About Country Stencils for Home Decorating

Wall Borders

• When most people think of stencils, the first thing that comes to mind is a wall border. If the color scheme of the room is warm (reds, muted browns or cream), and the room already is decorated in a country style, a border adds a nice finishing touch. Stencils that contain common words or phrases such as "welcome" and "joie de vivre" are available. Couple a phrase with a country design element such as hearts or angels for a one-of-a-kind room. Experiment with alphabet stencils of different typefaces to personalize the look.

Backsplash

• Instead of purchasing decorative tiles for your kitchen, create your own design for a backsplash. Pick the stencil you'd like to use--roosters, apples, flowers, veggies--and create your own pattern. After the paint cures, apply a polycrylic finish to seal the surface and make it washable. If you want to change the look in the future, sand it down and start over.

Americana Bedroom

• Stripes, stars, flags and words such as "freedom," "liberty" and "hope" in red, white, and blue is pure country decor. Paint one wall blue and cover it with white stenciled stars. On an adjacent wall, alternate red and white stripes. Decorate the other two walls with grapevine wreaths, country clocks, barn stars or quilts. If that's too much for you, paint one wall cream and pick one style element to stencil.

Odds and Ends

• Shaker boxes, antique sleds, coffee tables and baskets lend themselves well to stenciling. Once dry and sealed, these country items can last a lifetime. Decorate different sized boxes with themes such as crows and sunflowers, Colonial stoneware, or Christmas sayings and berries. A small antique sled can be jazzed up by adding a country flower and hanging it by a leather strip. Stencil baskets with a friend's name for a custom gift from the heart.

Floors and Floor Cloths

• Although a bigger project, floors also can be stenciled. Choose an all-over design such as damask or lattice, or use a smaller stencil and repeat the pattern. Brick or flagstone stencils work well for this. Further customize your floor with country stencils such as flowers or pineapples. For floor cloths, purchase canvas that has already had gesso applied to prevent the paint from seeping through.