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



RoomMates Make Great Stocking Stuffers

Looking for that perfect stocking stuffer?  Look no more.  RoomMates make great stocking stuffers. They are the new hot wallcovering.  Just peel them off their backing and apply the decals to the wall in your own custom way.  And, they work on any surface material so they can be affixed to drywall or plaster or stone or wood or glass.  They come in a range of colors and an assortment of subject matter from in-demand peace signs for the teenage and pre-teen crowd to choo choo trains and dinosaurs for the younger set to fabulous faux animal patterns and stylized trees for a more mature audience and inspirational quotes for every age.  There is truly something for everyone and for every possible decor.  And, they are re-positionable so you can change location as easily as you can install them. 

Best of all, they are specially priced for holiday giving, starting at just $12.99.

Change a wall, change a room, in just a few minutes.  Look at some of the examples below and make your selection.  Or, contact us directly at our website for photos of additional offerings,  http://www.uswallcoveringonline.com                                                                 

                                                                                                                                          

  

Stocking Stuffer Perfecto

Seeking a perfect stocking stuffer gift

Look no further, get my drift

RoomMates are good for every age

From the baby cradle to the oldest sage

They come in many styles and every hue

And they are so easy to yourself do

Just peel off and hang on the wall

Prepare yourself for the 'looks great' call

Make Any Room Your Very Own With a Custom Look and even your personal name.

GAME ON

It is that time of year---Sports Time.  We've been promising some photos about your favorite sports teams and this is Round 1in what will be a 3 part-series on sporting teams.  Today we feature the Cleveland Indians as they just played their last at-home game of the season.  Though they have struggled off and on the field and have failed to reclaim the glory of the magical 90's they did end on a high note having won their last six games.  We can only hope this will lead into a strong 2011 start.  We have a phenomenal closer in Perez; we just need some strong starters.  The symbol of the Indians is Chief Wahoo and the photo below shows a copy of a Wahoo Fathead.  U.S. Wallcovering is the only source for this mural and the supplies are going quickly.  Wahoo Fathead is shown above a Wahoo blanket.  The ratios in the photo are a little distorted--the Fathead is actually four feet high.

Cleveland Indians fans range in age from the very young to the somewhat older.  The pictures below attest to that.

The first picture is of P.W. from Cleveland, OH.  He has a room covered with Indians logos and pictures and signed baseballs and bats and he recently stopped by the U.S. Wallcovering store to add to his collection.  He found some Wahoo Border and let slip that "This Border's going up despite my  wife's wishes".  Well, Mrs. W., we hope you are not too upset and we hope Mr. W. is enjoying his most recent Indians merchandise.

 
On the right P.W. of Cleveland, OH shows off his latest Indians' purchase--several rolls of Indians' Border.  He was wearing his Indians' hat and was properly color-coordinated with his shirt.  When he saw the Wahoo Fathead featured in the picture above he was going to go home and measure to see if there was any available space.  We have not seen him back in the store so I guess he couldn't make it fit.

Although we are featuring Indians' related materials in this week's Blog, we have a full range of products representing many sports teams and are capable of obtaining wallpapers and borders for just about any sports team in the nation.  





And, in Houston, Texas, there is a ten-year old Little Leaguer who has developed a strong passion for the Indians as well.

Noah's dad surprised him recently with a Red-White-Blue painted room with Wahoo Border above the chair-rail.  Complete with Wahoo blankets on the bunk beds, Indian's pennants and pictures, an Indians' rug on the floor, an Indians' alarm clock-radio, Indians' calendar and a huge Wahoo Fathead, this room is all about one of Cleveland's favorite teams.

There must be other Indians' fans out there who would like to share their special sports rooms so save up those digital photos and send them our way for inclusion in a future Blog come Spring Training time. 

In the meantime, let's make the transition to football. 
Our Blog next week will feature a large selection of Ohio State Buckeyes' wall offerings from Fatheads to Borders and beyond.  So, make sure you tune in to 'For the Love of Wallpaper' next Thursday.

Take Me Out To the Ballgame

Take me out to the ballgame is a famous song

Not too short and not too long

Just the perfect length with words so right

We can only hope the Indians will be all fight

Come next spring will be the season to win

So parents can take their next of kin

To games with many a grand slam

And not too many fans to say oh damn

Cleveland Unique Wallpaper Looks

Wallcovering offers an infinite number of unique design opportunities.   We are hearing from our customers that they would like to see specific examples of wallcovering used in creative ways to accomplish a design objective, so moving forward each blog will contain at least one picture of a special use of wallcovering.  

The image below is of a Dining Room in a lakeside high-rise in Cleveland Ohio where a small space

has been transformed through the application of three wallpaper images representing a window to a European-inspired landscape.  The ceiling is a wallcovering of a cloud pattern.  And, the walls are covered in a textured wallcovering that beautifully replicates old-world stucco.

The objective of creating an intimate dining setting that is straight out of the Tuscan hills is further enhanced through the careful selection of window and lighting treatments.

Make sure you check out next week's blog where we will feature sports-themed papers and borders to satisfy every fan's favorite teams. Entitled 'Game On' this blog will focus on Cleveland-area sports franchises but future blogs will be tied to major sporting events throughout the nation.

Poem of the Week

Wallcovering comes in different forms

Not all of which meet standard norms

A window here a door there

You can cover a surface that is now bare

With images that evoke time and place

Offering an alternative view of any space

So check out the photo on this page

What you see is a new wallcovering rage