2012 Color of the Year is....

And, the winner is Tangerine Tango. According to Pantone, the color-services company, and the creators of the Pantone Matching System (PMS) color charts, recognized by designers and artists worldwide, Tangerine Tango will be promoted and featured as the color to wear, the new color for wallcovering and fabric patterns and the 'it' color for cosmetics, dining accessories, linens and decorative packaging materials.

According to Pantone, "while the 2011 color of the year, Pantone 18-2120 Honeysuckle, encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor, Tangerine Tango, Pantone 17-1463, a spirited reddish orange, was chosen for its ability to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward. Tangerine Tango is sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive. It is an orange with a lot of depth to it and calls to mind the radiant shadings of a sunset.


Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high visibiliy, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy." See the color swatch above. Alternatively, Benjamin Moore, one of the leading paint manufacturers, has selected Blue as their 2012 color of the year.

The specific choice is Wythe Blue HC-143. It is a blue with a tint of green and gray and is from their historical collection. According to Benjamin Moore, this shade of blue was selected because it "has a modern edge, yet is so rooted in history and is respectful of what's classic and enduring. It also goes with so many other colors and materials and is an elemental part of nature and evokes the essence of the earth, sky and water." Another big trend for 2012 is the use of broad stripes. Horizontal stripes, vertical stripes or even a single bold stripe on one wall to really make a room come alive. For a very contemporary look, consider a wall covered with a textured blue wallcovering and accented with a wide patterned border featuring tangerine accents used at chair rail height, as a ceiling molding and/or at baseboard level to add real wow factor to any space.

For a more traditional look, consider a classic striped wallcovering in soft hues. Check out the stripe wallcovering below, a Waverly pattern that has the appearance of a hand-painted water color canvas. It bridges the past to the present.

What is Grasscloth Wallpaper?

Grasscloth -  is an environmentally friendly way to add natural texture and beauty to your walls. Grasscloth is made by weaving sustainable grasses and fibers together. The result is an organic material that is naturally free of toxic substances and is manufactured in an ecologically sound way. When you add grasscloth to your decor you are not only making a fashion statement but also sending a clear message about your commitment to the environment. And, because it is a natural product, grasscloth is 'an original'--no two patterns are alike. Ranging from dense texture to line-like finishes and from off-white to soft beige (the most traditional grasscloth color) to dynamic jewel tones to bold primary colors and everything in between, there is something for every decor, every taste, every budget.

With Grasscloths' variety of heavy textures and colors, you can create the perfect atmosphere. It is relatively easy to apply and because of its density, it can hide holes left by thumbtacks and picture hooks and other wall imperfections that might be visible with less textured alternatives.

Grasscloth used to be the 'it' wallcovering a number of years ago. The new emphasis on non-toxic elements for the home and the heightened awareness of the environmental cost of petroleum-based manufacturing procedures have combined to create a resurgence in the use of this stunning natural product that visually warms any space. Why not take a home inventory and imagine the opportunities for a grasscloth makover.

And, to help get you started, here are a few ways you can use Grasscloth in your home...

             Entryway                                    Accent Walls



       Kitchen Accents                             Bathroom Details



5 Creative Uses for Wallpaper

Artwork

Frame a section of wallpaper for a customized piece of artwork.  Group a few framed pieces in complementary colors and textures for a mini-art gallery in your home.

Drawers and Cabinets

Use Wallpaper to line the inside or outside of your drawers and/ or cabinets for a splash of color in an unexpected fashion.

Headboard

Want to update your headboard?  Cover the old headboard with wallpaper that has an eye-catching pattern and color scheme.  Or, ditch the headboard altogether and create an interesting shape with the wallpaper itself on the wall.

Light Fixtures

Extra wallpaper scraps are good for adding an extra “pop” to the light fixtures in your home.  Use it to cover light switch plates or to cover an old, tired lamp shade.

Walls

Use wallpaper to accent one wall within a room, or cover the whole room with a simple pattern to make a bold statement.  Another way to use wallpaper uniquely in a room is by dividing the room in half length-wise and painting the top portion a solid, neutral color, add a chair –rail and wall paper the bottom half with a bold pattern.

There are many creative ways to use wallpaper in your home, just grab a great design wallpaper with a “pop” of color and use your imagination to create the perfect paper project in your home.

Browse Wallpaper Designs HERE!

5 Ways to Use Wall Decals

Wall decals are unique images that can be affixed to a wall and then repositioned for a quick and easy update.  There are a wide variety of wall decal images that suit all décor styles and make any room pop with color, texture, excitement, as well as being a cost effective way to decorate any space. 

Fatheads are a type of wall decal that comes in a wide range of images, which focuses mostly on sports teams and athletes.  A new feature item is Junior Fatheads, which is a smaller, 2-3 ft version of the original Fathead decal.

