Decorating the Master Bedroom with Stencils and Plaster

In my last post, I showed you the ornamental plaster frame I did with Raised Plaster Stencils, Faux Finish Techniques and ornamental plaster molds on my master bedroom ceiling.

Continuing the project, I re-did my plaster wall frames with the same treatment I did on the ceiling frame.


Before, there was a simple marbleized finish inside the frames. By the way, I created these frames with my Wall Frame Plaster Mold Set and they have been a wonderful, architectural detail to the room.

I painted them the same inner color of the ceiling frame and then added just a portion of the Raised Plaster Floral Central stencil I had used on the ceiling.

I used the same Ornate Round Medallion plaster mold to create a center medallion for the frames. Now, all 6 frames in the room match the ceiling.


My next order of  business is to paint the frames themselves with the same metallic pewter color I used for the medallion in the center and all the plaster pieces on the ceiling. 


As the bedroom progresses, I find it much more elegant, much more coordinated and much more "put together". 


The greatest thing about this whole transformation is that it has literally cost me under $50.00 in paint and plaster!  (Not including the stencil and mold). This goes to show you that you can create high end decorating in your own home for very little money but the results look like you spent a fortune!


Visit the VictoriaLarsen.com website for more projects like this one and all the stencils and plaster molds you need for the job!

Ornamental plaster in the Master Bedroom

Wow, it's been nearly a year since I moved in to my forest home in the mountains of Idaho. I can't believe it! And I've spent plenty of time working on it. 




The master bedroom is large but because there is so much wall space, it was also very plain. Not any more!

I decided to add ornamental plaster to the ceiling with painted frames, a Raised Plaster Stencil and plaster pieces from our plaster molds.

I first painted a large rectangle in pale brown then created an outer border that I faux finished with simple dark brown paint over the top of the light brown color I used for the center.


I then applied our Raised Plaster Floral Central Stencil in the center, repeated 4 times in to a large medallion.


 I cast all the pieces I needed then painted them pewter.

I applied each piece to the edge of the painted ceiling frames by spreading pre-tinted joint compound over the back of each piece which serves as the adhesive.

Applying the pieces is a cinch! Simply hold in place for 60 seconds, let go and it becomes permanent (though actually removable someday is need be...by why would you want to?)

The master bedroom took on a very elegant, high end look with the addition of the plaster ceiling frame. I love it and now wake up to it each morning with a smile on my face. The cool thing is that it also increases the value of my home (quite literally, since it's known as "custom plaster" to appraisers!).

Now, think about your own home. Would it benefit with the addition of a ceiling frame or medallion? You can simply do something simple around a light fixture then paint it the same color as the ceiling for understated beauty!


In my next post, I'll show you how I brought the whole room together with accessories and further faux finishes.


Visit the VictoriaLarsen.com website for more decorating projects just like this one.

Create a Personalized Sign for Your Home

Visit the VictoriaLarsen.com website for easy, beautiful projects to make your home beautiful and all the stencils, plaster molds and window etch designs you need to create a gorgeous space!




In my last post, I showed you how I transformed my tired, weathered, quite ugly exterior doors in to elegant entrances in to my home.


I love this home; It's beautiful, it's serene, it's peaceful and I'm making it very elegant.


I wanted to voice that sentiment to all visitors which I did by creating a special sign that greets visitors.


I started with a 1" thick  square of wood that I sanded and primed, then painted with the same exterior paint color I used for the doors.

I had custom lettering cut out of exterior vinyl from our friends as RASmithdesigns.com and applied them to the face of the sign. "Chateau De L' Amour" which means "Castle of Love" in French. R.A. Smith has a great little tool on the website that allows you to create the phrase you want, choose the font and the color and then whips out a quote for the design before you ever purchase. How cool is that?

I then used a raised plaster stencil with joint compound, in a small border design to do the edges of the sign. 

After it was dry, I painted it with the same exterior paint to seal it.

Adding metallic gold paint to the design and a coat of exterior varnish over the metallic completed the sign.

It now hangs lovingly outside my back door (the main entrance to the house). Always a reminder of how I love my oasis in the forest. How grateful I am to have the opportunity to add to the history and beauty of this home.


See the cute floral etched glass design on the door glass? That's from my new Etched Glass Vinyl Window Collection! See it on my website: Etched Glass Vinyl Window Decal Designs




The way I see it, we never truly "own" our homes. We are simply care takers. Placed here to add to the longevity, the history, the beauty and love of these structures; these properties. We have the honor of adding to their character and just a little bit of us stays with the property forever.....our "foot print". What a cool thought.

