Create A Clover Stencil Wall Treatment

First DIY project of 2012!  The Clover Stenciled Wall!

Recently I spent a few days up on a ladder with a quart of paint..... and you know I loved it!  I have done wall treatments before, but this was the most tedious-NOT hard, just tedious-but SO worth it!!  Using a clover shaped stencil made from poster paper, I traced the cut out across my entire wall, creating a pattern, then colored in the pattern using a beautiful shade of orange paint.

This print was my inspiration for the space.  It is a John French photo, who took killer shots of fashion models in black and white between 1950-60's.  I lucked out finding this one at a craft store that sold prints. I had it mounted to foam board and framed (no glass means no glare).  I love the way the model is standing, showing off the adorable little dress that steals the show. And the bundle of pearls along the big floppy hat are perfect pairings for it.  Where can I get that boldly patterned dress??!! After looking at this print I knew I wanted to display it on an equally bold patterned wall set against a crisp white back drop, to bring life into the grey scaled photo.

This is the wall BEFORE.  It is getting prepped for the new wall treatment. I began by taping off all moldings and trim, then painted the walls a crisp white (don't worry, a big sheet covered the entire sofa before painting :) ).

To create this wall you will need:

-poster board

-pencil

-scissors

-painters tape

-paint (I used a quart size of Sherwin William 2854 'Caribbean Coral ')

-one fine tip paint brush

-one wider tipped paint brush

The Steps:

Creating the Stencil.  Using your pencil, practice drawing your stencil on paper.  Try different designs.  To visualize how it will look across an entire wall, recreate the pattern over and over on a piece of paper (like above).  When you are ready to create your stencil, grab your poster paper and pencil.  Lightly draw your stencil. Make any changes to it, and then cut it out.  To get this clover look I traced a cereal bowl to ensure that each rounded side was equal.  This clover stencil is 14" around.  

Tip-stick with a stencil that is at least 14" or you will have a lot more tracing to do, and painting.

 Where to Start On The Wall.  Begin in the center.  You want to give the illusion that the design keeps going,  so where the wall hits the ceiling, the floor, and the two side walls, you will only have room to trace part of the design. 

Begin Tracing.  Once you have found the center of the wall, place your stencil there.  I stuck painters tape on the back of my stencil to hold it in place.  Trace it.  Then, using your level, make a tiny pencil mark every 7"s across the wall at the same level as the top and bottom of the tracing.  This will ensure that your lines of pattern are straight across the wall. 

You can place painters tape where your marks are, as a guide as well (see above).  Once you have marked out an entire row and traced on your stencil repeatedly until you completed that row, do the same technique for the rows above and below.  

Begin Painting.  Once the entire wall is traced out in pencil, grab your paint and a fine tip paint brush.  Slowly paint the edges. This will take a bit of time but it is important to stay within the lines so it does not look messy.

Two Coats of Paint.  You will go over the edges 2xs to get nice thick look.

Once you have outlined all the tracings in paint, you will fill them in with your paint.  Using your wide tipped brush, give it 2 coats.

Tip -Keep a paper towel handy.  If you drip on your wall quickly clean it up.

Take extra care at the walls edges.  

It took me a weekend to complete this wall. I worked during the daylight hours only.

Ta da!!

AFTER:

 

OK, if you like the look of the stenciled wall above but looking for an easier way to get the look, try one of these joyful wallpapers by Antonina Vella.  This line of wallpaper is not very expensive and full of inspiration.  Here are my faves:

Nicoletta GM1248

Angelina GM1209

You can find more info on these wallpapers at York Wallcoverings, or head to your local Sherwin Williams store to see the books in person!!  TIP-Bring tissues for all the drooling!!

Shoshana Will Turn Greeting Cards Into Artwork July 8 Channel 69 WFMZ

 

Dear friends,

If you are nostalgic like me and hold on to little mementos and greeting cards you have received from friends and family, you will love my crafty little decorating segment on channel 69 WFMZ news July 8 at 8:40 am & 8:50 am!!!!  

My fun and easy project turns those piles and piles of greeting cards we all collect into hanging works of art.  No scissors or glue necessary.  I will also give tips on how to hang a gallery of pictures on your wall.  Watch the fun!

Decadently Yours,

Shoshana

Updates On Projects & A Cozy Passover Setting

Hello again decorating lovers!

It has been a while since I wrote on my blog.  I took this week off from work to spend time with my daughter who is off from school.  But I have missed blogging;  Missed staying up late with a glass of wine to throw out ideas, bs, and share quirky tid bits about my design projects.  How is your SDI (spring decorating itch)?  Mine is out of control.  With the very warm weather, I have shed my winter woes and ready to rock it for my clients.  I am going to tease you with a quick shot of the bath reno I have been blogging about (click here to see last update).  Johnathan finally stopped 'thinking about tiling' and began tiling!  I am not complaining at all. See there is so much prep involved in a bath reno that must be done right before the fun part.  My client is happy so far (I hope he likes the rest of the plans I have up my sleeve). 

