Dreamwalls Color Glass is a back-painted glass product that offers something a cut above other painted glass products. This is not just marketing hype, we pride ourselves on making the gold standard of backpainted glass that is easy to fab, install, and get the exact look your design requires. We literally made the gold standard – we even won the NeoCon Gold Award for surfacing materials in 2009!

Dreamwalls Color Glass - Winner of NeoCon Gold Award

Here are just a few of the ways Dreamwalls Color Glass raises the bar for back-painted glass:

• Custom color – we can (and routinely do) match any color specified, Pantone, RAL, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, with quick sample turnaround.

• Large size – we can backpaint glass from 4 in x 4 in to 96 in x 144 inches. (some minimums or edgework limitations may apply) We also paint glass 1/8  to 1 inch thick.

• Massive volume – due to our coating on glass technology we’ve been perfecting for the past 50 years, we can provide large volume runs for commercial, institutional, hospitality or multifamily housing at a competitive price.

• Quick turnaround – due to to the Dreamwalls Color Glass proprietary heat-curing technology, your product is able to be packed or further fabricated right off the line, without waiting for air drying which could delay projects by several days.

• Opaque protection – Dreamwalls Color Glass features two coatings of paint to provide complete opacity to hide adhesive show-through, and it also protects the color during handling, fabrication, transportation, and installation. (approved adhesive list available online HERE)

• Low-iron quality - we use the finest low-iron glass to reduce the green tint of the glass that could detract from the exact color you specified.

• Hi-tech verification - since everyone’s eye is different, we use a color spectrophotometer on every piece of glass we make to ensure that the color matches within a delta point – regardless of the substrate from which the sample was specced. This also helps when you’re getting a thicker countertop that must match a thinner glass backsplash. Consistency is key.

If you have a question about Dreamwalls Color Glass, give us a call – 800-334-7267 (M-F 8am – 5pm EST). We’d love to help. Or, you can always reach out to me through our Facebook or Twitter too!

2012 was a wild ride of a year. Business improved greatly over 2011, and still has plenty of room for future growth. I’m excited about what 2013 holds for our parent company, Gardner Glass Products, and the world of Dreamwalls. But it’s always helpful to look back at one’s accomplishments, so here are a few professional high points in my year:

• Celebrating 50 Years in Business. It’s no small feat to be able to survive economic downturns, ownership changes, and industry shifts for any business in today’s world. Our resilience and ethics are key to achieving our longevity, and we look forward to serving our customers for many years to come. (On a related side note, I celebrated 19 years with the company in July! And yes, I did start when I was 4.)

• I was named to US Glass’ 2012 “The Industry’s Most Influential” list in the Decorative Glass Industry. What an unexpected honor, and I was flattered to be included in such a list.

Dreamwalls NeoCon 2012 with Brandon Smith & Rose Dostal

• NeoCon in Chicago was an amazing amount of fun, where I got to meet some of our Twitter friends face-to-face,…which is always really great.

Glass Magazine Awards: St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort - NGI Designer Glass

• I was a judge for Decorative area of the Glass Magazine Awards. It was a thrill to have a front-row seat to see so many great, creative products going on in the world.

• I was sworn in as President of the Mirror Division of the Glass Association of North America. Serving a 2-year term, this has been a wonderful experience and honor for me and our company, and I look forward to helping further the use and education of mirror and decorative glass.

Thank you to all the wonderful designers, bloggers, business people, and experts I’ve had the pleasure to speak with in 2012. I look forward to growing the world of Dreamwalls even more in 2013, and look forward to adding you to the party.

-Mandy

Baltimore's Flag House Museum

I spent last week up in Baltimore, Maryland for the NeoCon East trade show. It was a great show, and Mark Melvin and I met some great designers with whom we’re excited about working. I’ll show you more on the show itself later this week. But for now I’ll talk as a tourist. This being my first trip to Baltimore, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the city itself . (I mean, I loved ‘The Wire‘, of course. But beyond that….) So my jaw dropped when I spotted this HUGE decorative glass facade on my way to dinner one night. Bam. I fell in love with this city when I saw the Star Spangled Banner Flag House Museum.

In August of 1813, Mrs. Mary Young Pickersgill and her daughter finished sewing a 15-star, 15-stripe American flag commissioned to be flown over Fort McHenry. The flag measured 30 feet by 42 feet. It flew over Fort McHenry during the British attack on Baltimore, and on the night of September 13-14, 1814, served as the inspiration for a poem by Francis Scott Key which eventually became  ”The Star-Spangled Banner” our country’s national anthem. This is the house in which Mary Pickersgill lived and the flag was sewn.

