How to Stencil a Roller Shade | Royal Design Studio Review

Hello Sunshine! It’s been a while since our last 'Hello Teen' room addition. We haven’t forgotten about our plans for this space but money does take time to grow on trees. We still need art and pictures to find for her gallery wall and I am still trying to make up my mind about the infamous library wall.

When we first designed the space we had our eye on this fabulous ikat fabric that we wanted to use as either curtains or a shade. My wallet couldn’t justify the hefty price tag so we nixed the idea. So when the opportunity presented itself to review one of Royal Design Studio's stencils, I knew just what I wanted to do in the 'Hello Teen' room.

Using their intricate Ikat Khanjali Fall stencil, an inexpensive roller shade and several paint colors, I created the look we envisioned when we first planned her room. It turned out better than I expected. Here is how you can turn a boring shade into a custom window treatment that is low in cost and high in style.

Stencil – small Ikat Khanjali Fall stencil

Stencil brush set

Roller shade – cut to size at any big box store

Paint – I used 4 different colors :

            Aubusson Blue – Annie Stone Chalk Paint

            Sea Air – Valspar

            Del Cornado Amber – Valspar

            Smooth Stone – Glidden

Spray adhesive (optional)

Step One | Prep Your Shade

I started out by painting my design on a piece of poster board, experimenting with the paint colors until I had the right configuration.

On a smooth, level surface unroll shade and tape down edges. Making sure it is completely smooth and flat. I used washi tape, since that is what I had on hand. Locate the center of your shade and make a mark on a piece of tape on the hem of the shade.

Step Two | Prep Your Stencil

Now that the shade is prepped, its time to prep the stencil. Locate the center of the stencil design and line it up on your shade, making sure it looks the way you want. Remove and lightly spray back of stencil with your repositionable adhesive in a well-ventilated area (outside on a piece of cardboard).

Allow stencil to dry for a couple minutes, it should be tacky not wet. Reposition stencil on shade, making sure it is straight and centered.

Step Three | Paint

Using your first paint color, I went from my darkest color to the lightest. I used the dry-brush stippling method. Take your brush and ever so lightly tap the surface of the paint. Applying paint only to the tips of the bristles, then immediately offload the excess paint on a glass plate. This evenly distributes the paint on the brush while removing excess paint.

Now tap the brush through your stencil using an up and down motion (I made a quick Instagram video if you want to check out how I stipple). You should barely have paint on your brush. This will help prevent seepage. Repeat for all colors.

Step Four | Repeat the Process

To continue the design, carefully peel off stencil. Check the backside for any seepage and wipe off any wet paint. Make sure previous paint job is dry. Since I only did a thin coat it dried almost instantly. Reapply adhesive if need be, line up your stencil and get your paint on. Repeat until done.

This is a time consuming job, my triceps got a good workout, but it was worth the effort. This was my first experience painting with a stencil but I have used stencils in the past for other things. The first thing I noticed when my stencil arrived was the quality. It was sturdy yet flexible, the design was crisp and extremely detailed. I plan on using my stencil again in other projects involving fabric next time.

Royal Design Studio has a wide array of stencils to choose from. Pay them a visit, I’m sure you will find something you like.

We have been getting our home ready for this holiday season by organizing and getting little things checked off our list. Our teen's room is now ready to welcome overnight guest with the new addition of this stylish yet functional shade. Tell me what you think. See ya soon!

Disclosure : Royal Design Studio provided me with the small Khanjali Ikat Stencil for free in exchange for a review. This did not influence my review in any way. All opinions expressed are completely my own.