Victorian Stencil Art

Recognized for elaborate decorations and motifs, ornate designs, deep dramatic colors and velvety smooth textures, homes in the Victorian era (1837-1901) were rich with smooth plastered walls, frescoed ceilings and elaborate stenciling.

If you wish to achieve the look of an elaborately decorated Victorian home, take advantage of the various benefits of Victorian stencil art.

Giving you complete control and flexibility in terms of placement, color and design combination, stenciling allows you to create a unique and custom look for your home. However, before you attempt to incorporate the Victorian era into your home with Victorian stencil art, you should recognize the various designs, the design basics and the easiest method used to recreate the masterpieces of this stylistic period.

Victorian Stencil Art Designs

A wide variety of Victorian stencil designs allow homeowners and decorators to recreate the rich characteristics of the classic Victorian era. Whether you are creating detailed moldings and plaster columns, or you want to add decorative borders to your walls and ceiling, you can choose from a collection of various Victorian designs, including:

• Mini medallion
• Topiary and Flemish
• Plumes petite
• Persian motif
• Victorian lace
• Victorian wisteria
• Deco
• Rococo
• Damask room
• Primrose swag

Recreating the Victorian Era

Color

During the first part of the Victorian period, most rooms incorporated light-colored walls. However, during the second half of this era, people believed deep, rich colors – including vivid greens and mahogany browns – enhanced the importance of a room. Because color is the main structure for your Victorian re-creation, you should try to create the same feeling in your home as held by those during the Victorian era.

Patterns

Through the use of wallpaper, specialist paint finishes (sponging, marbleizing and spattering) and Victorian stencil art, Victorian homeowners added texture to a room, trying to cover every available surface with ornate designs. Intricately scrolled floral patterns were favored during the early and mid-Victorian period. Red, blue and green were common colors placed over backgrounds of various shades of creams and tans. Most Victorian stencil patterns were achieved through plaster stenciling.

Plaster Stenciling

By using pre-cut patterns to achieve a specific design, Victorian stencil art creates beautiful and ornate masterpieces on furniture, fabric, ceilings and floors. Many designers agree the most beautiful designs have been found on the walls of Victorian homes. To help recreate the ornate walls of Victorian homes, you can create raised designs by using Victorian stencil art with plaster.

As long as you follow a few basic steps, stenciling to create plaster designs can be easy:

• Attach the stencil to the wall with tape or stencil adhesive
• Spread a thin layer of Joint Compound (which can be found in most craft or hardware stores) with a pallet knife
• Scrape off excess plaster and pull the stencil from the wall
• Be sure to let the area dry for 30 to 45 minutes
• You can leave the design as is, paint it the color of your wall or add color to the design with a stencil brush and paint.

A variety of other items also can be decorated with plaster stenciling, such as vases, lamps, flower pots, jewelry boxes, stairway posts, front porch posts, book covers, chests, doors and photo frames.
Even though the Victorian era ended more than 100 years ago, many homeowners and interior designers continue to look back at this era for inspiration. If you want to add some Victorian flavor to your home, take advantage of the various ways you can utilize Victorian stencil art.


Sources:
How to Stencil. Victoria Larsen Stencils. Groups.yahoo.com. 17 Sept 2006.
http://www.victorialarsen.com/How_to_Stencil.htm
Larsen, Victoria. Decorating With Raised Plaster Stencils. Home Repair Articles. George
Ventures, Inc. 17 Sept 2006.
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infdecorating /infplasterstencil.shtm
The Decorative Art of Stenciling. Creativity Portal: Explore & Express Creativity.
17 Sept 2006. http://www.creativity-portal.com/howto/artscrafts/ stenciling.html
Using Your Stencil, Borders. Epoch Designs: Authentic Victorian Stencils. 17 Sept 2006.
http://www.epochdesigns.com/overallpatterns.htm< br />Victorian Design. HGTV: Design Basics; Episode DSB-209. Scripps Network, Inc.
17 Sept 2006.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_styles_victorian/art icle/0,1793,HGTV_3532_1377762,00.html