Why I Prefer Wall Stencils Over Wallpaper

Discloser: I initiated a collaboration with Cutting Edge Stencils because I knew this product would be a game changer for my viewers and for my kitchen! I received a free wall stencil in exchange for my honest review.

When I initially started planning my kitchen makeover, I knew I wanted 2 things: Green cabinets and a bold, black and white pattern on the walls.

I spent months searching for the perfect wallpaper with no avail. If I found a wallpaper I loved, the price was too far out of my budget.

The thought of using wall stencils never even crossed my mind until a photo on Instagram stopped me in my scroll.

My friend, Katherine (MyEclecticGrace), used a wall stencil by Cutting Edge Stencils in her guest room and I was so intrigued by the trendy pattern!

I guess I always thought wall stencils were a dying art. I mean, there aren’t a whole lot of options to chose from in my Hobby Lobby. Not to mention, most of the styles you see are tired and boring.

Cutting Edge Stencils is different! I was blown away by all of the trend-worthy options and the price tag was especially enticing.

Once I discovered this company, there was no going back to the idea of wallpaper. Wall stencils were the only way to go!

I knew I wanted a bold floral and I wanted it to be fluid with any style. “Magnolia and Berries” jumped out at me and stole my heart! It was exactly what I hoped to find.

My Experience

I received the wall stencil within a few days after ordering and was blown away by the professional packaging and clear instructions.

It put me at ease knowing there were numerous tutorials I could review before I dived into my own project.

Unfortunately, I made one big mistake before I even started… I bought the paint before I did my research!!

Turns out, they recommend you stay away from thick or runny paint. I made the mistake of purchasing thick paint and I paid for it big time.

The wall stencil was great to work with…no complaints there. The paint, however, drove me insane!!!

Because the paint was goopy, it bled through in most areas. It was slow to dry, so when I would move on to the next section, it would smudge in some spots.

If you use craft paint, you don’t have to worry so much about that happening and you’ll have a much easier experience overall.

“Why didn’t you just stop what you were doing and get craft paint?”, you may ask. Wellllll…. let’s just say I am persistent to a fault.

Once I get going on a project, I hate being interrupted. This girl has got a one-track mind when it comes to this stuff.

All went semi-smoothly until I got to the corner. I thought “Oh, I could just fold the wall stencil when I get there, roll over it and it’ll be great!”. No!

Notice how I was able to get into the corner and bring the pattern close to the cabinets? Good ol’ hard work!

I literally tried this method several times and it still wouldn’t do what I wanted it to do (the very definition of crazy).

The goal was to make it look like wallpaper, so getting the pattern in the corner was essential to the cause.

I finally came up with a solution. I simply traced the pattern using a pencil and filled it in with paint.

Maybe there is an easier way but that’s just how I solved the problem at the time. I also used the same method for getting the pattern around the cabinets.

The moral of this story? Read the instructions. Will I learn from my own lesson? Probably not.

It’s pretty typical of me to jump into a project without doing the necessary preparation. What can I say? Preparation tends to kill my inspiration ; )

All in all, I have to say that I’m so glad I went with this wall stencil and have not regretted using it for one minute. I only regret HOW I used it!

Although my green cabinets are pretty fabulous, I feel like the biggest statement in this room is the walls. It sets it apart from all other kitchens I’ve seen so far!

Trying to give you as many angles as possible without revealing too much of the secret kitchen!

Wall Stencils Versus Wallpaper

Cutting Edge Stencils gives people the option to have the style they desire without the price. With wallpaper, it’s a chore to find the perfect pattern and color combo.

When it came down to the work involving wall stencils versus wallpaper, I feel like they were equally the same.

In my experience, wallpaper is not any easier to work with or any less of a mess!

Another advantage wall stencils have over wallpaper is you do not have to worry about seeing seams and it’s less frustration trying to get the patterns to match up perfectly. There’s a whole lot more flexibility!

The only frustration I noticed with wall stencils is that bleeding is more than likely going to happen. There are ways you can avoid it and fix it but you can’t expect it to not happen.

You have to let go of perfection and realize that no one but you is going to notice the flaws.

Initially, I was overwhelmed by all the mistakes I was making with smudges and bleeding.

I was going to go over everything and clean up the edges at the end but realized the minor flaws didn’t bother me as much as I thought they would.

The pattern is so busy that your eye doesn’t really have time to zone in on all the mistakes.

Close up of the pattern. Imperfections galore but not noticeable unless you zone in on them!

Q&A From My Instagram Followers

“My walls are textured. How well does it work with textured walls?”

If you have textured walls, it is possible to use wall stencils but the company recommends you stick with organic patterns as opposed to straight lines and use a stencil brush versus a roller. For more details, you can visit their FAQs section on their website.

“Seems like a daunting, consuming task. Plus, I’m afraid I’ll mess it up”

As far as not being sure you want to take on the work, just know that going above average to make your home your’s will take extra work and effort like anything in life worth achieving.

There are no shortcuts to excellence and being above average. Take the challenge and see just how accomplished it makes you feel to stick out a project and take your home to the next level!

Making mistakes is just part of the game, it will happen and you are going to be frustrated at some point. It happens to the best of us!

Give yourself lots of grace, take a deep breath, and keep at it until you are satisfied with your work.

When it comes to cultivating your haven, you have to realize that it’s just a lot of trial and error to get it where you want it.

“Can’t commit to a single pattern, and I’m afraid of the time it will take”

If you are like me and your style is constantly evolving this option is for you!!! No need to commit to a certain pattern because it’s easy to paint over and create a new look!

You invest little money and time so there’s no guilt when you decide to switch it out. This is the very reason I chose to go with stenciling versus wallpaper…I change my mind about what I like frequently.

With wall stencils, you could easily break up the project into smaller segments of time. It doesn’t have to be done all at once. You just do what you feel like doing at the time and finish later! No pressure at all : )

So Basically…

This was my first experience using a wall stencil and I’m officially hooked. Learned some lessons along the way and I’ll take those with me for my next stenciling project in the near future!

Hopefully, this inspires you to do a wall stencil project of your own. If you have any further questions, feel free to drop them in the comments!