Add blooms to your room.

Botanical Beauties

Unlike wallpaper, this overall pattern is one you'll never have to scrape off the walls. Color-washed rectangles make perfect frames for stenciled botanical "prints." Hand-painting the rectangles lets you avoid tedious taping.

See complete instructions and tips below.

• Latex paint in dark and light yellows
• Paintbrush or roller
• Carpenter's level
• Pencil
• Clear glaze
• Good-quality, 2-inch tapered paintbrush
• 2 purchased stencils with botanical designs
• Spray stencil adhesive
• Stencil brushes
• Acrylic stencil or crafts paints in desired colors
• Paper plates
• Paper towels

1. Paint entire wall with dark yellow base coat; let dry.

 

Photo 1

2. Mark squares (or rectangles) onto the wall. Measure your botanical designs, then divide wall space into a rectangular grid that will accommodate the designs and suit the size of your wall. Using a carpenter's level, pencil in the grid, as shown in Photo 1.

 

Photo 2

3. Paint light yellow squares. Mix 1 part light yellow paint with 4 parts clear glaze. Following your pencil guides, use the 2-inch paintbrush to paint alternating light yellow squares freehand. Paint the corners first, as shown in Photo 2, then fill in the middle. Imperfection makes the grid more whimsical. If you make a mistake, just paint over it with dark yellow.

4. Plan stencil placement. Decide which botanical design you want in each light-color rectangle. Alternate the designs across the wall.

 

Photo 3

5. Using one of the botanical stencils, paint the design onto the wall. Spray back of first overlay with adhesive. Press overlay to wall. Dip a stencil brush into stencil or crafts paint on a paper plate. Before painting, blot your brush on a paper towel. Too much paint will cause bleeding under the stencil. Use a pouncing motion to paint as desired, as shown in Photo 3. Let the paint dry before applying additional overlays. Repeat with next overlay until design is complete. Repeat design as planned across wall. Let dry.

6. Repeat Step 5 with the other stencil.

 

Add blooms to your room.

• If you want perfect edges on the light yellow rectangles, tape off the squares using painter's tape, seal the edges with glaze, then paint the design. This technique takes more time and costs more.
• Make your stenciling job easier by using the right supplies. Stencil brushes come in different sizes, but they all have short bristles, and most have flat ends for best effect.
• You can use any type of paint for stenciling; the main difference is whether the paint is liquid or cream. Liquid wall and crafts paints give you maximum color choice; cream paints give you maximum control.
• Spray stencil adhesive is a practical way to stick your stencils to the wall. Just make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for use.