Lend a new bath old-world charm with these stencil treatments. Purchase a stencil pattern that you love on the Internet or from a crafts store, and then follow these instructions.

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 the paint dry for two or three hours.

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.

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.

4. Repeat to complete.
Remove the stencil and wipe the back with a lint-free cloth to take off 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 for 24 hours.

5. Glaze for age.
Tint an oil-base glaze with gray and purple. (Decide on the intensity while experimenting on poster board or scrap of 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, then apply a second coat.

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. Let it dry for 24 hours. If desired, lightly sand random areas with a plastic scrubbing sponge to soften the design.