Are you ready to be INSPIRED by gorgeous, real life stencil projects from people just like you? Our quarterly Before/After Stencil Contest always brings us the most interesting and inspiring stories and photos from our stencil customers. This batch of customer stencil transformations on walls and floors is no exception!
Please scroll through to the end of the blog post to get the full range of talent, tip, and inspiration for your next stencil projects. The first 10 show our $100 gift card winners. The following projects are just as gorgeous and we're so happy to share them ALL here.
Floral Cascade Damask-Theresa Matuszewski @theresa.matuszewski
Purple reign! Theresa went bold on her accent wall leading up her stairs with a rich, deep purple base paint and classic damask pattern. For the Cascade Damask Stencil she used a clear high gloss varnish that catches the light beautifully and creates a subtle tone on tone look.
There were challenges. She first tried stenciling the varnish with a roller but found she couldn’t control the bleeding so switched to a stencil brush and dry brush method to get the results she wanted.
The angled ceiling on the stairwell was also challenging, but with patience, painter’s tape, and help from her husband she was able to get it done and the results are SO worth it!
Dazey Tile Stencil-Melissa Cobb @m.cobb.pottery
First-time stenciler Melissa wanted to brighten up her guest Casita and give it more personality and we think she definitely accomplished THAT! Our bold Dazey Tile Stencil creates a perfect backdrop that connects the bed and living area.
She says, “ I love how the colors work to create a feature wall that defines the whole space.”
Chatsworth Tile-Tina Hill
Tina use our Chatsworth Tile and concrete paint to stencil this “magazine-worthy” floor. Literally, it was a stenciled project done for a magazine! As she says, “The end result is absolutely stunning.”
Floral Fireworks Wall Stencil-Kaylon Markman @markmankay
Kaylon transformed a formerly dark bedroom into a color craft room with our popular Floral Fireworks wall stencil and two different colors of blue Behr latex paint.
“The wall looks amazing! So inviting and gives the room such an elevated look. The more you stencil the quicker and easier the process becomes. This was my second time using Royal Design stencils and it was so easy and quick!”
Asahi Wall Stencil-Katelynn Emery @katelynnemery
Katelynn used our Asahi Wall Stencil to transition her daughter’s nursery to a room to grow in now that she is a toddler. “We couldn’t be happier! It’s our favorite room of the house!”
Katelynn’s stencil tips: Using stencil spray adhesive was a game changer-making the whole stenciling process easier. Also, using a smaller stencil brush to get into some of the detailing helped to fine tune the finished look.
Butterfly and Peony Wall Stencil-Martha Heady
“Our dining room had beautiful oak floors but hideous walls. So after layering three shades of burgundy paint, we quite literally gilded the lily with this gorgeous Butterfly & Peony stencil. I love the Victorian feel -- it's now my favorite spot in our 60 year-old home!”
Thicket Leaves-Samantha Helt
Samantha felt her entryway was boring but found that wallpaper was expensive and didn’t allow for creativity. She said, “I loved using the stencil and paint to add a pop of metallic color, as well as tie in the style of our Arts & Crafts home”
She use our Patina Green Stencil Creme for the leaves and Copper Kettle for the stencils and accents with our 2” and ½” stencil brushes. She even got some assistance from here toddler. Proof that stenciling is child’s play!
Anastasia Damask Wall Stencil-Jeanine Hubbell @J9irish@gmail.com
Jeanine Hubbell wanted a luxurious bedroom and she created it herself with our Anastasia Damask stencil and Renaissance Red metallic Royal Stencil Creme over a matte red wall paint.
She used our large 3” stencil brush to quickly stencil the main wall area quickly. To get a nice crisp print at the edges, Jeannine used our 1" stencil brush and pushed the stencil into the corners with a plastic paint scraper. Brilliant!
Moana Tribal Tile Stencil-Tamisha Lee
Tamisha was looking for an inexpensive way to address an old laminate bathroom floor. She settled on stenciling and used Stix primer and Benjamin Moore paint with a small low nap roller for the stencil.
“I’d seen the Moana stencil and we decided to the whole bathroom and it. I painted the floor with a red/brown base coat. I then used the stencil in a caramel tan. And it looks spectacular. And as I live in Hawaii, it’s perfect.”
Asahi Wall Stencil-Kristen Andrews @Kristenandrews8
“I am constantly reimagining my home. I love color and the fact that every room is a new experience, so I thought I’d give stenciling a go! This is my first project but certainly not my last.”
Kristen felt the need for a hallway makeover after changing out some doors that were in bad shape. She thinks even hallways can be beautiful and we agree! She used a combination of flat wall paint and some touches of our Antique Silver and Pink Stencil Creme paints.
Karla’s stencil tip to share: Less is more! Two coats with a very dry brush is better and way easier than using too much paint.
Elsabet Trellis Wall Stencil-Meshelle Stock @Mlucky105
Meshelle wanted to create a modern, moody bathroom and the Elsebet Trellis stencil, combined with our Metallic Stencil Creme paints was the perfect choice! Everyone who sees it thinks she used expensive wallpaper.
