Dress Up a Roller Shade with a Faux Embroidery Paint Technique

Dress up a shade with a stencil and fine-point-tip puff paint, creating the look of fancy embroidery without the hours of work.

What You Need:

Gray roller shade (ours is from IKEA)
Small- to medium-size stencil (we used Folk Art Handmade Charlotte Tangier from Plaid, which was about 7 inches in diameter)
Stencil adhesive spray
Painters tape
Fine-point-tip puff paints in assorted colors (we used pale blue, plum, white, and gold)
Measuring tape

Step 1: Place Stencil

Roll out shade and place on a flat surface. Center the stencil on the shade, securing with adhesive spray and/or painters tape.

Step 2: Puff Paint Design

window dressing, stencil, and fine-point-tip puffy paint how to

With the stencil as a guide, make dots of puff paint about every 1⁄8 inch. (It will feel like decorating a cake.) Don't fill in the stencil completely. Vary color in different parts of the pattern for a multi-colored look, or keep it simple and use one color of puff paint.

DIY Roller Shade Design

Step 3: Remove Stencil

Let paint dry completely, according to manufacturer directions, to avoid smearing. Carefully remove the stencil from the shade to reveal pattern.

Step 4: Repeat

Repeat the process to fill shade as desired. Create a row of the design at the bottom of the shade for a simple finish. Fill the entire shade with the pattern for a colorful and fun look. A single stencilled design in the bottom center is a subtle way to bring the color scheme of the room to the window.

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