Stencils add flexibility to bold wall designs

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/04/2004 (7936 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THERE is nothing subdued about the recent trend in graphic design on the home front. Modern walls have leapt to attention, brandishing blown-up geometric patterns and oversized flowers like a code of honour. The appeal of larger-than-life decorating lies in its ability to be fearless and fun, dramatic and energetic. To an extent, you can control the mood with colour choice, but the grandeur of size alone speaks for itself.

The images can be magnified versions of intricate patterns, such as damasks, old scroll prints and leafy ferns, or a simple as a row of flowers. Large designs are available in wallpaper, but are often quite expensive. A similar effect can be produced with paint at a fraction of the cost. If you are searching for a way to build a focal area, or if you’re in the mood to be flamboyant, use these courageous alternatives to update bland walls.

An accent wall covered in giant blocks of colour will bring balance to an open loft as it breaks up expansive space into a more comfortable scale for living. The same treatment can also be applied to average-sized rooms by wrapping the blocks around two walls and up over the ceiling. The idea is to measure and mark off irregular rectangles that can flow over natural lines or breaks at corners, the ceiling and even the floor. This is a great solution for minimizing the look of bulkheads and odd protrusions. The numerous start and stop lines will become less apparent if they lie within the confines of one colour.

In the same geometric vein, uncommonly wide horizontal stripes will open up spatial possibilities as the eye naturally follows the lines, travelling along the width of the wall, rather than up and down. Instead of a solid wall of colour, imagine the impact of fat strips of lilac and blue in a bedroom or burgundy and copper in the dining room. It’s quiet and fun.

Blocks and stripes are easy to apply; measure and mark off sections with a chalk line, mask off using low-tack painter’s tape and paint in your desired colours.

To make intricate repeat patterns, such as the ornate motif seen on the dining-room wall pictured here, is more work, but the results are worth it. You will require a large stencil. Enlarge your chosen image on a photocopier. You may need to divide the image into sections in order to get the increased size you want. Trace the enlarged picture onto a large sheet of Mylar and cut out with an sharp knife or scalpel. Select the lighter of the two colours you are using for the base coat and apply two coats to the wall. Allow it to dry overnight as you will be stencilling on the freshly-painted surface and don’t want to lift off the new paint. Spray the back of the stencil with stencil adhesive to adhere it to the wall, and apply paint sparingly with a roller so that it won’t bleed under the stencil. Remove the stencil immediately and clean up any leaks. Be careful not to smudge your work when re-positioning the large stencil.

If you are interested in adding graphic designs to one of your walls, take a trip down to the library and check out some of the patterns from the sixties and seventies in older design books. These shapes are all back in vogue. Simply adjust them with today’s fresher colours.

Debbie Travis’ House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please e-mail your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com.