How to Give Old Doors New Life

Visit my website at VictoriaLarsen.com for many easy, fun, elegant projects for making your home the home you always wanted! Find painting and plaster stencils and ornamental molds to give your home a uniqueness that is totally YOU!

How to Give Old Doors New Life

Having a home in the high mountains of northern Idaho has it's drawbacks. The climate, both winter and summer, can be absolutely brutal on a home.

Though I've owned the home for 6 years, it mainly served as a vacation home and got neglected, simply because I was rarely here to do common maintenance.

Now that I live here permanently, I find many chores that needed to be done simply to prepare for the pending hard winter snows.

The exterior doors were cracked, dry and badly in need of repair. But you know me, I had to go one step beyond and make them look elegant as well!

After patching the cracks and sanding the doors, I added my English Traditional Raised Plaster Stencil to the bottom of the doors using wood patch (instead of joint compound) and then gave the doors two coats of exterior paint in a custom color I mixed myself.

The final step was to add that "Ooohhh LaLa" look by painting just the design with pewter metallic paint. A quick coat of exterior sealer will protect it from the harsh winter.

All of my exterior doors have now been embellished with the same treatment, giving my exterior a uniform appearance. The house trim was painted the same color, bringing a charming look to my new home!

Ah, the plans I have for this place....I'll keep you posted!

New Stainless Steel Paint for Tired and Outdated Appliances!

It's fun being a global moderator for the TalkFaux.com website. I get to connect with some of the world's top faux finish artists and beginners alike. The cool thing is, there is always something new to tickle my fancy and set my brain on fire.
This morning, there was a post about a new stainless steel paint for appliances.

Rima Bechara tested the process on her own refrigerator with amazing results! The cool part was that she used one of my stencil designs in the center of the freezer door with glass beads and the result was so "designer"! Check it out!

Stainless Steel Refrigerator Make Over.

4 Months of Change

Since the big move to my northern Idaho home this past April, life has been a whirlwind of change and activity. Whew! Maybe I can actually take a breath now?
I have found that living in the mountains, far from the city lights and traffic, that life is a heck of a lot different here than anything I've ever known. Angry porcupines under the back stairs, a black bear in my driveway who took off through the forest with my bag of kitchen garbage, strewing it through the woods like a crumb trail that I had to clean up, baby fawns who want to play and huge wild turkeys staring in the window at me. Yes, it's different indeed...different and AWESOME!

These first months were spent putting everything away in this 4,000 square foot chalet and re-setting up my business to operate at some level of efficiency. But alas, I am settled and back on the road to creating! Yipee!

The cool thing is that I have walls and ceilings completely void of my artistic additions which means I have a whole blank canvas to play with! I'll be updating you with each new blog post.

So I'm BACK! And glad to be here once again!

Visit my website at VictoriaLarsen.com to see new designs and new decorating projects to inspire you!

It's Not Luxury If You Don't Use It

Visit the VictoriaLarsen.com website for fascinating ways to use stencils and molds to create a high end looking home on a budget! And watch this blog and the website for updates as to what I do with my home in Northern Idaho!

It's not luxury if you don't use it!

When I was little, I was fascinated with the old black and white movies of the 40's that my Mother would watch. I loved the houses with their decorative plaster, the grand bedrooms, the long flowing gowns the women would wear and the elaborate table settings in these films. I was smitten from an early age!


 I always dreamed of candelabras on my dinner table, linen napkins, fine china and exquisite silver. I dreamed of beautiful dresses in my closet, wonderful and unusual jewelry and fur rugs on my floors.


As I've aged, as I've collected these gorgeous articles of the finer life, (even if they came from thrift stores!), I also them! 


Where most people keep their fine china hidden away on an upper shelf in the cupboard , keep the linens tucked away for use only at Christmas, and the real pearls in the back end of their jewelry boxes, I choose to use mine on a daily basis.


My thinking is: "Why did I buy them if I am not going to enjoy them"?


For years, I went through the "silver" stage, collecting silver serving pieces from thrift stores and I now have a most luscious serving set for my table. And I use them!


There is something to eating from your fine china and digging out the special dishes. It makes you "feel" special! It makes even the simplest dinner, somehow more wonderful. Using those fork rests, pouring your coffee from your lovely coffee decanter, sipping your tea or coffee from those beautiful cups you have tucked away. All of it makes you feel like you are living the high life, even when your budget is for mac and cheese.


So just as I believe in making even the most modest home something elegant and beautiful, I also believe in using the beautiful things I have in my life as a reward for all my hard work, for all toil and worry and sweat and tears. It brings me joy.