How to Highlight a Focal Point With Stencils

Round up three stencils with motifs of roughly the same size, plus a stencil with one or more smaller details that can be slipped in. The stencils we used are JA114, JA138 and JA47A, TP31 by The Stencil Library, a British maker (from $26 each; stencil-library.com). Arrange the stencils on the floor to see how they might flow, keeping in mind that this type of pattern works best when strong vertical elements, such as branches, are oriented toward a focal point, like this headboard. To maintain that orientation, you may need to flip the stencils when moving from one side to the other for a mirror-image pattern. Consider filling in small areas with a special detail from one of the stencils, such as the birds-on-bamboo here.

Put down the base coat and let it dry. Measure the wall, and use a pencil to mark out the area to be stenciled and the position of each motif. Here, the stencils were sometimes flipped to keep most of the motifs oriented toward the headboard. The pattern was also allowed to flow behind the headboard.

Start the pattern on the lower left and work from the left side to the right side. In a ventilated area, lightly spray the back of a stencil with repositionable adhesive, let dry for a few seconds, and press the stencil in place.

Load a small foam roller or a medium stencil brush with paint. To discourage bleeding, remove excess paint by running the roller or brush over a folded paper towel. Using light pressure, roll or pounce on the paint.

Peel up a corner of the stencil to check coverage, and lightly apply more paint if needed. Take care to clean and dry any stencil before flipping it over to create a reverse image. Stand back and admire your work. Dispatch any blips with a tiny artist's brush, and then start scouting for another space where you can stencil again.