Whimsical Decorating


Peachy Ice Cream Pie
Relaxing--even breaking--a few tenets of decorating can help you inject a bit of yourself into your home and help keep it from looking just like every other house on the block. Inspiration is at the heart of decorating, and whether you look in books, ask friends for advice, or just let your mind guide your design decisions, the results can be quite surprising. Just ask Liz Robinson, Ann Porter and Ann Dietrich. All three of these artists let whimsy and charm into their design ideas. Here are their suggestions for whimsical decorating fun:

A Stencil Sensation

Liz Robinson is not a painter or jeweler. She's not a sculptor or a potter. Her medium is something every child has used in elementary arts and crafts--stencils.

With her own free-spirited and fanciful stencil designs, Liz Robinson has given her home warmth, happiness and comfort with minimal effort.

Imagine transforming a World War I military barn into your dream home. Sound impossible? Well, Robinson did just that. As a self-taught stencil artist, she followed her own advice when decorating her home:

  • Do what you like.

  • Don't take your decorating too seriously.

  • Let your imagination relax, and do what makes you comfortable.

    The walls of her home reflect Robinson's approach to decorating. She used a grayish-green color on her walls to soften the abundance of natural sunlight streaming through the windows. The color also provides a complementary backdrop for her fanciful vines and berries, right, which she painted in a stenciled border just above the baseboards surrounding her home's great room.

    Whenever the mood strikes her, Robinson also enjoys making freehand paintings from some of her eclectic designs. These spontaneous projects include painting a pair of chickens happily roosting in a cherry-wood corner cabinet, right, given to her by her mother-in-law.

    She also playfully added a cat and watering can, left, to a garden gate that she stenciled with cheery yellow sunflowers.

    Robinson enjoys the art of stenciling for its simple lines and decorating ease. When planning designs, she either purchases manufactured stencils or cuts her own using sheets of heavy-duty Mylar. Her best advice to beginners is to enjoy the process and don't get intimidated. "Dive in and learn by doing it," she says. "If you make a mistake, let it become part of your design, or just wipe it off and start over."

    Quirky Yet Quaint

    Books, magazines and television programs extol the virtues of cottage-style living. These neat little hamlets tucked away from the big cities have long been the setting for children's storybooks, but today cottage-style decor is getting new attention. Want to create a charming cottage look that overflows with character and style? The secret lies in the details and your imagination.

    The copyright of the article Whimsical Decorating in Home Decorating is owned by Michael Vyskocil. Permission to republish Whimsical Decorating in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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