Tone on Tone Wall Stencil

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 -
How to create a tone on tone pattern on a wall using a stencil

Remember last week when I shared my hairpin leg vanity? Did you notice the beautiful brunette modeling? Well, that's my best friend Nicki. She and I have been like peas and carrots since High School. Nicki recently bought a gorgeous new house and we have been working bit by bit to make it a home. Anyone remember the DIY entertainment center we built? 


The next room on the chopping block is her office area. She has amazing tall ceilings and lots of natural light. This room was a perfect candidate for a dramatic wall treatment. 


The first step was to mask off the ceiling, baseboards, and window frame (you can find 3M Scotch-Blue 2093 Advanced Multi-Surface Painters Masking Tape with Edge-Lock, 60 yds Length x 1" Width, Blue). I rarely mask off anything when I paint a room. I have been blessed with steady hands so I usually just cut in by hand, but trust me when I say you'll want to mask off before attempting this project. It will make your life much easier.

Next, the walls received a couple coats of Naval by Sherwin Williams in an eggshell sheen.



The next day, it was time to stencil! I picked the Iron Gate Allover stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils. For the paint for the stencil design, we started with our base color (Naval by Sherwin Williams), this time in gloss, and asked the person mixing to lighten it by 50%. 


I'm sure you have all read a stencil tutorial before. I'm not going to reinvent the wheel, but I'll share my tips:


  • Use a high density foam roller, with VERY little paint loaded on. You may have to make a couple of passes, but trust me, you don't want to load up the paint. Bleed city. 
  • Make sure to wipe the back side of the stencil each time you pull it off the wall. After about 4-5 uses, we noticed the front side started getting really gunky and needed cleaning. Luckily, latex paint pulls off pretty easily in sheets. 
  • Start in your most conspicuous area. The pattern may not end perfectly on seams and corners, so start on the wall which your eyes will land on the most, and start your pattern there. 
  • The extra little ceiling stencil (included with wall stencil) is a life saver! 




I was surprised how little paint we went through. We only used about one quart of the lighter, stencil color. The process is pretty simple, although not speedy. It took two of us almost two whole days to stencil all around the room. Totally worth it! Take a look for yourself. 


It looks so beautiful! Actually, while I was snapping photos, a neighbor stopped by and complimented Nicki on her "beautiful wall paper". Unfortunately, the light from the window casts some funny shadows in the photos.



The color changes depending on where you're standing in the room. When the light hits the pattern directly, you catch more of the contrast.

How to create a tone on tone pattern on a wall using a stencil.

Once all the paint was dry, we could slide her office shelving/desk combo in place. That is DIY people! No, I'm not kidding.  Isn't it gorgeous?! Nicki and her dad put it together from a handful of thrift store pieces, just like her entertainment center. 


This was my first experience with Cutting Edge Stencils and I can honestly say I was impressed, not only with the quality of the stencil, but the range of design options. In fact, they just added a slew of new designs (you can check them out here).


Well friends, if you are interested in trying a stenciling project yourself, you're in luck! Head over to my Instagram account, where I am currently running a giveaway. You may win a $50 credit to CuttingEdgeStencils!





*This post was sponsored by Cutting Edge Stencils. I was compensated for my review of the products. This post also contains affiliate links. 


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4 comments

  1. Yes, that is really beautiful! But I see a little spot that you missed (just kidding!)

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  2. Gorgeous design, it does look like wallpaper! :) The colors you picked are beautiful too! Heading over to IG to follow you and to enter the giveaway.

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