Today begins a new weekly series on Stencil Stars™ where we showcase our customer’s use of our mylar wall stencils and Modello™ masking stencils on walls, ceilings, floors, and more. Each week we will feature a different decorative artist (or decorative studio!) whose work with our stencils excites and inspires us, with the hope that YOU will be inspired too! Look forward to interesting pattern combos and color palettes, pro painting tips and ideas, and even the stories behind the stenciling. I’ll be co-writing this series with a BIG assist from my friend Regina Garay of Fauxology and SociaComm fame. Regina is officially helping us with our creative outreach to artists and bloggers and is a great asset and ambassador!

Our inagural Stencil Stars are…. paint buds and business partners Brooke Johnson and Jann Krone of Artisan Studio Design

Brooke Johnson and Jann Krone

A Bit about Artisan Studio Design

A true passion for beautiful spaces led Texas-based Brooke  and Jann out of *yawn* jobs in the corporate world into a creative one where both could fulfill their dreams and passion. They met at a seminar and became fast friends, then business partners, finding that by combining their respective talents they are able to offer their clients a much more comprehensive portfolio to choose from. Each has been extensively trained by Texturline of Canada, Safra from Italy, Faux Effects products, Modello Designs Stencils and Tattoowall, to name a few.  Their passion, dreams and creativity can be seen in private residences, commercial buildings, corporate offices, design showcase events and numerous parade/dream homes. Collectively they have won various awards and have been interviewed both for radio, newspaper, magazines and books.  Today we have a chance to delve into the details of their work and get some insights on their creative process.

The stunning, dramatic black & white bath above is created by using Modello Transitional Border Stencil 110

Brooke and Jann are accomplished using traditional stencils, like those we sell through Royal Design Studio. Most of the work featured here, however, focuses on their use of Modello Decorative Masking Stencils. These are one-time-use, adhesive backed vinyl stencils that allow for easy custom design and intricate, large-scale patterns. They have become the “go-to tool” for professional decorative finishers when pattern becomes a priority. Masking stencils offer many advantages. One of which is that the pattern can be worked using either the positive or negative image. We have capitalized on this by creating a collection of Transitional Border patterns, that allow you to “transition” from one color to another with the help of the pattern itself. Here are three prime examples of these in use by Artisan Studio Design.

An alternate use of this same Modello™ stencil pattern where Brooke and Jann provided perfect measurements so that our custom design department could fit the pattern to a tee by manipulating the design elements slightly so that each corner is beautifully finished.

A different Transitional border stencil, 113, was used to create a two-tone stencil effect in a bathroom higher up on the wall.

The beautiful groin ceiling above was done with a Royal Design Studio custom stencil to Artisan Studio Design’s specifications. It really enhances and accentuates the area while balancing out the color scheme.

Now, some questions for Artisan Design Studio…..

What draws you to Stenciling?

The ability to create without limitations.  Using traditional mylar stencils and Modello custom masking stencils allow us the ability to enhance ANY surface.  We have used them on concrete floors, walls, furniture, niches, cabinets, crown moldings, ceilings and mirrors.  Our mediums have included paint, plaster, glass beads and concrete. The impact even using a small stencil image can make the difference between a nice finish and an extraordinary finish.

A patio floor is transformed from blah to wow! using a well-designed pattern and warm colors.

How do you determine which pattern will work for your project?

We love this question!  One of our requirements in designing for any client is that we must visit the space where we will be creating a design.  We feel the areas that we create should evoke a feeling of well-being and reflect our client’s personality and wishes.   To achieve that goal we spend time with our clients, asking questions, reviewing the architecture and discussing the purpose of the space so we have a clear picture of what needs to be accomplished.  To do that, you have to come to know your client well.   Every client is different, so we approach every project with an open mind taking into account the clients requests and desires.

In getting to know our client, we have found that certain personalities such as accountants, architects, doctors and professional athletes tend to go for a more of a grid format, whether they realize it or not.  Professions that aren’t as structured tend to prefer a looser, more free-flowing pattern such as more random placement and more eclectic.  It is the ability to read people and their spaces that has given us an advantage in picking patterns and how they are laid out and the client isn’t any wiser.  They just like the fact that it “works” and is perfect for them.

Jann and Brooke at work on a very large ceiling stencil project that required some serious custom designing to fit the “boat” shaped recessed area.  The end result (below) showcases the finished customized Modello Chateau Carpet Panel — which translates beautifully to ceilings as well as floors!