The tiles were SO shimmery, I had to put my shades on.

A Cozy Passover Setting

Next up, I want to officially thank my #1 sis who hosted Passover for 18 people and did it in her signature 'delicously fabulous' way.  I love gatherings at her place.  You feel like you are at an intimate dinner no matter how big the crowd- its warm, simple and full of laughter.  Her secret is to surround her dining table with color and furnishings that sets a comfy cozy mood-she extends her table (made up of a few tables and mdf boards) into her living room that is full of french country charm in warm golds, deep greens and rich reds.  Then she turns on lights in different parts of the space which make the whole area glow-perfect for evening sit down dinners.  Good lighting (I encourage dimmers) is key to increasing or decreasing drama in any room.   

My sister shares a great tip for inexpensive table settings- buy a neutral table cloth that you can wash (hers is a burlap brown) that can be used for all occasions.  On her table she added small bud vases down the center filled with white hydrangeas that have been hanging around her home all week (not pictured because I was busy assisting in the kitchen).  She also added some beautifully colored and shaped platters of matzahs.  You can add your own drama and colors, using accessories from around your home, like bowls and vases, and fill them with fresh fruit, candles, or fresh flowers.  You can break up a long set table, using table runners set vertically or horizontally down the table, and if you find a good sale on gold or silver chargers, pick up a few sets.  They look great under plain plates and can be used over and over. 

For Passover my sister uses gold and clear plastic plates for easy clean up (and because you need quite a few plates throughout the Sedar).  The entire table was filled with delicous food, and after, an array of chocolate goodies that included double dipped chocolate covered matzah (even if you aren't a fan of matzah you will gobble up this stuff!).  I am still stuffed!

Adding Art To A Botanical Library Is All In The Family
I have been working on a living room-turned library-that is almost complete (click here for the last update of the space).  The floors are in, the fireplace and designer alcove have been installed, the paint is up, and most of the furniture has arrived, including two funky floral printed wing back chairs.  We still needed art work though, and it had to fit the look of the space.  That's when Linda, the homeowner, showed me some photos her daughter snapped of flowers.  They were so vibrant and juicy that we thought they would look super great on the wall as a gallery.  So Linda commissioned her daughter for eight botanical photos.  We just hung them and I am so very proud of this mother-daughter team (see pic of them below).  They are just breathetaking!  Can't wait to snap my own pics of this Botanical Library when done and share with you. 

Bringing Fire and Ice to a Library

Fire and ice is oh so nice!  Above is a large serving of ice, for a home that is hot! I have been working with a fun mother of two, helping her put the final touches on rooms in her home.  We combined very warm colors with very cool ones, to create the glitz and glamour that is all the rage these days.  Our fire color is rustic orange, and our ice colors are pale blues, crisp whites, polished silver and lime greens.  Such a great combination! Below is a room we just completed.  We re-designated and re-designed the kids' toy room into a very hip library by painting the walls my fave Sherwin Williams' Spicy Hue color and using the cool accents above. We re-purposed some of her furniture and added new pieces with very fun and comfy appeal, including a chic chandelier that really sparkles at night. 

The final touches included hanging her framed family photographs because every home library needs to be filled with memories............

If you follow this blog, you know how I hang art by now: create a pattern on the floor, trace the frames, number them and the frames themselves, then, using painters tape, place the traced paper on the wall to where you want them, and, nail them in!

Master Bedroom Becomes A Lodge Retreat

When my clients, Scott and Karen, asked me to design a master bedroom that brought in their love of lodge style, full of warm colors and rustic pieces, I was up for the challenge.  I wanted them to feel like they were at a resort in the woods that included luxurious bedding and fun natural accents.  The space is in a cape style home so it includes a number of angled walls and entrances to the eaves.  I had so much fun on this project and was very excited to present my design plan to them.  I had to use an extra big board to hold all the ideas and products I included.  Here are some of my ideas:

To erase wall angles, I will paint it all one color, so a warm golden yellow will go on all walls and ceiling, except the two end walls, which will be painted in a barn red.  And what lodge wouldn't be complete without a fireplace.  This one is electric so it is simple to set up, not requiring structural changes, and really adds to our look.

The windows and sliding glass door will get striped drapes which bring in greens, golds, browns, and reds, and two comfy chairs will be covered in this beautiful rich pattern.

