Rollout Wallpaper Company business overview

¶ … young startup business of Rollout, Smith declared that wallpaper was becoming " hip" as a result of co-owners Jonathan Nordrick's and Anita Modha's new popularity in the highly competitive design industry[footnoteRef:1]. As seen on their company website, "this creative studio designs and digitally prints custom wallpapers by the square foot," as they " embrace texture, expression, the motion and color, filling the gaping hole left by modernism."[footnoteRef:2] The purpose of this essay is to investigate this interesting conglomeration in order to highlight the unique characteristics that sets this organization apart from other designers and artists. [1: Janet Smith. 'Rollout duo is on a roll with rockin' wallpaper.' straight.com (May14, 2009) http://www.straight.com/article-220206/design-duo-roll-rockin-wallpaper] [2: Rollout website rollout.ca]

The production of Rollout's goods is simplified and perfectly designed for today's society with all of its demanding requirements and new opportunities. Technology has allowed these company's small office space to serve as their headquarters in a custom-designed shop that would normally require larger amounts of space and more resources in order to be successful. International and national business applications have become extremely simplified and streamlined with the use of new printing and communication technology that have been employed by this duo.

Rollout's unique business model combines practical necessity and artistic vision into a profitable business model and simultaneously inspiring both sides of each community. This organization capitalizes on this artistic vision by having the ability to have artists specifically design wallpaper, streamlining and branding certain products unique to their establishment while creating artistic buzz at the same time. Certain artists are even featured on their website such as EJ elements, Wayfinder and QRious. These artists explore their different aesthetic preferences combining individual color patterns and flourishing lines. Symmetry and balance seem to be proportionally aligned in these designs, however any styles are welcome here at the Rollout factory.

Contemporary culture is reflected in all aspects of this organization. The use of technology in the individualistic nature of society and the ability to create your own personal artistic vision in new and simple ways has allowed this company to have an impact around the world. The owners are proud of their business as the get to do what they love and elevate wallpaper to the level of art[footnoteRef:3]. Artistically, the wallpapers obviously inherently reflect the artistic vision of today's world, signifying the significant impact corporations have within the artistic world and the dwindling opportunities for wholesome and creative art are demonstrated by this particular business. Regardless of why the business came together, the human spirit will continue to artistically reflect its existence in whatever fashion or form that is most readily available to its aspiring creator. [3: Interview with Jonothan Nodrick and Anita Modha, April, 14, 2011.]

Personally I would choose Rollout as a potential source for home decoration and for commercial purposes as well. The flexibility and availability of an unlimited palette of colors and styles makes this an attractive venue to explore my artistic tendencies and attributes. My preferable series of wallpaper is entitled" artist series 1." The use of all different shades of color combined with the experimental shapes and graphic design photography is personally appealing and aesthetically pleasing. The digital age has brought about many advances and many new hurdles to overcome, and in this case we can see how a simple design can be explored and exploited into a fabulous piece of art, providing a new way to enjoy one's own home and surroundings.

Preferably I would design my own wallpaper with the help of Rollout and their staff. I would consider a theme of "urban renaissance" and focus my ideas around the themes of rebirth in a cityscape. Dark grays and blues colors would contrast with the sunlight's reflection above. I would include abstract photography and realistic punctuations to accent this theme. I would suggest three key word phrases to the designers of this wallpaper: eco-chic, urban life and simple -realism. These three ideas would hopefully combine into a subtle, yet interesting background to any urban apartment or house. The commercial applications in this design would also be practical as well.