Wallpaper Creative

In the last blog posting, we interviewed Gary Levine, a lifelong student of the ways of wallpaper and the current President of U.S. Wallcovering.  Over the past 60 years ( I know, he doesn't look THAT old),

Gary Levine, President, USW

Gary has studied new wallpaper hanging techniques and has become proficient in many aspects of the wallcovering industry.  Along the way, he has led seminars and workshops for thousands of people on the 'Best Way to Achieve a Perfect Wallpaper Installation'. 
There are 5 Super Technique Pointers that Gary would like to share with all readers:
1.  Don't use a seam roller
2.  Use activator, even for pre-pasted product
3.  'Book' wallpaper for 7-10 minutes
4.  Start hanging opposite the entrance to a room
5.  Use water boxes for borders, not for wallpaper
If you would like to have an explanation on any of these points, just drop us a line at uswallcovering@yahoo.com and we'll provide further details.

Creative Uses of Wallpaper

Wallpaper is not just for hanging on walls. Below is a listing of some of the more creative ways to apply wallpaper.

• Cover a refrigerator using adhesive-backed magnets
• Cover the back of a curio cabinet
• Cover the back of bookcases
• Cover a closet door (see photo below)
• Cover a portion of a cupboard door and surround with molding
• Use as a back-drop for a photograph--large or small
• Cover glass mirrors or place decals on windows
• Use as an accent wall 
• Use in lieu of a painting
• Apply to a ceiling

Example of sliding closet door covered with the same pattern as on the adjacent wall

  

Wallpaper Creative

You have a chance to make a change

In many ways and a very broad range

From closets to bookcases and even a frig

The use of wallpaper can be a bridge

From the simple to the simply spectacular

No matter what the plan or the vernacular

Whether stripes or clouds or checkered plaid

Wallpaper lifts your spirits and reduces the bad

It also can change the look or feel of a space

For this, one could make a very good case

The Best Cleveland Dim Sum-The Best Cleveland Wallpaper

I know I promised a 3-part series on sports wallpaper and borders but, I was so discouraged by the Buckeye loss to the Badgers that I can't bring myself to feature another sports-related photo right now.  However, I commit to finish out the fall sports series with one more post in a few weeks at which time I will show a series of different college and pro offerings from the football field to the basketball court. After all, the Cavs will have their season opener soon in YAL (the year after LeBron) time.  So stay tuned.

But, today is about Food and Commercial Wallpaper applications.  Within the last week, Gary and I had the pleasure of a shared meal at Li Wah, one of Cleveland's best Chinese restaurants.  The owner, Donna Hom, recently visited U.S. Wallcovering to select a wallpaper for her new restaurant venture scheduled to open shortly in the Asia Plaza on Payne Avenue in Cleveland.  And, we returned the compliment by visiting Li Wah for a scrumptious meal. If you live within driving distance, it is worth the drive in order to sample some of Li Wah's truly fabulous dim sum offered on Saturday and Sunday.  The 12 chefs are kept busy creating authentic dishes that span the food gamut from subtle and sublime to fiery and exotic.  Our sampling, which included some dim sum dishes, is featured in the photo below.

Gary, Donna and me

The new restaurant, to be called E. 30th Cafe, will be opening shortly and will feature a neutral palette to match the wallpaper used in Li Wah.  Note on the photo below how the beige-sand tones serve as the perfect background for oriental art.  The wallpaper adds warmth and dimension without competing for your attention.  It is picture perfect.
 

A welcoming table at Li Wah

Within the wallcovering world, there is a range of products with different dimensions and specifications.  Typically, wallpaper slated for use in a commercial establishment is fire-retardent and many 'commercial' grade papers are offered in 54" widths.  Commercial grade papers are made of sturdy materials and are offered in an array of styles and colors although typically the designs are more textured in nature and feature monochromatic (single color) palettes.  The over all effect can be very soothing and lends itself to a study, a play room, a rec room or a photo gallery space.  The extra wide rolls minimize the number of seams and the durable nature of the product is perfect for covering wall imperfections.

Check out Li Wah at http://liwahrestaurant.com

Dim Sum Yum Yum

The flavor is oh so fine

Good enough for a foody plus nine

And what of the look so well

It's so perfect you could hardly tell

That on the walls there is a neutral paper base

Designed to keep you calm and not your meal race

For wallpaper and good Chinese food

Combine to create just the right mood

To send your spirits soaring high

And the compliments coming bye the bye

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