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Wall Candy
Decorating walls with decals has become a bit of a trend. They’re especially great for children’s rooms, where redecoration is a constant. Decals offer a way of changing a look without having to repaint.
Allison Krongard, the owner of WallCandy is launching some new designs this week. I really admire people who are brave enough to start new careers. Allison worked as a sales rep. for Knoll International for eight years. She developed WallCandy after being asked frequently by friends and family for stylish ideas to decorate babies’ rooms.
Her designs are styled primarily for children rooms, teens, and areas of the home that could use a little more whimsy. Here’s a look at some designs I particularly like.
The birds are new - just launched this week. The trees have several new decals which you can add to your basic tree. These would be wonderful in a bedroom or playroom. The kids could play with these and create something new every day. I really like that idea.
My favorite is the Paul Smith Collection. They’re sold in sets of 80 spots for $68.
I’ve used decals only on furniture. I had a desk made for a teen that was topped with flames. Does anyone have experience using decals on walls? Are they difficult to apply?
Puddles from Tord Boontje
Add some decorative fun to your walls. Designer Tord Boontje, who designed the Garland light fixture, has created Puddles.
Puddles are decorative surface tiles cut from mirror-polished stainless steel. Each tile is self-adhesive. These would be a great way to dress up a child’s room, powder room - even a laundry room. The largest tile is 17″ x 20″. Prices range from $29 to $70. You can find them here in Detroit at Mezzanine, and online at Unica Home.
What room would you put them in?
Ferm is so Clever
Wall covering designer, Ferm Living, has just introduced two Asian-inspired designs. And since I’ve got Asia on the brain today, I thought I’d introduce them here. Drum roll please! (Or should I say spring roll?)…
Cherry Tree, is a foil paper.
Bamboo, is black with a white ground.Both retail for $85 per roll. You can buy directly from Ferm’s site, or from the online shop, Design Public. P.S. Ferm has lots of great wall decals, too.
By the way, ferm means clever in Danish - hence my so very cute headline. Also, Ferm has their own blog, which you can read here.
What’s Up at Blik? Undoboy!
I was going to say, “Wassup.” But I felt too old to qualify for that being funny. Or cute.
But this is really cute, no matter how old you’re feeling. It’s created from a series of new decals designed by Undoboy, a graphic designer who works at an ad agency in Portland Oregon. In fact, he’s worked at all the current hot shops in the ad biz. My husband works at an ad agency that is not considered a hot shop (but their strategic planning rocks big time). Fortunately for me, my husband is. Hot that is, but he’s not a shop.
But I digress yet again.
I think these decals are so much fun. You really should check them out. Go to Blik. Right now! Go on!
Butch And Harold Peel & Stick Art
Everyone loves instant art! Two sisters, Michele and Ariane Gold have created a series of peel-and-stick decals with “frames”. Their selection is limited, but bound to grow. You can find their selections here.
Stick with Blik
I’ve got to design a sign for our beach house, Chum Bucket. I’m no good at lettering and thought I’d use a stencil for that part and paint my own design. But then I came across Blik Surface Graphics and thought that it would be a much better idea to let them do the work. I think I can manage the peel and stick part. They don’t have a chum decal, but I’m sure I can put something together.
I’ve posted about wall decals before, so I must really like them. But why? I really can’t say. In fact, I’ve think murals in kids (where you most often find these things) look really tacky. I suppose because they’re so often done very poorly or because if they use decals they’re Disney’s Winny the Pooh. Barf!
But Blik and Apple Pie Design (see earlier post) are so hip and stylish. The hard part is making sure you use them in a creative way. That’s where having a good eye for design comes in I suppose. Or, go to Blik’s page on tips for help. You’ll find it here. So, check out Blik and Apple Pie Design. And don’t worry, one day I’ll answer the burning question: Why is your house named Chum Bucket?
Apple Pie Design
I came across this site for wall decals and thought I’d pass it along. It’s called Apple Pie Design and is from Belgium. They ship to the US. Their collection includes a wide variety of Alphabets and they do custom work. Their other collections are divided into classic, architectural elements, and nature. As you can see, their designs encompass a broad spectrum of styles. However, if you use color and positioning creatively, you can make even the dowdiest design seem modern. Here are a couple of effective uses.