Meet Penni Auster of The Fourth Wall

Today we’d like to introduce you to Penni Auster.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Penni. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
A New York native and a graduate of FIT, after working as a print designer/merchandiser in the apparel industry, I started a design studio that specialized in prints for swim and active-wear companies. For years, a client-turned-friend kept telling me that I should be designing wallpaper. She would buy prints not only for her swimwear line but in the hope that one day we would actually collaborate on wallpaper and eventually we did.

After working on product development with China, and about to make plans to introduce the line to retail, I realized that I wanted to go more personal, to work one-on-one with creatives and to have it produced here in the US, using eco -friendly materials. I decided custom design and development and very tiny boutique collections was the way to go, so I took the leap!

Soon after, I ran my idea of customizing wallpaper to a friend who is an interior designer, and she loved it. She asked me for a few prints that would work in a coastal home she was designing. I threw some in a dropbox and later that night I had my first order and kicked it into gear!

Has it been a smooth road?
I am still so “startup” that I do it all! The designing, working with clients, printers, website upkeep and marketing, social media, bookkeeping, and last but not least, I had to learn how to calculate square footage! Ha, my brain is so right sided that anything “math” is a huge obstacle to get over.

In spreading myself too thin, I am still designing prints for a few great clients in the swimwear industry, and I have recently found it interesting how easily swimwear and wallpaper designs can crossover, and designing a print for a bikini might actually end up on a wall!

When I started The Fourth Wall, it was all about removable/repositionable wall coverings. I thought that would be my biggest selling point, but it’s only 10% of my sales. The bulk of sales being the traditional non-pasted and pre-pasted paper, so I had to rethink my original plan to go with what the market called for.

I do see it (the removable) as a vehicle for set and stage, and hopefully soon, all of the art directors I’ve reached out to will suddenly take notice, as most TV shows and movies utilize wallpaper, bet you haven’t noticed that? Now you will. 🙂

So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Fourth Wall – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
In designing and developing wallpaper, I work mostly with interior designers and their clients, be it for home, hospitality, store interiors, offices, etc. This process includes starting from scratch to create their vision or tweaking an existing design to make it work for their needs. Sometimes little or no changes are needed, and I have the perfect print in my library as I am constantly designing and maintain a wide variety of prints.

Clients involve themselves in the design process as much or as little as they want. Often designs from scratch will be confined to clients, not available to anyone else, which makes it truly one of a kind. I can do all of my work remotely, or if it is a local project, I usually go onsite to get the vibe of the designer, their client, and space. That makes the project even more inspiring for me.

After the design is finalized, I have samples printed for approval, and then I set up production with one of my printers. Turn-around can be as little as three days after the design is approved but is usually takes @ two weeks. I can also schedule install if needed, or at the very least recommend someone for the job, this makes this process so much easier for the client.

I pride myself on The Fourth Wall being a concierge wallpaper design service, having a unique and personal approach which sets it apart from the typical business of modern day commerce.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and the least?
My favorite part of Los Angeles is the inspiration I get on a daily basis. The colors of everything, and the flora, the light, and shadows. The eclectic architecture that is so prominent on most city blocks- I still find it so cool that the yellow tudor is next to the mid-century modern, that’s next to the adobe, that’s next to the craftsman, and on and on…

Oh, and the weather, coming from NY, I need to keep myself in check when I complain about it being cold at 60 degrees! Of course, what I like least about LA is the traffic. Is there another answer?

Contact Info:

• Website: thefourthwalldesign.com
• Phone: 323 486 7440
• Email: thefourthwalldes@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_fourth.wall_by_penni/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefourthwalldes/

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.