Obsession #1: 3D wall treatments

My design obsessions are many and varied, but this one was strong enough to have motivated the starting of a blog. I have no formal design training, so some lessons I have had to learn on my own. Lessons about design history, lighting concept, and this lesson, the topic of today's obsession: Walls are more than a place to hang art. Walls can be art.



Case in point, Vortex Bloom by Modular Arts. Modular Arts makes mineral composite panels that look like fabric on the wall. They have more pop-style designs as well, but the curves and texture of these two really do it for me.


Dune, also by Modular Arts. Don't even get me started on the combination of 3D walls with lighting design. I don't have the chops, but I can certainly appreciate the genius. I have fantasies of this pattern as my kitchen backsplash, to complement my classic Le Klint pendant light. Cleaning it might be a pain in the kitchen (or a pain in something else), but it just might be worth it.


For a smaller, possibly more DIY project, check out Inhabit Wall Flats. Eco-friendly, biodegradable and made of renewable bamboo pulp, these beauties can even be installed temporarily in apartments (must be left white for temporary installs).

The price is good, at under $90 for a pack of 10 18"X18" panels. I'm thinking about a 3-panel wide stripe of these to hide a bad drywall job in my living room.


B&N's Iconic panels are another prime example of stunning 3D wall design. These have the added possibility of a wood veneer finish, bringing them further upscale. I prefer the simplicity of the white, but both are beautiful. The marketing of the panels with iconic mid-century modern chairs is not hurting their case either.



3D Wall panels, an Australian company, has an MDF line available in several cool finishes, and also a recycled plastic line that can be used outdoors. They actually have some of my favorite designs, and they will be making an appearance somewhere in my house if I can afford the shipping. Unobtrusive and textural, they can play either a supporting or starring role, depending on color and finish. I have long been in search of the origin of the wall treatment in Castle's apartment on the ABC show "Castle," and I think these might be it.

For smaller 3D applications, check out Wallter 3D paintable decor, although this genre may be taken over by the ever-expanding wall sticker/decal market, one that I will no doubt wax poetic on in the near future.