apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I would! This would be a wonderful subtle effect if done in only slightly varying shades of color.

$45 is a lot for something you could easily design yourself on foamboard or plastic and cut out with an exacto knife

oh wow . . I love what they've done with it in the photo. The whole setup is quite lovely.

It does seem like doing an entire wall would be a lot of work - but it sure would make an impact! And it could be very useful as an accent as well. You'd have to be meticulous with your measurements though!!!

This really isn't a new idea . . . it's just being brought back around again! (and it's a lot better than those horrible Ivy stencils!!) :)

We recently stenciled our remodeled bathroom. I designed the stencil, then we popped off to the Tech Shop in Menlo Park to cut the stencil on their laser cutter, which saved my wrists. (I've gone the exacto route before, and I cannot recommend it.) The decision to paint rather than paper was made easier by the fact that I've had to strip wallpaper before!

If you want to see what we did, it's here:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3590309072_6a4dbe8330_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3318/3597354088_6ed15c3926_o.jpg

There is a wall in Siren Salon on Lincoln that I've always loved that reminds me of this.

Its stenciled pattern is red on blue and really vibrates.

Maybe one of Apartment Therapy's Chicago bloggers should go take a picture of it for us to enjoy... :)

Very over priced well that is retail for you. I have grasscloths I sell for less.

absolutely I would. I wouldn't feel confident enough to create a perfectly repeating pattern on my own and after removing wallpaper that had been painted over for years I am all for this method. I remember watching it done on an old Changing Rooms and it seemed slightly painful but do-able.

also paintitbright your bathroom is great and I love the tiles.

Paintitbright....

that is a fabulous bathroom.. love the orange with the gray and white tile.....

Aw, thanks for the compliments on my bathroom! :-)

Lots more stencil designs here:

http://www.walltowallstencils.com/stencils/wallpaper.php

It appears that, as most things are, the more elaborate the design - the more costly the stencil.

@quinnley

How about you try that exacto-knife and foamcore thing with a pattern similar to this and let us know how that works for ya?

paintibright: Really nice job! - and - thanks for mentioning Tech Shop! I work 5 minutes from there, didn't even know they existed, what a great resource (I signed up for 2 classes immediately).

paintitbright, i saw AT's other post on your bathroom remodel, lovely bathroom. where did you get your shower screen/door? thanks.

bepsf, I will. I'm moving into a rental in about a month and have about 500 different plans for each room through! Editing will be key...

I'd give it a try, though I'm sure I'd be cussing like a drunken soccer mom half way through the project.

As for DIY comments on stencils: Good luck! There's no way in hell anyone can get a design that intricate perfect with an X-acto knife. Of course, I'd love to be proven wrong!

; )

@modtramp

Detail that fine impossible with an X-acto? Obviously, you don't know any graphic designers. I used to make typographic collages for a Directed Studies course, and regularly freehanded the capital letter "a" at half an inch tall. Compartively, that design at 12 inches tall looks fairly simple. As far as materials, Foamcore might be too thick for a stencil. Plastic sheeting or cardstock would be better.