A Special Mother's Day Project

Mother's Day is almost here and all moms love something hand made by their little darlings. Luckily, Uppercase Living expressions are perfect for making your own creations. In fact, UL has just released, for a limited time, some lovely expressions perfect for those special ladies. The video shows you a great project using one of those expressions and our Glass Charger. Mom will display this proudly...just don't expect her to hang it on the refrigerator.

How Big Is Harry Potter?

The closer we get to the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, the more the excitement builds for our exclusive Harry Potter Photo Prints. There have been some questions about their size, so this video should give you a good reference point. You'll notice that each contour cut Photo Print also comes with a contour cut movie title.

Watch carefully and see if you can figure out which movie character is not actually a Photo Print.



Don't forget, you can get a FREE print when you buy 2 others before July 15.

Tricky Installation? Try this Quick Release Technique!

One of the questions I get asked most often is "Will Uppercase Living vinyl work on my textured walls?" The answer is definitely "YES!" You can definitely put our expressions on textured surfaces, but you might run into a little bit of a challenge when it's time to remove the transfer paper. Here is one technique that will help you if that happens:



Another technique? Give me a call and I'll help you through it! Simple.

Tips for Two-Part Expressions

I love our two-part expressions! The second layer always adds more interest, color and fun. They can be a little tricky to install, however. Here's a video with three tips to help you line up the handy registration marks when you apply a two-part expressions. As always, feel free to contact me for additional installation help.

All About Argyle

Ever since the Preppies were taking over the world in the early 80s, I've loved argyle patterns (preferably in dove gray and baby pink, but that's just me). I find them classic and timeless but also contemporary and fun when the scale or colors are updated. All these years later, argyle is still a popular pattern in fashion and decorating. Its neat, linear pattern makes it a good choice for borders, but hand painting an argyle border requires stencils, two different size brushes, numerous steps, mess, clean up, a steady hand and a LOT of patience.

Luckily, there's an easier way. Uppercase Living borders are among our best kept secrets. Available in various sizes and all of our colors, our borders also come with registration marks to make lining them up for a seamless look foolproof. As you can see in the following photos, our 2-part argyle border can look tailored, bold, or fun and easily fit into any decor.

 

In this photo, the border is used to cover the seam where the two paint colors meet. Its dark tone ties in with the bedding and makes this an ideal look for either a masculine or feminine space.

In the photo above, the argyle colors also tie in with the bedding, but the pattern is placed a bit higher on a solid color wall. Not only does this draw the eye up, but it also fills a space where a headboard would be. The vibrant color makes a traditional pattern look fresh and contemporary.

Here, the argyle is in a larger scale and has been placed above the chair rail. Adding some black to this room grounds the color scheme and ties in with the chair. The size makes it a good choice for a bold kids' space.
However you decide to use it, you'll love the ease and simplicity of applying your argyle border. Think of all the money you'll save on paint, wallpaper, or redoing your drywall because you got so frustrated trying to get your lines straight that you punched a hole through it. 

Decorative Tip: Argyles aren't just for walls. Add them to accessories in the space to tie the wall border together with the rest of the room. You can put them on lamp shades, windows, frames, closet doors, mirrors and furniture. If you want to take your argyle with you, you can even put it on your laptop.

Installation Tip: The following video will teach you how to apply your border precisely and easily. View more helpful videos on a variety of topics on my website. 

Run for the Borders!

Long before I discovered Uppercase Living, I went through my fair share of decorating projects. Fifteen years, three houses, three kids and dozens of gallons of paint have seen me tackle everything from stenciling to installing moulding to removing a very stubborn wallpaper border while I muttered some descriptive suggestions for where the previous owners of our newly purchased home could insert their wallpaper glue.

There's no doubt that borders add so much to a room's decor. They can draw the eye up toward the ceiling or down to de-emphasize a too-tall space. They can pull together disparate elements to unify a room. Adding a sense of whimsy or formality, for example, a well-chosen border is the perfect touch to make a room look complete.

The new Uppercase Living catalog contains a whole section of borders that are easy to apply, come in all of our decor-friendly colors and can be put up end-to-end to fit any length. See how they complement the decor in the following rooms:

The border used in this formal dining room is the Urban Flourish. I love that rather than placing it predictably along the ceiling, the designer used it just above the wainscoting, where it doesn't compete with the elaborate crown moulding. Notice how the curves in the border mimic the curves of the light fixture.

In this monochromatic bathroom, the Loopy Line border is used just on one wall, between the bath tub and the window. In this otherwise traditional room, the border adds an unexpected whimsical touch. The main part of the two part design is white, which ties in to the tub, accessories and trim; while the second part is a darker shade of the blue used elsewhere in the bathroom.

The decor in this bedroom is structured and symmetrical, down to the perfectly centered pair of mirrors above the bed and matching lamps on the night stands. Enter the Curly Vine border to bring in organic shapes and curved lines to offset the straight slats of the prominently placed bed. The color matches the bedding perfectly and extends the soft shade up almost to the ceiling.

Applying our our borders is just as simple as applying any of our expressions. Registration marks included with the design help you match up each piece for a continuous effect with no gaps. Using the tips in the following short video will help you get the same custom look in minutes.



Seeing how easy these borders are to install and remove brings me back to all the time I spent peeling off that ugly old wallpaper border, piece by tiny piece. Knowing that these borders will never have anything to do with wallpaper glue and the future owners of my home cursing me behind my back makes me love them even more.

GO BIG! New Grande Format Expressions

If you've glanced through our new catalog, you've no doubt noticed one of our new product lines: Grande Format Expressions. So often, I'm asked to suggest an item for a large space, perhaps a room with vaulted ceilings or a tall wall. Other times, customers need larger designs to balance over-sized pieces of furniture. Then there are times when even our biggest sizes are still too small. As usual, Uppercase Living has presented an ideal solution with our large scale Grande Format designs.

Grande Format expressions are a brand new product line for Uppercase Living. Seven designs in varying shapes make it easy to find one that fits your particular need. To bring the eye up, there are gorgeous vertical designs. To fill a horizontal space there are classic and floral designs. There is even an intricate corner that can be mirrored to frame windows or make a large space feel cozier and better defined. All of these stunning designs are available in our complete range of colors.

Because Grande Format expressions are as tall as 8 feet (!), they can be more challenging to apply. Uppercase Living has even made that part easier by cutting each large design into smaller pieces. Each piece comes with numbered registration marks so you know which part to apply first. If you view the video above, you'll see that having a friend to help makes this quite a simple process.

Not surprisingly, Grande Format expressions are priced higher than our regular size ones. But the great news is that hostesses can earn them for FREE or Half Price by using their hostess benefits to purchase them. You can see the whole set of Grande Format expressions on my website here . Just click on Products and search for Grande Format.

Make sure you view the video all the way to the end. You'll love the WOW factor of the finished design.