Photography by Carmen Troesser
A local entrepreneur’s imagination and ingenuity has yielded a thriving design business.
Our Local Wallpaper Studio, run by Taylor Smith and Casey Hermann, specializes in custom wallpaper designs printed on an innovative peel-and-stick material, eliminating the mess of traditional wallpaper.
Smith’s husband, Jason Gorris, does custom vinyl work for the automotive industry and owns two vinyl printers. Two years ago, Smith realized that some of the newer types of vinyl on the market might also be perfect for use in the home. She tested the material by printing a design on it to produce her own wallpapers for her son’s bedroom and, later, her office. Friends and family members who saw the finished products wanted designs of their own.
Smith launched Our Local Wallpaper Studio in October and now prints exclusively on a nontoxic, LEED-certified, class A fire–rated polyester fabric that can be used in any low-humidity interior space. Smith says it’s user-friendly, adhering to most painted walls without the need for the glue used to hang traditional wallpaper.
Photography by Carmen Troesser
“It will peel right off the wall, leaving no damage. If it sticks to itself during install, you can pull it right back off and it will be as good as new, so you don’t lose that panel, like [you would with] most wallpapers,” Smith says. “It will stay on 10-plus years if you want, but if you want to switch it, you don’t have to scrape all that wallpaper off like you used to.”
Most clients have found Our Local Wallpaper Studio through word of mouth or on Instagram. If a client has a custom design in mind, the entire process—from initial design to installation—can be completed in just two to three weeks. Smith and Hermann source high-resolution graphics from stock image sites and then customize colors, design size, and other parameters. If the design still isn’t quite right, a graphic designer perfects it. Once the design is approved, the partners print, cut, and label each panel so it fits the space just right. The panels are designed for the client to install themselves, although local clients can hire them for installs.
“You don’t have this big roll [of wallpaper],” Hermann says. “We take your measurements, and [the parts of the design] are already printed out, rolled, and labeled. You don’t have to try to line up the flowers. They are already going to be lined up for you. It makes a big difference when you’re trying to install it.”
Photography by Carmen Troesser
Taylor Smith and Casey Herman
So far, Smith and Hermann have created custom wallpaper for home offices, children’s bedrooms, and laundry rooms in St. Louis and beyond and worked with such businesses as Lotus Hair Co., in Kirkwood, and AN Skin & Beauty, in O’Fallon, Missouri. They’re also collaborating with Arin Solange Jura, a local influencer who runs the blog Arin Solange at Home, on a line of premade designs.
Many Our Local Wallpaper Studio clients are interested in floral or gold patterns, and those trends came together in the golden lotus-themed statement wall they completed in February for Lotus Hair Co.
“Taylor suggested having an accent wall to help brand my business. Her suggestion would turn into the biggest staple piece at my salon,” says Amanda McGuire, owner of Lotus Hair Co. “The ability to choose a personalized design gave me the creative freedom to bring my vision to life.”
