Scenes of everyday life were cut into templates then stenciled on walls and wood floors to create decorative patterns that actually resembled upscale wallpaper and rugs. Now the technique has been revived along with the other elements of Country-style decorating and design. One advantage of stenciling today is that the modern plastic stencils don't tear, fray or fall apart like the paper versions did in the old days. You can also buy sheets of pre-drawn stencils and cut them out with a hobby knife. And if you want to be more creative, get plain clear plastic material, draw your own pattern and cut it out yourself.
Traditional designs focus on leaves, flowers and other everyday items.
But there's really no limit on what's now available, what you can create, or where you can put stencils. Stencil Paints Crafts stores stock small cans or bottles of paint specifically for stenciling projects, but you could use any latex or alkyd-based paints. Stencil paints work best over an existing flat paint surface, but they'll also work over wood and non-vinyl wallpapers. Stencil Brushes You can stencil with regular paint brushes, but there are special circular brushes available for stenciling that have densely packed bristles. They're better than regular brushes for filling in the tight areas of a pattern, controlling paint along curved edges, and are a bit neater.