Please share your top stenciling tips with us.

When working on a light or white background, we use the low-tack gray Modello™ masking material.  This is especially useful when you are hand-painting your design.   When using Modello™ stencil patterns or mylar stencils, you can never measure too many times, especially on groin vaults.  We have found that there is NO such thing as a perfectly straight or square room and no two sides are ever exactly the same measurement.  Measure, measure and measure again.

We had a situation in a powder bath that had an arched wall that separated the sink from the toilet area. The pattern the designer requested was a trellis pattern.  The challenge for us was to have the pattern on the forward wall of the arch MATCH the pattern on the back wall when you walked in, so there was no break in the visual effect.  This was a prime example of measuring the area and matching it to the size of the stencil we needed.

Another tip is to always buy more then one stencil or purchase a small stencil that matches the production size stencil.   We have found these extra stencils come in handy especially if you have to cut them up to make your design work.   Last, we always have a large pad of newsprint when we are stenciling.   It is an inexpensive pad from any hobby store that we can quickly wipe down, clean our stencils on and throw away the used paper.   The newsprint also comes in handy when we need to spray adhesive on the stencils.  We always keep a spray bottle of Simple Green with us to wipe down the stencils, too.

Architectural elements such as inset niches and ceilings can become wonderful focal points. This ceiling features Modello Ornamental Center 128.

We hope you’ve enjoyed seeing the work of our first Stencil Stars! We’re so happy that Brooke and Jann have found the perfect partnership in each other and incorporating pattern into their many projects. We have SO MANY fabulously talented customers, you can rest assured that we have many more posts on the way. Special note: You can see a preview of each week’s Stencil Star each Saturday on our Royal Design Studio/Modello Designs Facebook Page. You can find more of Brooke and Jann’s work on their website, Artisan Design Studio and their Facebook page.

It’s been a long and colorful journey for my friend Maryam and her husband Chris to realize their vision for their “built from the ground up” boutique hotel, Peacock Pavilions, in an olive grove just outside of Marrakesh.

A journey that has been well-told and documented on Maryam’s award winning blog, My Marrakesh. After meeting online, I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Chris and Maryam on multiple painting projects at Peacock Pavilions that have turned into leading American artisans on almost annual painting adventures to this lovely place. It’s been such a joy to see the transformation of PP from a muddy construction site to a beautiful oasis, and also to see Maryam’s transformation from a budding blogger with a dream to an accomplished photographer, international design star, Moroccan decorating expert, and now published author!

Just last month, the family home at Peacock Pavilions was featured in none other than Elle Decor! What a thrill to see the Art Deco mural I had designed for a guest room featured in all its full-page spendor!

Not to mention, the master bedroom floor stenciled with lovely Skylar’s Lace!

Now just this week, Marrakesh by Design, is hitting the bookstores and Maryam is on her official American Book Tour, which just so happens to be making a special stop at our San Diego Studio this coming Saturday May 12th!! If you are in the Southern California area you won’t want to miss this Moroccan Decorating Event and book signing opportunity. Besides a design talk, we have some special treats planned, including a Peacock Feather stencil to take home, a Moroccan themed stencil project, a henna tattoo artist and other goodies. Please do check it out as we are looking forward to bringing a touch of Morocco-and Maryam- to San Diego!

I pin. You pin. We all pin for a stencil win! I know that many of you are already BIG Pinterest fans (like me!), as well as Royal Design Studio stencil fans. SO…..we are so pleased to announce our first Pinterest pinning contest, Stencil Amour. This is your chance to pin all those stencils you’ve been coveting in one place and possibly WIN a $250 Shopping Spree.

We’ve set up the contest rules  and commenting to enter on our new Stencil Ideas Blog on our stencil website. Go to the post there to see the easy rules for entry and start pinning your fav Royal Design Studio stencils to your own Royal Design Stencils Love  Pinterest board. Then, keep your fingers crossed that you will be the lucky winner of a super $250 stencil shopping spree. Don’t forget to enter the contest by commenting on the post on Royal Design Studio. Good luck to all you pin-happy people!!

There is nothing more inspiring to me than to see finished projects that our customers have done with our wall and furniture stencils! One of the things I am most excited about is that our new stencil website give us the ability to SHARE these projects with others on a weekly basis on our Stencil Ideas Blog-right from within the site! I want to encourage you all to share YOUR projects with us, because we really want to show you off!!

