I thought I was just going to finish the trompe l’oeil window in the Powder Room today and then begin the stenciling in the hallway. But…I decided to spend the day in the Powder Room and get as much done as I could. This decision was brought about mainly because I did not want to move all my supplies out of the hallway so I could work. Here is the Before Picture of the Powder Room.
This room is approximately 4′ wide by 8′ long, with a 9′ high ceiling. There is a toilet on the wall opposite this sink and that is all there is in this very white room. No cabinets on the wall, just a mirror hung over the sink.
Yesterday, I glazed the walls a soft, sage green and had begun the window. The window was done with a template I made a long time ago, and use often. I then use tape to make the lattice portion and the sill/trim detail. It’s all done with tape and shading. Time consuming, but very easy! I got this idea right out of Melanie Royal’s book: Trompe L’oeil Murals Using Stencils.
The orchid in the twig basket is a wonderful stencil by L.A. Stencils. At the baseboard, I will be several types of flowers. Today I began the Irises and some very faint ferns that I will layer over with other flowers and ferns. That is just my blue tape you see, protecting the baseboard.
Close up of the baseboard flowers and ferns.
Close up of the Orchid.
To the left of the window I have a small trellis with Wisteria. This trellis was created by just using 1" wide blue tape and shading. Ugh… I just noticed those 2 holes to the right of the trellis. They are for the toilet paper holder. I better check and see if that is going to cover that flower. I hope not, because it will be a pain to paint it out and lower it!
Close up of Wisteria.
Today when I got home, the remaining stencils I ordered from Royal Design Studios had arrived, so tomorrow I will be able to finish this room. Now I know that stencils often get a bad rap, but these stencils, as you can see, are very realistic. I do some hand embellishment on all of my stencil designs. So, while I could stand there and hand paint each and every petal, leaf, etc. of a flower, it is much quicker to use a well designed stencil and then hand embellish. Why reinvent the wheel???
