Since we moved into our house last April (2012), I have had so many ideas on what to do with each room. First I tackled our living room, because I figured it would be the most frequented area of the house. While it’s still not done, I am happy about the projects I’ve done, and the progress we have made on it. Next, I did some work on the kitchen, and finally it was time to tackle the dining room. Here it is when we moved in (back left)…..
We found the perfect table, and up next was decorating. I had a couple different ideas about hanging things, making shelves, or doing a gallery wall, but all of those ideas were put out of my mind when I started seeing wall stencils popping up everywhere.
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Pre-anything….and yes I know this picture is incredibly crooked. Oops…
I started talking with Royal Design Studio, and they were kind enough to send me a stencil of my choice along with some of their awesome crème paint, and a stencil brush. Now, the hardest part was picking a stencil. They have so many different designs that it made it nearly impossible to select the perfect one. Originally I wanted a Moroccan Trellis, but then I thought maybe going bolder would be better?! I am too indecisive when it comes to things like this. So, I enlisted the opinions of my 250 closest friends, and went from there. It definitely wasn’t unanimous, as there are so many awesome patterns, but I felt really good about the Grand Damask pattern I chose.
Now, I had to decide on the colors for the dining room. I absolutely love super dark paint in dining rooms, but I was worried maybe my smallish dining room couldn’t pull it off. So I debated doing just an accent wall with dark paint, and keeping the other walls light…but then I thought that might look weird….so then I thought maybe leave all the walls light and just do the stencil, but that didn’t seem to have a big enough impact in my mind…..so then I thought maybe paint a darker color, but not too dark…maybe light grey? Are you following this? This is seriously the way I try to decide on these types of things….too indecisive. Well, I narrowed it down and decided to go with some shade of grey. But how to find the perfect grey? Through multiple searches I found this great site that had The Best Shades of Grey listed! Total. Score. If you want to paint something grey, this is your go-to list. I ordered 2 samples from Benjamin Moore: Kendall Charcoal and Chelsea Grey.
So yeah, I know it’s kind of hard to see them accurately, and I am apologizing in advance because in all my ‘before’ pictures I used my phone camera because I was in such a rush to just do it. Sorry, but hopefully you will get the idea (who cares about the before pictures anyway!?).
I still wasn’t sure which color; I liked them both in theory. So, I took out the silver crème paint that Royal Design Studios sent me, and I decided to try it on top of each color and see how I liked it. I used the little sample stencil they sent with the order, and it gave me a good idea what it would look like.
I know, it’s still hard to tell from these pictures, but I was totally set on the darker color once I did this. So I took out my handy HomeRight EZ Twist Paint Stick
(again terrible picture, and no, I do not buy Pop-Tarts in bulk, this was a box from Costco!) Can you believe that wall coverage is JUST from the paint sample? Crazy!
Anyway, I finished painting the next day because I had to go out and buy the actual gallon of paint. The color I selected was my Benjamin Moore- Kendall Charcoal- 166. I finished painting it the following evening, and then let it dry 0vernight.
Someone wanted to test out the ladder….
You can kind of see the paint color better here in natural light (Excuse the mess and the weird panoramic iPhone shot):
I was anxious to start the stencil and I began first thing the next morning….I was a little confused where to start, but from everything I researched, starting in the middle at the top was the best idea for this pattern. So I put all fear aside, and just went for it!
I think I was literally holding my breath throughout the entire first stencil. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I took it off and saw the result!
So I kept stenciling…
Now, for some reason I felt all this anxiety about doing the actual stencil. I thought for sure I would mess it up, or it would come out terrible, or something alike. I wish I hadn’t felt this way because it really came out great, and was super simple. It was time consuming, but even still I did the entire wall in about 4 hours, with a couple breaks.
The main tip to remember while stenciling is to brush off almost all of the paint on your brush before putting it to the wall. Really, you want barely any paint. I dipped my brush just a little into the paint, and then wiped it off on a paper towel. Then, I used the brush and made a circular motion while painting onto the stencil. By following those simple directions I was able to get super crisp lines, and I was actually shocked at how clean the lines were.
I also love the look of this Silver Stencil Crème. The color doesn’t come out even, which I love, and it really picks up the light. I love it.
So I kept going….
Definitely the trickiest part of stenciling was painting where it didn’t line up exactly: the ceiling line, the molding line, and then also where the wall stopped on the right and left sides (see picture below for example). However, it wasn’t hard…just a bit tricky. You really can’t tape it down, you just have to press the stencil into the corners where you want it. 
I pressed and kept my fingers crossed. It wasn’t bad, and it came out pretty good. Be sure to tape off your edges! I like Frog Tape because it doesn’t bleed or pull up the paint when it’s dried
Are you ready to see the final result?! I hope so because I am going to bombard you with photos….
What do you think? It was really hard to get a full dining room shot, so I did try it with my panoramic feature on my phone so y’all could see the whole room, but it looks a bit distorted…
Now for the Before and after!
