I finally tackled the stenciling project I’d been avoiding. After months of eyeing a large feathered damask stencil, I ordered it and set out to add subtle tone-on-tone detail above the chair rail in our office. We wanted something soft so it wouldn’t compete with the dark teal built-ins or the lively curtains in the dining room. The final look uses a gentle gray for the main stencil and a tiny pop of leftover “grellow” from the kitchen for an accent. The stencil cost a bit—about $54—but it’s heavy-duty and worth it for the job.
I wasn’t expecting how physical the work would be. The stencil arrives as a thick, durable plastic that won’t tear or crease while you tape, lift, reposition, and press it into corner crevices. It’s large—over two feet tall and nearly two feet wide—so it covers a lot of area at once and speeds things up compared with smaller stencils.
Confession: stenciling is hard. I’ve done smaller stencil projects before, but this repeating wall stencil was a new level. After about an hour my arms were cramping, and it took roughly four and a half hours one evening to nearly finish one wall (I stopped close to midnight). Still, seeing the pattern appear across the wall made the effort feel worthwhile.
Here’s how I approached it and what worked:
1. Prep: I cleared the room and covered the desk with a drop cloth to prevent splatters.
2. Adhesive: I used a stencil adhesive spray on the back of the stencil before taping it with painter’s tape. This helped keep middle sections flush against the wall for crisp edges. I repositioned and resprayed the stencil a couple of times as needed; use cardboard or a drop cloth while spraying to protect your floors.
3. Centering: John held the stencil at the top middle so we could center the pattern, then worked outward in all directions to keep the repeat consistent.
4. Tape: I used delicate-surface frog tape to secure the stencil along the top, bottom, and sides. It held well and helped protect the fresh paint when moving the stencil.
5. Tools: Small foam craft brushes worked best—simple dowels with flat foam tips.
6. Loading the brush: Dip the foam brush lightly in paint, then dab around the edge of the plate to remove excess. Tap the brush against the wall through the stencil rather than brushing, so paint doesn’t slip underneath.
7. Tapping: Keep the brush perpendicular to the wall and use a gentle tapping motion to avoid drips and achieve clean edges.
8. Clean the stencil back: If paint builds up on the back, lay the stencil face down on the drop cloth and wipe the back with a dry paper towel before respraying the adhesive and reapplying.
9. Repeating: This stencil repeats by overlapping about three inches with the previous application. I didn’t wait for each section to dry completely; instead I applied thin layers and carefully matched the stencil for the repeat. Because the paint application was thin and dried quickly, pressing the stencil over recently painted areas didn’t cause issues.
10. Corners: Corners were the trickiest part. Getting the stencil to lay perfectly flat in tight corners is tough, and reaching deep stencil openings with a foam brush can be awkward. Fortunately, this organic damask pattern is forgiving—minor inconsistencies tended to disappear once the paint dried.
Progress after a few hours shows the wall coming together. I stopped for the night after nearly finishing one wall because my hands were cramped and it was well past midnight.
Colors used:
- Walls: Moonshine by Benjamin Moore (color-matched to Olympic No-VOC paint in a satin finish).
- Main stencil: A half-tint of the wall color (color-matched to Olympic No-VOC paint in satin) to create a subtle tone-on-tone effect.
- Accent “grellow” flower: Leftover kitchen paint, Sesame by Benjamin Moore (color-matched to Olympic No-VOC in semi-gloss). The slight sheen gives a subtle, almost iridescent pop when light hits it from the side.
I also filmed a short video demonstrating foam brush prep, stenciling technique, and a corner stenciling demo.
Plan: one wall nearly done, three more to go. I’m aiming to finish in a couple more sessions this week if my hands cooperate. The result so far feels like subtle modern wallpaper—interesting without competing with the rest of the house. The small pop of color really brings the pattern to life, so I recommend adding a complementary accent if you want a little extra dimension.
Have you stenciled a wall, furniture piece, or room? How long did it take you, and do you have any tips for speeding up the process while keeping crisp results? I’ll share finished photos once the whole room is complete and my hands have recovered.