Getting Started

Paint the wall with the base colour – we used Lorain’s Cream. Apply two coats of paint; wait for the first layer to dry completely before applying the second layer (about 30–40 minutes between coats). Then leave overnight before doing the stencilling, as the masking tape used for keeping the stencils in place might pull off the fresh paint.

Here’s how…

1. Paint the squares with your first stencil – the stencil has square cut-outs that create the tile effect. Position the stencil with masking tape. Using a sponge roller, paint the squares with the Coral Stone. The roller must not be dripping wet, and the paint must be spread evenly over the roller.

2. When the squares are dry, take a dry 50mm paintbrush or a stencil brush and apply a dry-brush
technique in Cloud White to each alternate square. Wait until dry then remove the stencil. Repeat across the entire wall until every alternate square is painted a lighter background colour.

3. Position the patterned stencil with masking tape on the exact spot where the ‘squares’ stencil was placed. Tip: Make small pencil marks at the end of step 2 so that you know where the second stencil must be placed.

4. Using a stencil brush, apply Comfort’s Blue to each alternate square (those with the Cloud White background).

5. Mix 5ml Elvis Mix with a pot of Stencil of Paris. This paint will tint the Stencil of Paris to a soft beige.

6. Using a paint scraper, spread the Stencil of Paris paste evenly over all the open squares painted with Coral Stone in step 1. Lift the stencil carefully from left to right after each application.

7. Make sure the stencil is clean before repeating the pattern (rinse it in lukewarm water and dry well) across the entire wall. The Stencil of Paris takes 2–3 hours to dry completely.