making a dolphin wall paper border

Wallpaper borders are a relatively inexpensive way to change the look of any room in your home. But what if you can't find a border you like? Luckily, there are options besides buying a border you don't love off the shelf, or paying a fortune for a custom made border you love.

First, do your homework. If you love dolphins and have chosen to decorate your bathroom using a dolphin theme, find out what dolphins really appeal to you. As with any motif, you can find dolphins in all sorts of styles. Browse books and magazines, check out every store that carries home decorating items, look through wallpaper books, browse posters, wrapping paper, and fabric, search the Internet, and even go to an art museum to see as many styles as possible. Keep notes about what you like, and be sure to note sources for materials. After all this research, you will know what colors and styles you love. And now you can begin your project!

While chair rail height and just below the ceiling are traditional locations, think about other places. Go into your room and check it out. What about framing a window or mirror with a border? Or making a vertical border along a narrow bit of wall? Or even creating a border around an opening to another room? Let your imagination go, and you may surprise yourself.

Once you have chosen your style and colors, there are various techniques to achieve the look you want. Decorative painting is one of the hottest home decorating trends right now. Search the Internet or pick up brochures at paint counters to get specifics on techniques.

One of the simplest is to sponge a design directly onto the wall. You may be able to find a sponge cut in a dolphin shape, or you can cut your own. Make a paper pattern, and carefully cut around it on a sponge with the texture you want. Dip the sponge into the paint, press it once on paper to remove the excess, and carefully press on the wall. Repeat as many times as you want, washing out the sponge and using the other side as well for variety.

Or trace your pattern onto cardstock, and cut out as many as you want for a length of border. Use stencil adhesive to attach your cutouts to the wall in a pleasing pattern, and then sponge paint over them.

Instead of a sponge, you can use a stamp or stencil to paint your border. In general, sponges create the softest look, then stamps, and stencils provide sharper detail. With any technique, you can use a small paint brush to add details. Or use a sponge to apply the outline of your dolphin, and use the base paint color to 'remove' details on the dried shape.

Worried about painting directly on the wall? Then try making your designs on Contact(tm)self-adhesive paper, cutting them out, and putting them on the wall. You can use permanent marker to add details, and any mistakes go in the trash!

Another technique is to use fabric for your border. You can paint inexpensive muslin with your design. Be sure to use fabric paint or a fabric medium. Or did you find a dolphin fabric you love? You can cut motifs from it or cut the fabric and use it as your border. The quickest way to put up your fabric is to soak it in liquid starch. Gently wring out excess starch, and then put your border in position on the wall. Use a stiff paintbrush to smooth the wrinkles, and brush the air bubbles out. Blot excess starch from the fabric and the wall, and let dry. They will stay in place until they get wet, so they are easily removed with water. This can be the quickest, lowest risk way to give a design a try. Use your imagination and creativity to create a custom look you love. After all, it is your home and it should be a place that surrounds you with what you love.