Faux finish stenciling is an inexpensive way of adding decorative detail. The key is to apply the embossing material evenly over the stencil, building depth in thin layers. It's certainly true that stencils can wake up a wall or create an eye-catching detail on a cabinet door.

You will need the stencil, paint, and a tool brush or sponge to apply the paint. You can buy stencils complete with instructions and registration marks, or make your own. As with other decorative techniques, the simplest schemes are usually the most successful.

Once dry, faux finish stenciling images can be lightly sandpapered to soften or age them. Quality supplies and proper care of stencils is key. If you find a painting, drawing, or photo with great stencil potential, it's not difficult to use that image to generate a stencil.

Apply the stencil as a ceiling, wainscot or baseboard border, or as an all-over pattern, like wallpaper. If the stencil becomes too build-up with paint, or if you want to save it for another day, scrub it clean with detergent and dry on paper towel.

Test out your patterns either by cutting the stencil from colored paper or by drawing it onto a sheet of paper and holding the results up against the surface to be decorated. The wall to be painted should be clean. Apply a base coat of paint.

Hold the stencil in position with masking tape, load your brush or sponge with only a very small amount of paint, starting at the edges of the design and working inwards, hold the stencil in place for a few moments afterward to let it dry. Clean the stencil and reapply the paint as necessary.