By Paola Silva Coronel
In this blog we look at the impact social media has had on the interior decoration industry and see how 3M DI-NOC Architectural Films have helped and been welcomed by interior designers and end users.
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Up to ten years ago, interior designers were focused on genuine materials: no matter how much it might cost, no matter how much time one might have to wait; finishes had to be genuine. Woods from Africa, stones and marbles from Italy, fabrics from France. Interiors were a sort of opportunity to express the wealth and elegance of a place or of its owner. Then time passes, social platforms became more powerful than any other magazine. Everyone in the world, found him or herself as a travel agent, thanks to TripAdvisor; as a gossip teller, thanks to Facebook; as a photographer, thanks to Instagram. This last one in particular pushes millions of people to share squared pictures every moment of their lives.
With over 1 billion users, Instagram has defined new ways and rules of communication. Instagram photo opportunities seem to be the requirement for every plate of spaghetti, every outfit, and every landscape. This approach seems to be more focused on the general aesthetic than on the importance of genuine content. It is not that important if the marble truly comes from Carrara, but that it appears to and provides a strong impact. The wooden panelling of a dining room should warm the place enough to welcome guests: no matter if it comes from a forest or a digital printing and embossing process.
In such a scenario, it is easy to imagine how products such as 3M DI-NOC might be really welcomed by interior designers and end users. 3M DI-NOC is the most developed and sophisticated adhesive laminate. Thanks to its unique developing process, it is now the most advanced solution to restyle interiors. It can be applied both on walls and furniture and if heated, it can adhere to 3D surfaces. Developed in the early ‘40s in the US to decorate the side of Ford cars, it moved its production to Japan, where since the ‘50s there was a shift from the automotive to the architectural business.
Far away from most of vinyl films that can be found on the market trying to imitate the original 3M film, 3M DI-NOC lets users choose among a collection of over 1000 finishes that are perfect for interior decoration; from plain colours to metals, from woods to fabrics, from leathers to concretes and stones. Once applied, thanks to the raised surface of the product, it looks better than the real thing!
As an interior designer I had the honour of being the first architect to use 3M DI-NOC on new commercial building when it was reintroduced to the European market in 2003. There were already hundreds of patterns available. I chose a cherry wood design that was really on trend at the time to decorate the entrance of an office building. The result was so impressive, that time and time again I decided to use 3M DI-NOC to create the “wow-factor” that will turn a cool place into an Instagram worthy one!
Author – Paola Silva Coronel
Let me introduce myself. I am Paola Coronel, architect, journalist and professor of interior design at the Politecnico University in Milan. I also work as a consultant for both Spandex and 3M. Since 2000 I have combined my job as an interior designer with materials and solutions that come from the signage and graphics industry, turning them into a new and innovative approach to interior decoration.
