Paint Stencil Ideas

Modeled after the ornate face of an eighteenth-century case clock, this oversize yet functional wall decoration all but ensures you'll never be late again.

A mirror hung over a mantel is embellished with a stenciled overlay of glass.

Add an element of surprise to a staircase. Create stair-climbing vines with a rubber stamp and latex paint; use a brush to apply paint to the stamp. Wipe mistakes away with damp paper towels.

Hand-painted dainty blossoms, colossal peonies, and greenery entwine to form this pleasing tabletop wreath.

To create a white column in the corner of the room, we started with white walls and painted the blue area.

The delicate lace design on this screen only looks complicated. In a reversal of stenciling norms, the central motif is unpainted; light-gold paper is accentuated by a dappled coat of copper-pink paint.

Antique block-print endpapers inspired the intricate design used on throw pillows and bed linens.

There's no need to start with a blank canvas. Metallic dots stenciled onto a botanical wallpaper result in a striking union of abstract and figurative aesthetics.

Vines traced from an Early American stencil wind down a pale-gray roller shade in four columns that mirror one another.

These two handmade floral stencils, arranged agreeably askew, decorate the inner edges of curtains, framing the window. Designing a border, rather than covering the entire panel, achieves a more customized look (and saves time). An accompanying pillow features the same primitive blossoms in a related palette and echoes the still life on the wall.

By using stenciling on a smaller scale, you can brighten your bed with patterns from the Pacific.