Stencil knife

Templates
Four wallpapers, nine borders

Almost all repeat patterns have been painted using stencils throughout history. The painters of medieval churches, the wallpaper makers of the 18th and 19th centuries, all used stencils to create their repeat patterns.

The golden age in Sweden was the early 19th century, when people often decorated their houses with stencils, a cheap and relatively easy way to imitate the expensive printed paper wallpaper of the upper classes. Stenciled walls became the decorative art of the social middle class and were common in the finer rooms of the home. In kitchens and simpler rooms, the walls were more often splash-painted. In some parts of Sweden, stencilling developed into a fine art, such as Hälsingland. Many patterns became localized, as painters worked within limited geographical areas.

In the 20th century, the technique has survived, for example in the production of signs. With the revival of interest in folk art in the late 20th century, stencil painting experienced a renaissance and many local associations and museums took up local patterns again.

Interest in old houses has also opened up new avenues for stencilling in cities. In the stairwells of apartment buildings, it is therefore common today to have stenciled borders on the walls. Stenciled walls often have bold patterns and many people are therefore hesitant to use them. But remember that stenciled wallpapers almost always belong to rooms with breast panels. They are only meant to cover part of the wall. That’s why wild and colorful patterns can still create both calm and harmonious rooms.