I really dislike our lighting fixture in the dining room, and want to make or get a pretty new one….any ideas? Have you tried out any wall stencils? I really highly recommend them and my bathroom is next up on my to-stencil list!
Disclosure: All opinions in this post are honest and my own. I was not compensated for this post, however I was sent complimentary products to aid in this post.
Items you might need to do this project (aff links):
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Thanks for visiting!
– Allyson
JoAnn @ SweetPepperRose says
Wow, looks awesome… you have a lot of patience to do that 😉
Allyson says
Thanks, JoAnn! It actually wasn’t too bad! Thanks for stopping by!
Deauna says
I love the stenciled wall. Very elegant and modern.
Allyson says
Thank you!
Kirsten @ One Tough Mother says
This is beautiful Allyson! I love the stencil pattern – very chic 😉
Alexa Simon Sandella says
Love it!
Allyson says
thank you, Alexa!
Melanie @ The Painted Chandelier says
I love the dark gray wall with the light stencils! For the short term ( if you don’t want to buy one just yet, or spend a lot on a new chandelier) just use Rub ‘n Buff in antique gold, gold leaf, or silver, & add a lot of magnetic crystals!! Your dining room turned out beautiful!! 🙂
Allyson says
Thanks, Melanie! I haven’t heard of those things before, I am going to look into them! I Have been checking Overstock for ‘nicer’ chandeliers and they actually have some decent one. I don’t think I am ready to pull the trigger just yet though! Thanks for coming by and you offering your suggestions!
Catherine says
I love it! Makes me want to fix up my dining room
Allyson says
Thanks! You should definitely do it!
Susan @ SunfowerHugs.blogspot.com says
You did an amazing job. I would have been the same was as you, from deciding on what stencil, to paint color to where to start the stencil on the wall. Glad to know I am not the only one!
Allyson says
I am way too indecisive! Thank goodness I have tons of people willing to give me advice! Thanks for coming by, Susan!
Abby @ Just a Girl and Her Blog says
Hello, DRAMA!!! I love, love, LOVE it! The stenciling came out so gorgeous! And you’re right- the unevenness of the silver paint totally makes it. Amazing, amazing job!!
~Abby =)
Allyson says
Thanks so much, Abby!!
Heidi M says
That looks beautiful!
Allyson says
Thank you!
DesignedByBH says
I love the walls! I’m so afraid of stenciling…I’m not very good at it, even on a small scale…but you did an amazing job! 🙂
Allyson says
I had such anxiety over it…I was SURE I was going to mess it up. Really the key was the circular motion and wiping almost all the paint off the brush…a little goes a LONG way. In fact, I used just a 5oz container of paint on the entire wall! I am sure you can do it!! Thanks for coming by!
Heather says
I have dining room envy! You did an amazing job! 🙂
Allyson says
Thanks, Heather, and THANK YOU for all your help in the decision process! xoxo
Emily says
I was totally judging your giant pop tarts box LOL. I love it! It turned out awesome
Allyson says
I knew you would…which is why i clarified 😉 Thanks, Emily!
Erin @ DIY on the Cheap says
It looks awesome Allyson! Great job! I love the stencil and colors you chose. And those orchids are the perfect pop of color in the room too!
Allyson says
Thank you, Erin! We were stencil twinsies this week 😉
pamasaurus says
It looks awesome, Allyson! So, so awesome. I’d love to eat in a room like that all the time, haha.
Allyson says
I really love just looking at it when I am in the kitchen cooking or in the living room! Finally a better place to entertain, too! Thanks for coming by girl!
April says
I love that stencil and it looks so good!
julie jamison says
I LOVE how your DR turned out! Amazing how the stencil adds such a wow factor to the room.
Allyson says
Thanks, Julie! It’s definitely a lot less dull then before! Thanks for coming by!
Kristen Ramsey says
Love the dramatic look of the dark walls with the silvery stencil. Very pretty! Nice job!
Jessi @ Practically Functional says
OMG Allyson I love how that room turned out! Those silver damasks on the dark background is just gorgeous. And I’ve heard really great things about that paint stick; glad to hear you like it too, I definitely need to try it out as soon as I live somewhere where I can actually paint walls. 🙂 Thanks for sharing at my link party!
Allyson says
Thanks, Jessi! I am really happy too…I was so unsure before I started doing it, but I am so glad I followed through! Thanks for your sweet comment and stopping by!
Corinna Ashley says
Wow! It looks like a wallpaper it’s so clean and crisp! Thanks for the heads up on these products!
Allyson says
Thank you and thanks for stopping by!
katie | deranchification says
I love that dark grey with the silver stenciling – it looks awesome! I’m dying to stencil something at our house – there are just so many great ones to chose from that I may be stuck in indecision forever…
Allyson says
Ohhhh! You have to do something!!! And when you do, let me know because I’d love to see it!
Jenna says
WOW! Absolutely stunning! You did an amazing job!
Shelly minettesmaze.blogspot.com/ says
This is soo beautiful!!!!!!! Wow!! New follower!