Baltimore's Flag House

On the outer facade of the museum, visitors can view a to-scale version of the flag to gain a sense of the enormity of the task presented to Ms. Pickersgill. As a sometime quilter myself, sewing a king-sized quilt sounds daunting to me. I truly can’t imagine sewing something this huge. As a glass person, I appreciate this facade on whole different level. In 2004 this project won the first ever “Glass Innovation Award” by U.S. Glass Magazine. I assumed it was a laminated film between glass; but in actuality, it is created from ¼-inch bands of colored, ceramic frit on low-iron, laminated glass. According to the US Glass Magazine report, the glazing was completed on 2003 and cost over $312 a square foot.

Detail of Flag House Ceramic Frit on Glass

The architect was Jonathan Fishman, Principal of the Baltimore firm Richter, Cornbrooks, Gribble Inc. (RCG, Inc). In an article in US Glass Magazine, Fishman stated, “The color and finding someone who could do it [was challenging]. At one point we almost abandoned the idea …We went through a long period of research and evaluation, and fortunately found the right people.” The fritted glass was eventually fabricated through Mero Wurzburg by BGT Bischoff Glastechnik of Bretten, Germany. “It was the most innovative thing we’d ever done with glass,” Fishman said.

I would have to agree about the challenging innovation of that time. Back in 2002 and 2003, laminated films and digital printing technologies simply weren’t as advanced in the U.S. as they are now. Today, I have no doubt that this American flag could have been fully fabricated in the U. S., as was the first one that Mary Pickersgill sewed. As it should be.

Recently at NeoCon 2012, The Glass Association of North America (GANA) was there investigating glass suppliers and decorative glass. I was honored to be interviewed by their Marketing guru, Brian Pitman, in this, the second episode podcast. It is completely unscripted and unrehearsed, as you’ll notice from my enthusiastic performance. Where on Earth did that ‘Mad Men’ reference come from?

Do you have a special graphic, logo, or pattern you want to try with either our selective silvering process, or with a two-color back-painted design? We’d love to take a look at it and help get your design on glass!

I don’t go to NeoCon thinking “technology”. I enjoy the beautiful products, the whimsy, the color and textures. D-E-S-I-G-N. There was an interactive fly-through tool and a chair that became a rubber band gym,…but those didn’t spark my imagination. Every so often, something really jumps out at you for being really cool; and these two fit the bill for something you could actually live with and have them enhance your life.

Sparkeology Sylvie Chair with power and ports

Sure the Sylvie Chair from Sparkeology was probably meant for commercial spaces – airports, hospitals, coffee shops, and lobbys. However, I am now completely convinced that every chair in every home should come with this option. It might just be because my cell phone won’t hold a charge to save its life,….but I looked at this and went, “Well, YEAH!”

Touch responsive LED tables and benches by NunoErin

This touch-sensitive live of tables and benches from NunoErin could be so much fun. A game of minefield is at the ready at anytime – at any scale. They worked beautifully, felt good, and just were fun. It made me think of instant fun with family and friends.

What did you see at NeoCon 2012 that made you think about technology? (and no, remote control robots don’t count.)

A French term meaning “fake wood” and pronounced “foe bwah,” faux bois is a material or finish that appears to be made of wood but isn’t. A faux bois effect is achieved via painting, printing, or imprinting a design on textiles, home accessories, walls, and furniture.

It seems faux bois has been showing up in interior design a lot lately. It’s whimsical when done in materials that look nothing like wood. It’s ironic when done realistically on something that will never be practical in wood.

These manufacturers understand that and had a little fun with it at High Point Furniture Market and now at NeoCon. 1. Noir Trading showed it in midnight velvet at High Point. 2. Astek Wallcoverings showed it in engraved plastic sheeting at NeoCon. 3. Arteriors featured a metal desk lamp with an extremely convincing wood finish, and 4. The Strata Collection from General Glass International featured woodgrain patterns printed on glass at NeoCon.

While most faux bois echoes woodgrain patterns, though the term can also be applied to items that resemble like logs, roots, branches, and bark. There’s even a blog called It’s (K)not Wood devoted to the decoration.

What is the the best example you’ve seen using faux bois lately?

