When adding décor to your child’s bedroom or playroom, your options are virtually unlimited and you can let yourself play alittle bit. Have some fun and think like a kid again. Have your children get involved and help out- they’ll love their new bedrooms.

The furniture, wallpaper, flooring, accessories and bedding should sort of all come together to create a theme. However, have you considered using stenciling to spice up the items in the bedroom? Stenciling can be used on objects in the room, ranging from walls to floors, and from lampshades to window shades. Some fun ideas for stencils can be had at hobby shops anywhere. You’ll all sorts of designs that’ll make a prefect accent.

Some ideas:

1. Store flat brushes flat. Your stencil brushes must remain flat at all times. Place them between two pieces of cardboard, and then position the brush in the middle of a phone book, or a large heavy book.

2. Do not overdo it. Avoid adding too much paint to the brush, to avoid the paint from leaking underneath the stencil’s edges. The tips of the brush’s bristles should be uniformly coated. You can use a cloth or paper to remove any extra paint.

3. Guinea pig paper. To help prevent an error on the real surface, test the stencil on a piece of paper, to determine if you will get the results that you want.

4. Two is better than one. It is wise to apply one coat, let it dry, and then apply a second coat. This is more effective than applying one thicker coat.

5. Use the right tools for the right job. Use quality stenciling brushes, a sponge, or small roller. Stenciling brushes are round, with bristles that are short and rigid. You should quickly move the brush up and down, to pat paint onto the stencil. This movement will help to avoid the paint from seeping underneath the edges.

6. Stay there! Secure the stencil by using tape at the top and bottom of the stencil. The best type is low-tack tape, as it will prevent paint from being pulled off the surface, and is a cinch to pull off.

7. Brush from the outside-inwards. Instead of working from the stencil’s center to the edge, work from the edge to the center. This will keep paint from seeping underneath the edges of the stencil.

8. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Constantly clean your stencils in warm water, to keep the edges paint-free. This will create a cleaner pattern. Paint can be easily wiped off card and paper stencils, then the remaining paint needs to dry. However, acetate stencils are more ideal for using the same stencils multiple times.

9. The colors of the rainbow. When adding multiple colors to a single stencil, use masking tape to block areas that you want to paint a different color.