Here is one of our first  features showing stylish stenciled bathrooms. Bathrooms can be super fun to stencil because they are little rooms unto themselves and you can be a bit bolder with your choice of color, pattern, and scale-if you want! These three stenciled bathrooms show a nice range of ideas.

The first photo from Michelle Lopez of Sparkle Faux Designs features an allover stencil pattern treatment with our Lisboa Tile stencil. Stenciling an allover pattern in a bathroom can be a bit of a challenge because you generally will have more obstacles and areas there you have to “cut in” with the design: corners, fixtures, tile, and molding. The end effect is super stunning, though, as this photo shows. Believe it or not, allover pattern treatments actually help to visually “push out the walls” and can make small rooms seem bigger!

The second photo by Karen Jorgenson of KJ Decorative Finishes offers a brilliant alternative treatment for an allover pattern stencil. Here, Karen took a modern allover stencil Hip to B Square stencil and turned it into a graphic border. You can achieve this by using tape to mask off and paint a “frame” of pinstripes and simply stencil the allover pattern within them. I think that this amount of pattern and color is just the right compliment to the dark painted walls that offset the bright white paint and fixtures. VERY punchy!

The third photo shows another way to create the look of an allover design without stenciling every square foot of wall space. This works particularly well for a feature wall. Here, Rina Krumholz using our Grand Damask stencil and stenciled it randomly around the room in two different colors. By layering the designs here and there and turning them upside down occasionally, you can quickly stencil a unique custom look that fits your space-something you could NEVER get with wallpaper!

So-how about you? Do you have some stencil tricks and special projects up your sleeve that you’d like to share? We’d love to see them and possibly share them on our website. Please send pics of your projects using Royal Design Studio stencils to projects@royaldesignstudio.com and let’s keep the inspiration flowing!

It’s HERE! After months, years really, we have our new Royal Design Studio stencil website to unveil. Actually, it’s a Royal Design Studio stencil website 2.0, because we’ve taken the leap to putting multiple sites within a site. There is still a lot of work to do and much to add (isn’t there always???) but we have started off with our stencil site, seen below, and a new site called Paint and Create (more on that later)!

Leading off  is Royal Design Studio-the original stencil business I founded in 1994. It still looks pretty fresh, doesn’t it? Kind of like me. *cough*. The primary feature of this site is our stencil collection, of course, and we have done some fluffing up by adding cool, new graphics and reorganizing our stencils into new, more logical categories.

For instance, we broken down our Allover Damask Stencils into subcategories like Allover Floral Stencils, Allover Moroccan Stencils, Allover Modern Stencils, etc. so it’s easier to pinpoint that perfect stencil for your feature wall!

Furniture painting is uber-hot right now. Actually, it’s been popular 4ever and we’ve always had a wide range of stencil patterns for furniture painting. Difference is-now they are easy to find all in one place.

Want to create a global vibe with wall stencils? In addition to our popular moroccan stencils, we have categories for Japanese Stencils, African Stencils, Indian Stencils and more.

Another new category on the site is Children’s and Nursery Stencils. My very first attempt at stenciling was back in 1984 when I stenciled my son’s nursery with a border of my own design of ducks, hearts, and rocking horses. Alas, you won’t find THAT design here, but there are lots of cute floral stencils and lots more fun designs in the works.

Your notice that there are now tabs at the top of the site that lead to different areas. Some of these are still in progress, but we have finished up our new decorative painting site Paint and Create. This is where you will find all the cool tools and decorative painting products that you can use alone or combine with our stencil and Modello Designs masking patterns.

Of course, we are super happy to be carrying the full line of the amazing Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. This is the ORIGINAL Chalk Paint™, developed by Annie Sloan 20 years ago in England as the ultimate furniture paint.

Almost from the beginning of my stencil career, I have used stencils in combination with decorative and faux finishes. I find it so much more interesting to combine pattern with glazes, crackles, metallics and textures and you can look for lots of information on how you can too now and in the future in our Paint How-tos and Tips area.

Speaking of metallics, we have a whole section devoted just to Metallic Paint, Metal Leaf and Metallic Foil.  Here’s a way to indulge in all of your gilty pleasures without an ounce of guilt! Who doesn’t want and need a little more sparkle in their life?

OK, that’s just a little peek into the new site. It’s still a bit of a work in progress and I will be sharing more in the coming days, but please check it out and browse around for yourself and let me know what you think and what more you’d like to see!