Chuck Taylors - Always In Fashion

If you’re not growing, you’re standing still. Fortunately, I always learn something to energize me at NeoCon in Chicago. This year was no different. Here are the top 5 things I learned in 2012 at NeoCon:

Dreamwalls Glass Message Board - the BEST message board

1. Magenta, citron, turquoise, and tangerine are the “it” colors. Every other color looks good with them. Neutrals look good with them. And they look great together.
2. Everybody wants to be a message board. Paint, stickers, acrylic, wallcovering….but nothing – and I do mean NOTHING – does it better than glass for durability, cleaning ease, and sophistication.
3. You can wear anything with Converse All Stars.
4. Chicago’s WGN has the absolute weirdest morning show. Ever. (And keep in mind, my local news to featured YouTube sensation Jenny Stencel)
5. It’s great to talk to the A/D community who are – without a doubt – the most optimistic and energetic people there are. It’s rewarding to spend some time with ya’ll. Thank you to everyone who came by our booth. See you next year!
   

Igloo Play Candy Pods

NeoCon has been great this year. The Dreamwalls team has met more people this year than last, I’ve spotted more cool shoes this year (hint: wedges, wedges, wedges!), and I’ve eaten some amazing dinners with good friends that will have to last me a whole year.

But first, there’s business. And here are just a few of the exciting new products we’re showcasing at NeoCon this year: 1. a closeup of our Selective Silvering process. Part mirror, part Dreamwalls Color Glass,…and all eye-catching! 2. We can create any custom pattern based on any vector art file. Logos, designs, patterns. They’re up to you! (I’m a sucker for a chevron) 3. Glass Cabinetry Facings – this is an easy way to completely change the look of off-the-shelf cabinets 4. Unique Antique – this antique hybrid pattern has gained a lot of interest. 5. As has our Antique Mirror in clear and bronze versions 6. The custom-cut tile possibilities made a lot of eyes sparkle when they realized we can fabricate a custom glass tile in any shape based on their CAD files.

NeoCon 2012 Dreamwalls Glass Products

But Chicago can’t be ALL about business, and NeoCon has been a blast this year. Some of the best memories from the first 2 days of NeoCon were: 1. The “Think Out Loud” robot. It was interactive and hilarious. 2. Lou Malnati’s pizza – is there anything better? 3. A participant’s beetle dress. So cute and colorful. I want that fabric. 4. The Lichtenstein retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the most comprehensive shows I’ve ever seen. 5. People-watching at The Cloud in Millennium Park. 6. Joan Mitchell “City Landscape” – 1955 = a big inspiration of mine. 7. Epic Restaurant on Hubbard Street – The steak was awesome and all the wait staff “hearted” us with these shirts.

NeoCon 2012 Dreamwalls Memories

What have been some of the inspirational sights, sounds and tastes of your NeoCon 2012 journey?

If you’re in Chicago the next few days for NeoCon 2012, please come visit us in booth 8-3130C. We’re beside the Interiors & Sources Materials Pavillion – the same spot as last year. So if you can make it, we’d love to see you!

Dreamwalls NeoCon 2012 Booth 8-3130C

This year is all about possibilities for designers. Choice in color, with our limitless custom color capabilities specified from any color book you use. With our computerized color mix system and color spectrophotometer, we can achieve any color for you.

Color Customization options for Dreamwalls

Choice in shape, with tiles cut to your specifications from your .dxf files.

Dreamwalls Color Glass Custom Shape Tiles

Choice in size, with size capability ranging from 4 x 4 inches (or even down to 1 x 1 inch without polished edges) to 96 x 144 inches.

Dreamwalls Color Glass - Large Piece

And now, choice in pattern – with a new selective silvering capability that combines a mirror with our color in a pattern that can be customized for accent walls, tiles, panels and more. We can take your pattern as an editable vector file, and make it on glass. Don’t you just love it?

Dreamwalls Color Glass - Selective Silvering

I hope you’ve liked the quick tour of our booth; so even if you’re not in Chicago, you can see what Dreamwalls is up to. There is no limited palette or set size or shape. If you are using glass in your project, call us first. We’re in the business of making your dreams a reality.

Are you going to NeoCon 2012 in Chicago?

…and all those images were just from last year! Be sure you come visit Dreamwalls on the 8th floor, booth 3130C. Same spot as last year, by the Interiors & Sources Materials Pavillion. We have new things up our sleeve to show that are all about new customization options you have to see to believe. We packed up the samples, hot out of the oven, and I can not wait to unveil them at the show! But if I tell you any more, I may not make it to Chicago,…so just be sure you come by and see them for yourself. See you soon! (and for those of you who can’t be there, I’ll share more next week.)

Best of NeoCon Gold Award 2009

Best of NeoCon Silver Award 2010