Boring walls? Here’s one solution.
By Christa TerryI’m still sick, and I’m looking forward to going back to bed. Perhaps my convalescent experience would be made more pleasant with a few wall decals? The first time I encountered these was surprisingly weddingish–a company I haven’t been able to find again was pushing stick and peel decals. I wondered, at the time, how frazzled site managers would feel about brides and grooms covering their walls, floors, and dancefloors with monograms.
Personally, I like art on my walls…from photographs I took myself whose artistic merit is on shaky ground to Chinese paper cuttings to my crazy glittery Jesus painting framed in red velvet and gold. The Beard bought that last one off the back of a truck somewhere near Mexico! I’ve never considered wall decals, but I’m tentatively open to the idea. Here’s a supercute selection from Vinyl Wall Art, a great online shop in desperate need of a better name:
I really like the nesting dolls “sitting” on the mantel, but I’m rather frightened by this: Warning: Vinyl Wall Art is not responsible for any damage caused by applying or removing a decal from any surface. Apply Vinyl Wall Art Decals at your own risk. I wonder how many brides-to-be went nuts with the aforementioned sticky vinyl monograms only to face damage charges after they couldn’t adequately remove them after the reception.
It’s a frightening thought. I guess I’m just not ready to wreak havoc with a paint job that took me and The Beard and my mother days to finish. I might opt for decals when I’m tired of the color on my walls and the risk of damaging said paint is altogether less risky.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:07 am
Those are kind of awesome, NtB. Actually, Mr. Twistie and I have been thinking of doing something similar when we have the funds to create my dream Yellow Submarine kitchen. The technique is one I saw Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen use on Changing Rooms. Basically, it’s making a color xerox of something (in my case, it will be images from the film) and then sticking it to the wall and putting a couple coats of clear varnish over the top to protect the image.
Whoever comes after us will have a hell of a job taking down or covering up those Blue Meanies, but I don’t give a damn about that.
I’m in love with the nesting doll vinyl art, though. I have a bit of a fetish for many things Russian, and that made me smile a lot.
Get better soon!
May 1st, 2008 at 11:02 am
Ooh!! I purchased some reusable vinyl stickers (very tentatively!) because I live in an apartment and can’t paint the walls and was SO SICK of the BEIGE everywhere. I found this website and ordered a set and I have used and re-used them all over the place! Walls, cabinets, doors, you name it, living room, kitchen, bathroom, and I haven’t had a single problem! I thought it was a GREAT investment for under $40 bucks and the only reason I haven’t bought more is I can’t make up my mind which to get next!
May 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
NtB, don’t worry about the disclaimers. They have to put those in there. The only damage the vinyl could do to a properly painted wall is to block UV rays which could show the outline of the decal when they are pealed off. They don’t have sticky stuff on them. It’s more like the decals you put on windows…And Twistie’s method…Scrapping, peeling, spackling, etc…to remove.. But!!! I LURVE her for doing her thing in her house! I get so tired of people decorating for some mythical future buyer. It’s your freaking house, decorate it for YOU!!!!!! No matter what, the mythical future buyer will remodel for their tastes. If you are selling within the year, be beige. If not, have fun! Splatter paint, do murals, paint it black with silver stars if that floats your boat! Be you, not some stranger…
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:01 am
Twistie: Ack! Yellow Submarine totally freaks me out! But I’m feeling you…we have this weird bunny border thing in the kitchen…leftover from the previous owners actually. Our realtor said something like, “Well this will obviously be the first thing you take care of.” We just nodded at him and then winked at each other. I like me some bunnies.
Elaine C.: Thanks for the glowing review and the web site recommendation! Good to know that there are real people out there using the decals without problems!
Jennie: You’re too right — we plan to stay in this house until our future children have all grown up. So that would be quite a while, obviously. I may as well get me some Russian nesting doll decals and be done with it. As unique decor options go, they’re hecka reasonably priced! BEIGE BE DAMNED! (Incidentally, this makes me think of the black and gray walls I had in my room as a teen.)
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
Hee! A little bunny fu-fu kitchen would be cool, too. I just need me some Beatles love on the walls. And Pepperland is such an awesome place, I want to have my coffee there every morning.
Mr. Twistie and I plan to live in this house until we’re both dead. We neither know nor care what someone will do with it once we’re gone, but we plan to live in it while we’re here.
May 4th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
http://domestic.fr/index.php?serie=3&artiste=31&produit=200#fin
^ another site with vinyl wall art. The link goes specifically to a clock which looks too cool
May 5th, 2008 at 6:31 am
Those are so much cooler than the ones I initially found, Nastia. I was the kitties so badly! And the stones!
May 15th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Yea those cats are awesome, too bad they are so expensive and from the UK
May 15th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
*I mean France
October 16th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Vinyl is possibly the least difficult thing you are able to do to create a remarkable difference in a area quickly.