Wall decor intimidates with its permanence. For all the in-the-moment fun to be had with a painted mural or dramatic tromp l'oeil wallpaper design, the reality of cohabiting with one can hobble even the most daring decorator.
But wall-size decorating ventures can be stress-free thanks to removable decals. Whimsical yet surprisingly sophisticated, these paint-safe stickers allow free-spirited aesthetes to try out huge (and conversation starting designs) with little risk.
Since their debut last month, nature-theme wall stickers from Danish design company Ferm Living have been a huge hit with Lekker customers, who install them as decorative flourishes in their entryways and stairwells.
"Everyone loves them," said assistant manager Maple VanKeuren. "We have one up on the wall, and people ask if it's been painted on."
WallCandy Arts offers design-savvy parents creative ways to decorate their children's rooms, selling brightly colored stickers in the shape of trees, cars, planes, and flowers.
"I think what people really appreciate is the temporary nature of such a high-quality product," said WallCandy Arts founder and owner Allison Krongard. "It will last, you can reuse it, but what's really wonderful about it is you can take it down."
Blik, a surface graphics company based in Venice, Calif., offers hundreds of wall decals, from the high-brow (chandelier silhouettes, Keith Haring designs) to the waggish (giant robots, space invaders). They also offer customers the chance to make design statements of their own thanks to their new Prose line: customers send in a favorite phrase or a cherished line of poetry and blik sends back the letter decals in the size and font of your choice.
The owners of the recently opened Grand in Somerville's Union Square took decal customization a step further. Looking to make a dramatic design statement but pressed for time, the three partners worked with Ardon Vinyl Graphics in Allston to design two giant vinyl decals - one of the moon and the other of a rearing horse - then installed them in a single afternoon. The effect is as dramatic as any hand-painted wall mural - but took all of four hours to achieve.
"People flip out. They love them," said co-owner Jon O'Toole. "Then they see that it's essentially a giant sticker, and they can't believe it." - MEAGHAN AGNEW
1. Power pole wall sticker by Ferm Living, $165 (not available until mid-March). fermlivingshop.com.
2. Birds on a branch decal by Ferm Living, $115, available at Lekker, 1317 Washington St., South End. lekkerhome.com.
3. Owl wall stickers by Ferm Living, $50 (one large and two small), available at Lekker.
4. Horse decal, at Grand, 374 Somerville Ave., Somerville, 617-623-2429. grandthestore.com, not for sale.
5. Gears by Ilan Dei, $50 (six decals in a package), available through blik. whatisblik.com.
6. Fingerprint decal by Ferm Living, $60, fermlivingshop.com.
7. Red chandelier decal, $30, available through blik. whatisblik.com.