Shelly
Allyson says
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment, Shelly!
cookingwithcurls says
That is awesome!!! I love how dramatic dark colors look in dining rooms. You did an amazing job with that stenciling. You are quite brave! 🙂
Allyson says
It took a lot of courage to finally do it…but I am so glad I did! Thanks for coming by, Lisa!
Sharon says
I love it! The colors, the pattern, it is all so beautiful and really adds the wow factor to your dining room.
PJ @ Planned in Pencil says
This is an AMAZING transformation! I love that gray. It is such a hard color to get perfect. Thanks for sharing it at the Pinworthy Project Party.
Laura@JourneyChic says
What a HUGE difference you made! The drama the stencils and dark paint created is awesome. You must love eating in there now. I just started experimenting with stenciling (well…since I was in elementary school) and haven’t worked on large surfaces yet. I’m tempted, though!
Allyson says
Do it!!!
Lynn Graham says
I couldn’t believe how beautiful it turned it to. Wow! You are a real DIY Superhero:)
Hopping by and following your tweets, fb, and pinterest:) You may also visit Blog Hops Connect (http://brickn.com/bloghops/) to hop for more:)
This is TQM blogging Homemade Oregano-Sage-Honey Cough Syrup (http://www.thequietmom.com/blog/homemade-oregano-sage-honey-cough-syrup)
Diana Rambles says
Fantastic. So much more pretty & easy than wallpaper.
Julie Corbisiero says
Hi Allyson, you did a beautiful job! I can’t believe how talented and creative you are! You are really making your house look so pretty. Have a great day.
Julie from julieslifestyle.blogspot.com
Angela @ CreativeBlossoming.com says
Wonderful makeover! I really dig gray and love that you chose the darker shade for the walls. It’s more dramatic with the stencil. Great job on the stenciling too!
Susan says
What an amazing impact you’ve made with your make over! And your painter’s helper is adorable. 🙂
Allyson says
Thank you, Susan! He is quite the helper 😉
Rhonda says
I love what you have done. You should come show off your creativity at our link party.
http://obsessiveandcreative.blogspot.com/2013/10/craft-frenzy-friday-7.html
The party will not be the same without you!
Allyson says
Thanks, Rhoda! I will hop over right now!
Bonnie @ The Pin Junkie says
Your dining room looks beautiful! I love the color and the stencils! Thanks for sharing this at last week’s Pin Junkie Link Party! It was featured this week. I hope you’ll stop by to grab your “I was featured” button! http://www.thepinjunkie.com/2013/10/friday-link-party-37.html
Allyson says
Thanks, Bonnie! can’t wait to check it out!
Zografia says
that is an amazing make over. i love the colors you used and the stenciled wall.
Melissa Viscount says
This is stunning! What a difference it makes in your dining room. Stencils scare me too! 🙂 Thanks so much for linking it – I’ve selected your dining room makeover as one of my top 10 favorites of the week to be pinned on the Link It Love it Board! We hope to see you again starting Sunday! http://www.pinterest.com/melissaviscount/2iy-link-it-love-it/
Allyson says
I was so scared, but like I said, it was totally do able, and I really over thought it in my head! Thanks so much for the feature!
Allison Murray says
I bought a wonderful wall stencil ages and ages ago that I’ve never used simply because I was so worried about messing up my wall or not getting a good enough coverage but you’ve given me the courage to just get after it alreadyl What a difference… your room is gorgeous!
Allyson says
Do it!!! Seriously, it was so much easier than I thought, and I was kicking myself for not doing it earlier! PLEASE come over to my FB page and share pictures when you are done! I Would love to see it! Good luck!
Cheryl D says
I love the grey paint …its just BEAUTIFUL. I love the damask stenciled wall. Really makes the room. I have done more than a couple walls in my house with damask stencils and I always love them. I am a HUGE fan of CUTTING EDGE STENCILS.com Their stencils are high quality and much easier to use than others. Your dining room make over turned out fantastic. I am sure you will inspire a lot of people to try wall stencils themselves
Jeannee says
Lovely ! You said you used a circular motion with the brush! Was that in like swirl the brush around in each opening or make a large circular motion over the whole stencil all at once? Did you let each “damask” dry before re positioning your stencil to a new damask because the stencil overlaps the prior one?
Allyson says
Hey Jeannee-
So after you tape up the stencil, you want to use the circular motion on the specific opening you are working on, and if it happens to brush over to the next one, no big deal. The most important part is to do the circular motion where the edge is…this makes a VERY clean edge. You also want to make sure that you are wiping the paint off of your brush every time you dip it into the paint, like I mention in the post, this is VERY important to keeping clean lines. By the time I would move the stencil, the paint was already pretty much dry. I worked top to bottom (check out the pictures), so it wasn’t really overlapping until at least 5-10 minutes later. The cream paint I used dried VERY quickly. Good luck! Please post pics on my FB page of whatever project you do! I would love to see it!