Up Against The Wall! Vinyl Art Brings Personalized Pizzazz to the Home
FRESNO, Calif., April 21, 2009 – A growing number of innovative companies provide vinyl wall lettering and artwork to homeowners interested in making a statement or leaving their own mark.
For several years, the more industrious decorators have had a limited selection of ready-to-cut letters at stores such as Michael's, JoAnn Fabrics, Stein Mart, Target, and Wal-Mart. Also, companies that sell personal paper-cutting machines sell rolls of vinyl for decorators to cut out their own words.
Fresno, Calif. decorator Pam Milam notes it is cheaper and less time consuming than hiring a professional to do hand painting or stenciling.
More recently, on-line businesses are offering vinyl words, sayings, and art, and the opportunity for decorators to create their own statements they can purchase in a variety of colors, styles, fonts, and sizes.
The vinyl artwork and letters can be applied to painted and papered walls, glass, window, mirrors, wood, metal and other smooth surfaces, although they will not work well on heavily textured surfaces such as stucco. While the vinyl is removable by carefully peeling from a corner, the artwork cannot be re-used.
Stampin' Up, for many years a leader in rubber stamps, offers self-adhesive vinyl art products called Décor Elements. Its catalog displays trees, birds, animals, flowers, patterns, and other images and quotes that can be applied to walls, dressers, lampshades, shower curtains, and other furnishings, available in up to 18 different colors.
Wall Words supplies vinyl letters as thick as two or three coats of paint, with the look of hand-painted stenciling. The company supplies decorative art and standard quotes for a variety of topics and themes, in up to 40 colors, 60 fonts, and a variety of sizes. Wall Words customers can also submit their own quotes and words, or company logos or web site domain names for installation on office doors, windows, walls, and company vehicles.
Uppercase Living provides demonstration parties, where local demonstrators, such as Fresno's Tara O'Rourke will host the event in people's homes, showcase the products, and answer questions. O'Rourke says application of its standard and custom sayings take anywhere from one to 15 minutes to apply, and costs range from $20 to $100.
On Uppercase Living's web site, would-be decorators can choose text, alignment options, type style, and letter height, and based on the height and width of the lettering, and the length of the phrase or saying, learn the exact dimensions of what they plan to order.
Words Anywhere also provides standard quotes and sayings, nearly 700, and the option to order your own, in a variety of fonts, sizes, and colors. Farmers Union Insurance in Britton, S.D., applied professional-looking wall signage to its office from lettering and art ordered from Words Anywhere.
On its web site, Words Anywhere notes its vinyl lettering is matte finished and absorbs light, resembling a flat or satin based paint, and is "virtually indistinguishable from painted on lettering" with none of the disadvantages of painted letters. "There's no smudging with vinyl film, and letter borders are crisp and clean."
Venice, Calif.-based blik, LLC, provides more than 50 variations of vinyl artwork and patterns, including geometric shapes, birds, flowers, clouds, words, numbers, even space aliens. The company has licensed the work of several artists including the late Keith Haring to reproduce their creations in removable vinyl film, and the company participated in the 2006 National Design Triennial at the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
In addition to providing artwork for homeowners, the blik team has worked with architects and designers to create customized wallscapes for retail stores, restaurants, and nightclubs.
Words Anywhere has pages of testimonials from satisfied customers. Lisa from Bellevue, Neb., wrote, "I just received the beautiful vinyl lettering from [Words Anywhere] and have already applied it to my daughter's wall. I've ordered some more quotes and will be sure to tell my family and friends."
Karen from Smithtown, N.Y., commented, "I just finished lettering my walls and they came out absolutely great. I cannot believe how professional the lettering looks...considering it was done by me."
The Vinyl Institute represents the leading manufacturers involved in the production of PVC vinyl in the United States, and promotes the value of PVC and vinyl products to society.
For more information, contact:
Jeffrey B. Palmer
Director of Marketing & Communications
The Vinyl Institute
(703) 741-5669
jeff_palmer@plastics.org
Also go to: www.vinylindesign.com and www.vinylinfo.org.