Done in a Day: Stenciled Window Shade

Add Life to a Roller Shade

Do you want to give your windows a dose of color and pattern, but curtains aren’t in the budget? We have a solution―vinyl roller shades. Their stark white color has given them a bad reputation, but add a graphic stenciled design and you have a custom window treatment that’s low on cost and high on style.

Shade: 37¼" x 66" light-filtering vinyl shade in white by Levolor (levolor.com), available through Lowe’s; lowes.com.
 Brackets: Inside-Mount Shade Brackets, also by Levolor, also available through Lowe’s.

So Many Possibilities with Stencils

Stencils have come a long way; today’s options are sophisticated, easy to use, and offer you endless design possibilities. Combine your favorite pattern and paint color for a shade that makes a personal statement in a bedroom, bath, home office, or anywhere you want to add privacy.

Completing your project is easy once you prep your shade and get the hang of applying the paint. Don’t worry about achieving perfection. If you’ve never stenciled before, try a few practice designs on poster board. Hang your finished shade alone for a clean, tailored look, or layer it with simple curtains for softness.

 

What You Need

• Roller shade and brackets: Have your vinyl shade custom cut at the store to fit your window. Choose inside mount brackets, sold separately, for a tailored look.
• Stencil: Choose from over 30 designs at sunnys-paint.com. We used the Knot option for our shade.
• Paint and sponges: Any interior flat latex paint will work. Use natural sea sponges for the best results. We used Lenox Tan (HC-44) interior latex flat paint by Benjamin Moore;
• Spray adhesive: We used Krylon Easy-Tack, available at most craft stores. It allows you to secure and remove the stencil as needed.

Step 1: Prep Your Shade

Choose a work surface you can access from all four sides and protect it with heavy paper. Unroll the shade to a length that will cover the full height of your window and tape down the edges with painter’s tape. Find the middle of your shade with a tape measure, and mark it lightly with a pencil. Repeat every few inches up and down the shade, creating guidelines for the stencil.

Step 2: Paint the First Design

Place your stencil in the middle of the shade just above the bottom hem. Faintly mark all four edges with a pencil. Remove the stencil, lightly apply spray adhesive to the back, and place the stencil back on the shade at your marks. Pour a small amount of paint in a saucer. Dab a damp sponge in the paint, and then lightly and slowly dapple it over the stencil until covered.

Tip: Start with a little bit of paint. You can always add more.

 

Step 3: Repeat the Process

Peel off the stencil, and repeat Step 2. Work up the middle row first, creating a road map for your design. Then do the next row, centering the stencil between two designs on the adjacent row. Complete all the full designs first, and then fill in open space along the edges with partial designs. Leave unrolled to let dry. Spray-paint the brackets to match your window trim, and install. Keep the installed shade rolled down for three days to let the paint cure.

Stencil Shortcut

If you don’t want to take on a painting project, try this handsome monogram decal. It has all of the graphic impact of a stencil without any of the mess. Plus, it’s easy to remove if you get tired of the design. Choose from two styles in 14 colors to customize your own. Available from sunnys-paint.com.