but I can't help but to wonder what this piece would look like with some graphic or flower stencils instead of the industrial letters.
view boxerchick's profile
I'm not sure of the use of the old cabinet, but the look is new and it's a new idea for the use of stencils, which I personally think are cool.
view AustinSarah's profile
I like this look but it's driving me mad trying to guess what the numbers beside each city mean - clearly they're not local times, they also can't be arrival or departure times because of the route any train or plane woudl have to take to get between all those cities.... what do they mean?!?!
view idontdobeige's profile
@idontdobeige
Distances or Longitudes would be my guess.
view laurion's profile
I like the "after" but I think I like the "before" better.
Also: why couldn't they be arrival or departure times? Maybe they're "grouped" that way for aesthetic purposes rather than reflecting a particular route, and each city/time is just a discrete arrival or departure. Anyway, they definitely look like times, using the 24-hour clock commonly used in Europe (and pretty much everywhere except the US).
view mirandabee's profile