Color is the most inexpensive and effective tool for creating a mood or feeling in a room. It can even define a style, with the addition of the right accents. For instance, this stenciled wall treatment uses a 17th century historical design, but the contemporary color scheme and room accessories serve to create a much more contemporary European feel.

Stencils and Supplies
Stencils: Allover Interlacing Leaves, Interlaced Leaves Border
1/8" Tape
Easy Mask Paper Tape
Ultimate Stippler
Black Aquabond or acrylic paint

Benjamin Moore Latex Paint (Soft-gloss 100% acrylic exterior finish): HC41, AC8

Aquacreme (or similar translucent glazing medium)
Yellow Ochre, Golden Sienna Faux Creme Color 
Off-White Setcoat

 

Step 1
Basecoat the wall with two coats of Off-White Aquabond or an off-white 100% acrylic latex paint in a pearl or satin finish. Allow to dry overnight (minimum).

Step 2
Mix a latex glaze by adding one part HC41 to 4 parts latex glazing medium. Apply to entire wall area with a softened rag blend or "color blush" technique (as outlined in the ESE Decorative Finishes video). Allow to dry overnight.

Step 3
Measure and mark off 12" wide vertical stripes with a level. Tape off every other stripe with Easy Mask tape. Mix BM HC41 and AC8 1:1 and then mix this color blend with latex glazing medium at a ratio of 1:4. Use the same technique that was done on the first layer, just in the alternating stripes to create a deeper value. Allow to dry overnight.

Step 4
When stenciling the Allover Interlacing Leaves in the stripes, you will need to again tape off every other stripe, because the stencil color will be lighter on the darker stripes and darker on the lighter stripes. Over the lighter stripes, use your second glaze medium that has a little more paint added to it. The stenciling here will match the tone of the darker stripes. When stenciling in the darker stripes, use an off-white latex or acrylic paint to create a lighter tone. The allover pattern is wide enough to span the stripes, so that you will be able to line up the repeats as you skip over every other stripe. The "swag" look of the frieze design is actually just the natural way that the stencil repeat falls.

Step 5
As a toning and unifying layer, tint some Aquacreme or other translucent medium with Yellow Ochre and Golden Sienna and use this to apply a light stria finish from ceiling to floor over the stripes. This will be very subtle. You can roll out the glaze over about 2-3 stripe widths at a time and stria. Allow this to dry completely

Step 6
Use the 1/8" striping tape to mark the pinstripes that separate the stripes on the top of the wall. Run the tape down the "seams". Use it as a guide in which to place the Easy Mask tape on either side and then remove the 1/8" tape for painting in the black with a dense 4" foam roller (offload the paint). The black chairrail is a 2 1/2" wide band of painted black. over which the Interlaced Leaves border is stenciled with HC41.