She says. “Royal Design Studio has the BEST stencils and excellent paint. I couldn’t do it without your paint. There are no substitutes!!!!”
Moroccan Scallops Stencil-Jill Underwood
Jill was inspired by our own Moroccan Scallop wall project to create a Mermaid Fish Scales painted effect on our website to create Mermaid wall in her own home. She used metallic paints to create the shimmering effect and it turned out beautifully!
Upscaled Lisabetta Damask Stencil-Melissa Danas @horn.goddess
This gorgeous stenciled wall comes to us all the way from Vienna, Austria! Melissa is a classical musician who spends a lot of time practicing at home and wanted to turn her living room into a Baroque fantasy!
She said, “I have always loved to transform my living spaces into fantastic realms from another time, and the fantastic patterns from Royal Design Studios made my dreams so much easier to realize!”
She uses acrylic paints. Black for a base and then sponged on gold metallic, off-white, and copper paints-playing with different effects to give it an old, faced look. Absolutely gorgeous!
You’re a Star Stencil-Caryolyn Tobin
Caroly wanted to elevate the look of her bathroom with a stencil project. “I absolutely love the way it came out. I love it so much that I’m probably going to use it when I redo the master bedroom. It was fun and easy. Don’t get intimidated by stencils. It’s such a satisfying feeling of accomplishment when it is all done”. Great stenciling advise!
Upscaled Ribbon Lattice-Jeanne Fallon
When Jeanne was ready to re-do her master bedroom after 30 years focusing on raising children and gardening she turned to stenciling. She says, “I Love,love,love the look. I wanted to wallpaper an accent wall but after asking three professional painting crews, nobody said they could do it. I knew I could stencil it and achieve the same effect and it'd be less expensive.”
To achieve her new look she painted the feature wall Botanical Green by Sherwin Williams and stenciled with our Antique Gold Royal Stencil Creme.
Shibori Furniture Stencil-Shequita Andrew
Shequita wanted to upgrade her plain tan tile on her fireplace, so she used our Shibori Furniture stencil with a metallic teal color to brighten it up. “My fireplace is so pretty now!”
Petra Tile Allover Wall Stencil-Dana Cobb
Dana felt the need for more color and pattern on a blank wall behind their bar and used our Smoked Oyster Metallic Stencil Creme along with some regular paint colors. “It’s absolutely beautiful and wasn’t difficult at all!”
Lisboa Tile Stencil-Mary Armstrong
Mary helped her son create a designated work space in his apartment by stenciing our Lisboa Tile stencil on the back side of an IKEA Kallax unit, which the added a sheet of Masonite to.
She says, “We needed a creative way to bring color, style, and usefulness to an apartment. The room divider provides an office space and it blocks the view from the foyer so you don't see see into his office area upon arrival. We love it!”
She used our Royal Stencil Cremes in Orange Ice, Pearl Oyster, Antique Gold and Black. Thanks Mom!
Herringbone Brick Floor Stencil-Meagan Mondeau @meagan.marie.7
Meagan wanted to update her grungy basement laundry room with a fresh, modern look. Unlevel floors meant normal flooring wasn’t an option but she still wanted some pattern other than plain painted concrete. She used Rustoleum Garage and Concrete Floor Paint and Matte Topcoat with our Herringbone Brick stencil for an amazing transformation.
“I am so happy with how my floor turned out! It was simple to use the stencil and absolutely transformed my laundry room!”
Foliate Damask Wall Stencil-Maureen Swanson
Powder rooms are perfect for stencil projects! Maureen found that wallpaper for her powder room with 10’ ceilings would cost over $500. She turned to wall stencils as a less expensive option and used our Foliate Damask in gold metallic paint over the existing brown color.
Looks so elegant! The room was super small so I had to remove the door to get to each nook. It was difficult because of the height and tightness of the work area. The gold metallic paint on brown looks like a very expensive wallpaper. So pretty!”
Delicate Tile Stencil-Sharese Yount @sharese.reads
Sharese wanted to brighten up her dark kitchen floor and found that stenciling it was the perfect DIY solution. “The space is so much lovelier how and the stencils were easy to use!”
Jade Trellis Wall Stencil-Andrea Allen. @anniemal_64
Elevated workspace! Andrea surprised a coworker with a new stenciled wall to brighten and “uplevel” her office. She used Royal Indigo Behr Latex paint as the base and Antique Gold Stencil Creme with our Jade Trellis Wall Stencil.
“It came out amazing and my coworker absolutely loved it!”
Adelaide Wall Stencil-Bonnie Borovich
Bonnie wanted to create a “wedding album wall” to celebrate her daughter’s marriage. She found that the subtle look of our Adelaide wall stencil combined with our Pearl Oyster Stencil Crème Paint was the perfect solution for an otherwise ho-hum hallway and allowed her to display the photos with “more elegance.”
A 74-year old retired homemaker and first time stenciler, Bonnie says, “I found the products supplied by Royal Design Studio very easy to work with. The stencil was very straight forward. The Pearl Oyster metallic stencil creme was very easy to apply and went a long way.
The natural light as well as the light from the light fixtures cast a seductive, elegant and interesting hue.”
