Step 1: Protect surfaces.
Protect the bathroom floor, fixtures, and wood trim with drop cloths and quick-release painter’s tape. Roll a base coat of satin-finish cream-color latex paint onto the walls. Let dry two to three hours.

Step 2: Choose the design.
Select a stencil that will create an allover antique-style pattern. Use quick-release painter’s tape or spray adhesive to secure the stencil to the wall. (Begin working in an upper corner.)

Step 3: Dab on color.
To create this design, use artist’s oil paint in raw umber, earthy green, and burnt sienna. Using a different stencil brush for each of the three colors and a random, circular motion, dab a small amount of each oil paint onto the open portions of the stencil until you achieve the desired intensity, blending the colors for a subtle look (Photo B).

Step 4: Repeat to complete.
Remove the stencil and clean the back of it with a lint-free cloth to remove paint smudges. Repeat the process, placing the stencil just far enough away from the first to avoid overlap. Continue until you’ve covered an entire wall. Allow the painted design to dry 24 hours.

Step 5: Glaze for age.
Tint an oil-base glaze with gray and purple. (Decide on the intensity while experimenting on poster board or scrap drywall; 9 parts gray to 1 part purple is one possibility.) Using a paintbrush, apply a light coat of glaze over the pattern stenciled on the wall. To increase the appearance of age, let the glaze dry, and then apply a second coat.

Step 6: Soften the finish.
While the second coat of glaze is still tacky, pat the wall with cheesecloth or a cotton rag to remove brush marks. To reduce the appearance of age, pat the wall with cheesecloth or a cotton rag after the first coat of paint. Let dry 24 hours. If desired, lightly sand random areas with a plastic scrubbing sponge to soften the design. When one wall is complete, repeat the application of stencil paints and glaze on the next wall.