Although the bed had a headboard and footboard made of rod iron and wood, I wanted to create more texture and drama. I proposed framing out the wall behind the bed using 1x3s and painting it in a deep dark chocolate (all the trim and doors will also be painted in this chocolate color -yum!). The grasscloth wallpaper you see below, which contains lots of reds, golds, and tans, will fill the center of the frame.  Dark brown bamboo wall arm sconces will be hung above either end table leaving the table tops free for lots of woodsy novels.

I didn't just want Scott and Karen to have that lodge feel around them.  I wanted them to lye in bed and feel it above them, so I included 2 fans with antler chandeliers.

And of course, faux wood beams, which are so easy to put up. 

I will share the Before and After photos of this soon-to-be romantic lodge getaway bedroom suite!

Little House On The Prairie Dining Room Gets a Makeover

I look back at this photo of my client, Waynes', dining room and laugh!  Major changes happened to this 'little house on the prairie' flower wallpapered, baby blue room. 

Wayne has a very contemporary take on rustic style.  So we said good bye to the wallpaper and added crown and box molding.  We used bold Spicy Hue paint by Sherwin Williams on the walls and warmed up the floors to reach a more caramel tone.  We found a hidden electrical box in the ceiling-why someone would sheet rock over it is a mystery but we saved on electrical costs!

Wayne even humored me by going along with my clever but very heavy mirror project.  I found a bunch of inexpensive IKEA mirrors that Wayne nail glued to a large piece of wood.  Brings that wow factor with out the wow price tag!

We purchased a grown up sleek double pedestal table in a chestnut wood tone and black X back chairs upholstered in a microfiber that looks like a leather bomber jacket.  It is by Canadel. 

The new window treatments, modern chandelier and wall sconce, and red accents create a romantic, cozy, dining room.  Wayne, when is your next dinner party?

My Bedroom Retreat

I just re-decorated my own bedroom, creating a little cozy cove out of the16'x16' box shape room in my home which can get chaotic. So this is my version of an elegant and serene retreat.  It starts with the walls and the ceiling painted a watery blue green color called Quietude (SW6212 by Sherwin Williams) and adding chunky bright white ceiling moulding.

Instead of just adding wall art above my bed, I turned the wall into art by building rectangular wall boxes out of panel moulding and inserting grass weave wallpaper in the center.  I love this wallpaper for two reasons. #1. great texture; the look and feel is so interesting to look at and touch.  #2.  nail hole forgiveness.  You can hammer in a hundred holes and the grass hides it.

It became a great natural setting for my shell and strange sea crustacean collection that includes a large odd shaped piece of coquina from Flaggler Beach, Florida, a cone shell from Queensland, Australia, and a very cracked purple snail shell from Aruba.  I hung some wall boxes up and literally wrapped a few of my shells with string I bought from my local craft store.  I suspended them from nails i placed in the center of each box.

The bedroom furniture has that Dutch West Indies style with a deep rich brown finish and rattan textured inserts on the bed and the long classic legs on the end tables.  The king sized bed is key!

I added lots of green, blue and creamy white pillows in silky fabrics that shine like a reflection off the sea. My comforter is a soft and casual cotton that is easy to wash.  It has the same relaxing colors I used in the room.

This very cool faux Fokati fur rug adds coziness to the cool colors on the bed.  I bought it from Kohls for 1/2 price.  I now have a laid back sophisticated getaway....where's the Mai Tai?

Designer Tips For Hanging Wall Art

The world is full of inspiration. As a decorator, I love to find out what inspires my clients and fill their space with it. Sometimes I nail inspiration to the wall.

If you like the way multiple framed art looks together on a wall but discouraged from doing it yourself, you are not alone! There are so many things to think about-what frame finish to use, how to arrange the frames, how far apart each frame should be from its neighbor? And, the ultimate question, how many nail holes will it take to get it the way I want? Below are steps to follow so that your wall doesn't end up looking like a drive-by of bullet holes. This is how I always hang frames:

You Will Need:

-painters tape

-paper (re-use paper you would otherwise throw away or newspaper, magazine pages, or gift wrap)

-scissors

-marker
-level & tape measure

-proper hanging material for your frames

-hammer

Step 1: Place a piece of painters tape on each frame and number them starting with 1. 

Step 2: Cut paper to the size of each frame and write the corresponding number on each one. Set aside.

Step 3: Arrange the frames in front of you on the floor.  When you have an arrangement you like, place the pattern on the wall using the numbered cut paper.

Step 4: When you like the look of your arrangement, use measuring tape and level to make sure everything is straight and equal.

Step 5: Finally, set your nail in the wall using the paper as your guide.

Step 6: Hang the frame to its coordinating numbered paper, take the painters tape and enjoy!