Stencils are a terrific way to decorate a wall without having to buy and hang wallpaper. Personally, I hate hanging wallpaper. I love stenciling. It’s really easy, as long as you’re careful with things like straight lines. All you do is stick the stencil to the wall and paint, or dab, or spray. It all depends on what medium you’re using.

Here is a gallery of ideas and some resources at the end. Enjoy!

The best place in the world to buy stencils is The Stencil Library. Most of these photos are from their blog (a great how-to resource). They have everything from this Rococo design to car tires and barbed wire.

The floral motif is a stencil. Here you can see it with just black and with the flowers in color – all stencilled. Which is your favorite?

I love this one. Use images from a book, enlarge them, and place them inside the stenciled swag. Instant gentrification! Your friends will buy you much better Christmas gifts when they see this in your hallway.

This is really pretty, too. Instead of inserting portraits into the “holes” they’ve used a flower stencil. Love it!

Looking for something Colonial? Some trees and a peacock made a nice frame for a fireplace. It softens the look and creates a beautiful focal point.

Yowza! You can stencil over wallpaper, too. Give it new life with some eye-popping motifs like these hearts. They’re made with the heart stencil and a lace stencil on top. This would look great in a teen room.

You can use your stencils over and over again. Make matching fabric and “wallpaper”. Do up the furniture while you’re at it.

Oh, I forgot. You can stencil the floor, too. You can stencil anything. Better stay away from the cat.

Stencils can also make a nice replacement for artwork. A few flowers and birds in a corner are so lovely. That’s all you need.

Finally, you don’t have to go all out. A few light birds in flight on a white ground makes a beautiful design statement.

RESOURCES

The Stencil Library – Best place ever. You can buy a CD of their designs.

Stencil 1 – Another creative choice.

Stencil Planet – I’ve never used their stencils. They have some nice damasks. Just wish they had larger gallery photos

Designer Stencils – Good for standards

Wall To Wall Stencils – Specializes in creating custom phrases, etc…

These palettes comes from photos I took just yesterday. I turned to the paints of Benjamin Moore to find matching colors from nature. Mix and match these colors on the walls and in accent pieces. Strong, saturated colors can brighten any room. Use lighting to create reflection off the walls and ceilings.

Warmth can also be found in pastel colors drawn from winter’s leaves and branches. Warm browns, yellows are combined with greens and violets. You can use these paints through-out the house by carrying the colors into each room. You can paint the walls in one color, use another for curtains, throws and accent pieces. Upholstered furniture carries the colors as well.

Your local paint store will have mix and match colors. Websites – like mine! – are another source for inspiration. Or make up your own. Do you have one to share? Send me a photo via the contact button and we can begin our own color palette conversation.

Where do you find your inspiration for color palettes?

I came across Kris Klarin’s blog, Color Stripes today and had to share it. Kris is a jewelry maker and is branching into home decor, like these candlesticks. But I really love how she focuses on two of my favorite things (other than design) – color and photography. It’s a joy to look at, and an inspiration.

You can purchase her jewelry at her online shop. Check it out!

Roger takes neon to a new level. He’s created some brilliant designs for the home, including this neon chandelier.

He’s been experimenting with various forms like this colorful table lamp and, as with the chandelier, a different take on the standard shade pendant.

He does his own things, too. The orange pendant light (left) and the yellow floor lamp are truly unique.

This is my favorite. It’s a pendant lamp. So very cool.

To see more of Roger’s work, including his neon signs, visit his personal site here. Or, visit his company’s site, 419 Neon. You can find Roger’s work at various retail shops. Or, shoot him an email and he’ll give you pricing. He can also explain what to do with the transformer, etc.

A neon chandelier? I’m thinking yes. How about you?

The contrast it offers next to white is also perfection.

It all depends what mood you’re in. Here, the designer jumped across the color wheel to create a warm contrast.

Feeling dark and mysterious? Indigo is the way to go.Indigo will make the orange tones in wood pop.

Feeling uncommitted? You can paint your walls white and use indigo for accents. Some choices are: IKEA’s PS Collection African rug, Indigo toss pillows from Persnickety Home ($17.95), Ink Dish Tattoo dishware from Fitzsu ($82.00 for a 4-piece setting), & Crate & Barrel’s Lago Lamp ($129).

Maybe because it’s summer, I think white is looking really good next to indigo. But turquoise, and other jewel tones, are also beautiful. Agree?

images: Henry Bourne, William Waldron, Hanks Fonk

Don’t be afraid of red. I use it everywhere – on ceilings, on floors, in my accessories. It’s the perfect accent color.

Hats and fans from Marie Antoinette and The Duchess

So many people are mourning the loss of Domino, which seemed had a more cozy feel than the truly historic-yet-contemporary look of Charles and Ray Eames, and company. Domino was decidedly feminine. Likewise, the new interest in floral wallpapers, like those from Anna French and Designer’s Guild, seem to take a step back in time.

Anna French

Why the 18th century? I’m thinking of movies like Marie Antoinette and The Duchess. The costumes were the stars. The drapery in the dresses – the ribbons and adornment lend themselves to a more feminine decorative style.

Designer’s Guild

I’m thinking we’ll begin to see more dressmakerly embellishments on curtains and accessories. More florals. More comfort.

Elegant comforts from Marie Antoinette

The current economic crisis plays a role as well. When times are tough, it’s more comforting to come home to a nostalgic, cozy and embracing environment than a bare-bones bunker.

A more somber palette, but no less elegant, from The Duchess

Here are a few sites I’ve been looking at lately for inspiration in this direction. Will it take off? Of course I don’t know. But I’m enjoying taking the time to ponder how I would incorporate some aspects of the ?ºber feminine in my personal approach to my design work.

Feminine Inspiration

Embroidery as Art. This blog is dedicated to stitchery that goes way beyond your grandma’s sampler.

Designer’s Guild. Furniture, textiles, etc. They’ve got a decidedly European girlie thing going on that I love.

Anna French. Wallpapers and textiles. They’re both contemporary and vintage. It’s all in how you use them.

The Costume Gallery. This is a nice resource for inspiration gathering. It may be about fashion, but it all translates.

18th Century Fashion. A fun Flickr gallery of period costume.

images source

Here’s something that should wake us all up. It’s a Ted Talk featuring Isaac Mizrahi.¬† Don’t you adore him?

He talks all about where he finds his inspiration. And other stuff, too. It’s not too long and is worth watching. Click here to watch the video. Then, check out his new style web site.

Cheers!