I have a rather large book case wall unit in my living room.  It’s…OK. Just OK. It’s functional. It’s “there”. I often look at it and think a) needs dusting AGAIN!, b) I need to give some of those books to Goodwill, and c) It would be so cool to paint it, stencil the back, and rid it of some clutter while upping it’s “cool” quotient.

I have a very simple but VERY gorgeous furniture stencil project by blogger Sarah Gunn to share, which is a perfect illustration of my thought process. It was recently featured on the Canadian blog Yummy Mummy Club.

Bookcase Before: nice, functional, stores stuff adequately but no great shakes.

Bookcase After: it’s like someone blew a breath of fresh air into the room! Sarah used one of my fav stencil patterns from Royal Design Studio-the Small Eastern Lattice. The green color is so, so pretty with the blue walls and it makes the white and silver accessories just pop. Instead of blending into the background, this simple furniture piece now has “presence”.

Stenciling on the back of a bookcase or wall unit is actually pretty easy as you can generally just pop that thin piece of wood off the back, paint it, and then reinstall it with finishing nails of a staple gun. How about you? Do you have a similar stencil project calling your name?

PS  Sarah also shared some stenciling tips on a recent airing of City Line, a fun morning show out of Canada.  AND, besides writing for the Yummy Mummy Club and TV appearances, Sarah also has her own business, Polka Dot Grove, which offers adorable custom canvas art for children’s rooms!

Growing up, we always had Family Circle magazines around the house. In fact, my Mom still has a subscription. Now, I’ll admit, it is no longer a “must read” magazine for me the way that Elle Decor, Veranda, and House Beautiful are, but this month’s issue is one I HAD to pick up!

You see, there is a lovely little furniture stencil project in there written by the talented (and welcome NEW discovery for me) Suzonne Sterling of the wonderful Urban Comfort blog.

Suzonne used our Small Eastern Lattice stencil on a metal coffee table. Because this particular stencil requires you to paint in the negative spaces around the trellis pattern, Suzonne basecoated the table in a gold metallic paint first. She then did the stenciling in the brown color, so that the actual trellis pattern shines through. Suzonne posted about this project on her own blog here and you can find more detailed instructions also on the Family Circle website.

You will probably want to set aside some time to peruse Urban Comfort. It’s full of inspiring DIY ideas. I particularly liked this idea of creating a Winter Butterfly Garden and think this would be so, so pretty on a mantle of as a dining table centerpiece!

She also recently did a wonderful post on the upcoming Annie Sloan U.S. tour. As a stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I gotta love that one too!!

One of my favorite stores to drop in for color and current trend inspiration is Pier One. And I’ll also admit to an occasional purchase or two.

So exciting then when blogging friend Beth Hunter from Home Stories A to Z pointed out that our Casablanca Trellis wall stencil was used in one of the room beauty shots in their latest catalog! Beth spotted it right away because she had used the same design on her stenciled curtain project. You can see it there on the yellow/green accent wall. Nice choice!

And then a few more pages in I spied our Chain Link modern wall stencil used in yet another shot. The tone-on-tone gold treatment is one of my long time favorite classic  colorways to use with stencils and I love how fresh and updated it looks with the brighter blue and green! Pier One-you rock!  I am now an even BIGger fan! You can see the catalog online here.

And we have a winner!! First and foremost I would like to thank each and every ALL of you who entered our lastest stencil giveaway for taking the time to visit our stencil website, comment, tweet, share on Facebook, and even pin on Pinterest for the chance to win our $75 stencil shopping spree from Royal Design Studio!! I was thrilled to see those lovely comments keep coming-all the way up to 486.

Second, I would like to thank The Nester for hosting this amazing sponsored giveway on her blog and allowing Royal Design Studio to participate. I feel honored to be included with the other wonderful companies and their yummy products.

Alas, we can only pick one winner an that is

Kalyana left comment number 289, which was randomly chosen from all 486 entries by random.org.

I can’t wait to see which one of our Moroccan stencils that Kalyana picks for her bathroom wall. Let’s hope she shares a picture with us!

SUPER BIG Thank you again going out to The Nester and all of you who entered!

I have something to share with you.

This something has me feeling excited, stressed, creative, anxious, thrilled.

This something keeps me focused, overwhelmed, engaged, up at night.

This something can’t happen soon enough. This something seems like a project without end.

This something is something that I hope will thrill you. This something is something that I hope doesn’t kill me.

Website (and blog!) redesigns. Coming soon. Fingers crossed.