Decorate with Stenciled Borders
Stencil designs have always been popular for decorating walls, floors and furniture, but a repeat stencil design can be used to create a versatile border for solving all sorts of decorating problems as well. It's easy and inexpensive.
Enlarge A Small Window
Make a small window appear larger by surrounding it with a stenciled border. Apply the design to the molding or paint the molding a color, then use the same paint to stencil the wall area surrounding the window. Use the same design to stencil a border around plain curtains. Acrylic paint won't wash out of fabric.
Add Eye-Appeal
If your walls lack architectural details like molding trim, add a stenciled border around the room where the walls and ceiling meet. This is less expensive and easier than putting up wallpaper.
Lower Ceiling View
A stenciled border will make a high-ceilinged bedroom more intimate. Choose paint colors to match the fabric in the room. It's easy to create your own shades of color with acrylic paint.
Create Wainscoting
Many country dining rooms have a molding trim or chair rail on the wall around the room. Sometimes the wall is papered above the railing or paneled under the railing. A stenciled border around the room can add interest without the expense and trouble of wallpapering, paneling and chair rail molding.
Copyright Leslie Linsley, author
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.