5 Ways to Use Wall Decals:

Bedroom: 

Wall decals are a great addition to the bedroom.  Choosing bold, bright and geographic shapes will add dimension to the room without adding extra bulky furniture to fill the space.

Entryway: 

Using wall decals in an entryway will make a positive statement when entering a home.  It will enhance a guest’s first impression and set the tone for the rest of the décor style of the house.

Living Room:

Wall decals can serve as a living room focal point. For example, use tree decals to create an urban forest on one long living room wall. Big punch for little expenditure.  Much like the bedroom, wall decals add dimension to the space without the use of bulky furniture. In fact, decals can serve as an innovative substitute for furniture. Another interesting application is to use a 'window' decal to add a touch of whimsy and 'light'.

Bathroom:

Adding wall decals to the bathroom is an inexpensive way to liven up the blank space.  Update a mirror with a wall decal that frames the mirror and add various small images on the walls to reflect the design style of your home.

Man Cave/ Basements: 

Wall decals are ideal for decorating a man cave or basement. Because of the sports nature of Fatheads and Junior Fatheads, the man cave will be complete with just the right sports team and athletes, lined on the wall and ready for the big game.

Check out all of your wall decal options HERE!

Decals Do It

Looking for a chance to make a mark
Wanting to change a look from light to dark 

Then consider using a decal in high style
From trees to action figures and even mosaic tile

There is no limit to what you can do
The benefits are many and the rules are few

DISNEY SPECIAL PURCHASE

When it comes to wallcovering, DISNEY is always a big draw.

In our last blog posting we featured animal print borders and now as a follow-up, we are pleased to feature some of your favorite Disney characters.  Another form of animals you might say--one that shows animals as friendly interactive, almost human-like creatures.  So scroll on down and enjoy a gallery of Disney characters as they cavort in the forest, swim in the ocean or fly through the galaxy.  All for your viewing pleasure.

Winnie the Pooh Who

Who you might ask is Winnie the Pooh

He is a bear, what else is new

And Nemo in the deep sea blue

Those cute sharks cause you to coo

Buzz flies through the sky as not many can do

Count him among the very lucky few

Cinderella is a beauty for every prince to woo

She can even cause a cow to moo

Mickey is mighty and holds the glue

To all Disney characters, even Roo

ANIMAL PRINTS GALORE--A DAY AT THE ZOO

Animal prints are BIG and what better way to demonstrate animal print borders, than by photographing them in their natural habitat at the Cleveland Zoo.  Following is a photo album of some of our favorite animal print borders with some of our favorite models and our favorite animals.  The Cleveland Zoo just opened a special new Elephant Crossing exhibit that was a great starting off point for our On The Wild Side feature.  From there it was on to the monkeys, fish, turtles, cheetahs and giraffes.  Alas, no zebras in this photo album, but we do have zebra border, zebra wallpaper and cheetah/leopard print border and wallpaper (in-stock) as well.

Elephants Galore

And now to the cheetahs

Let's hear it for the fishes and frogs

Giraffes on High

GAME ON--A DAY AT THE ZOO

Whether big or little, striped or spotted, kind or not

Animals make you smile whether you are old or a tot

Their bodies are graceful and their faces benign

And manage to rise above the worst of human malign

Roaming the mysterious wild in a state of free

They're engaging as can be when hanging from a tree

Or when at the zoo they are well kept and fed

'Tis not such a bad life so it be said

Bringing joy and goodwill to all who will view

Causing even the most jaded human to utter a coo

Creative Uses for Wallpaper--Decorated Dumpsters

Over 105 years in the wallcovering business, we have heard about a lot of creative uses for wallpaper, but perhaps none as unique as a project started by a California-based artist, Christine Finley.  To quote Finley,  "I will use the wallpaper from FLOW (For the Love of Wallpaper) to continue wallpapering dumpsters around the world. Here is some info about the project..."

"Wallpapered Dumpsters transform environmental activism into unexpected beauty. This project is an inquiry into urban waste, free art, and notions of femininity, beauty and domesticity. Inspired by free and accessible art the artist states, "If we see dumpsters as works of art, we have raised consciousness."  


The project has been the subject of extensive press coverage including a comprehensive review by The New York Times, which included photos from around the world of decorated dumpsters.  


Following are an assortment of photos that capture the essence of the project.  Garbage dumpsters no more, they are now the proper repositories of the castaways that define our lives.

Decorated Dumpsters

  Wallpaper As Art Form

Just when you thought you had seen it all

There comes an idea that sounds a clarion call

Wallpaper can be used to brighten a room

But it also has potential to reclaim a tomb

On dumpsters so naughty and nice

They feed the homeless and the mice

But when you a decorative redux give

Suddenly the trash heap has a new life to live

As a work of art that looks mighty fine

‘Tis surely a promising environmental sign

That people do care about surrounding space

Enough to dress up a dumpster with a brand new face