Kelly Fee and Peg Malanaphy create custom stencils. Photo: Tate Carlson
Gypsy Mint helps bring the wow factor into any space.
“These aren’t your grandmother’s grapevines. That’s what most people think of when they hear the word stencil,” says Peg Malanaphy, owner of Gypsy Mint Stencil Co.
Instead, Malanaphy and creative guru Kelly Fee offer chic and unique patterns—contemporary geometric spikes, chevrons to snakeskin—stencils offer a low-risk way to spruce up your space.
“I started out just a basic painting company, and that grew into decorative finishing. From that we just had clients continually ask us to hand-cut custom stencils for them with their own design ideas,” says Malanaphy, who has been working her interior paint business, Interiors of Stillwater, for 15 years. “We were hand cutting them all, which is not an easy task. I just thought maybe there’s a local need for fun stencil design and that’s when we launched Gypsy Mint.”
Gypsy Mint Stencil Co. has quickly gained a large online and local following for their large stencil patterns that can be used to transform any space and is garnering national attention from home decorating icons like Martha Stewart Magazine.
Photos: Gypsy Mint
The stencil is a 2 foot by 3 foot laser-cut mylar sheet, which is typical for a home project like a feature wall. The painter will move the reusable and durable stencil around the surface painting with foam roller or stencil brush to complete the wall-to-wall, floor-to ceiling look.
“It’s a wallpaper look, but one of the benefits of stencils is that it’s paint and it’s so easy to go over,” says Malanaphy. “The method you use for it to go on is very light and thin; there aren’t usually paint lines you have to sand down. It’s just an easy fix to change, rather than taking wallpaper down.” She adds that wallpaper is also far more expensive option than a stencil.
Although Gypsy Mint offers a few traditional styles, the patterns are fresh and contemporary. Gypsy Mint also offers custom stencils for customers who have their eye on something specific. Fee, who has a fine arts background, is the creator behind all 100 Gypsy Mint designs.
“My artistic process varies a bit from pattern to pattern,” says Fee. “I will usually use some combination of hand drawing and computer rendering to create the final stencil product.”
“We are always on the lookout of new ideas and designs that Kelly can turn into a stencil,” Malanaphy says.
If you DIY-it, transformation can be as low as $50 for one stencil. Gypsy Mint sends detailed how-to instructions with every order and encourages customers not to be afraid to try. For people who want a no-fuss approach, Gypsy Mint also offers local installations. A focal wall installation is roughly $400.
“You can change your whole room. A lot of people do focal walls or a powder room,” says Malanaphy, “but the possibilities are endless. We’ve done painting on drop cloths and turned them into window treatments, a table top—you can do it on anything.”
Fee says that stencil trends are moving toward organic patterns that have a hand-drawn quality. “I feel the perfect imperfection of these types of patterns create a little more interest in a space,” she says.
“They simply bring the magic,” says Erin Sloan who has been a Gypsy Mint customer for several years. “I have transformed my home into a personalized and eclectic space that our family adores as well as I’ve opened multiple small businesses. They’ve been a huge part of creating an inspiring and special place that sets us apart from all others. I am always completely amazed by their talent and ability to imagine a design in a space to make it come to life.”
When considering a design for your space, the sky is the limit. “Just go for it!” says Fee. “I find a lot of people are a bit scared of color and pattern, that it might be too much. But, after all it’s just paint and it is easy to change your mind and repaint with a stencil, unlike wallpaper. I am a huge fan of creating a space you really love.”
Gypsy Mint also donates a portion of its proceeds for animal related stencils to Secondhand Hounds and has been recognized by the Women’s Business Bridge of the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce.
Gypsy Mint
651.387.0006
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