That’s a rhetorical question because we know there are probably one or two folks out there that do not….but at Sequoia Signs & Graphics, we LOVE vehicle wraps. We think they are one of the most cost effective and brand enhancing forms of a dvertisement. We also love the challenge when a new client comes in looking for that ‘wow’ factor.
Recently, we had the opportunity to work with Orchard Nursery & Florist on their delivery van. Orchard Nursey is a mainstay in Lafayette, CA. They have been around for a long time and have earned a great reputation over the years. If you every need garden products, be sure to stop in their Mt. Diablo Road location.
The good folks at Orchard came to us with a white van and asked us to bring them some ideas. They wanted to make sure the van stood out so that customers would recognize it even without seeing their name on the side. Of course, they also wanted to include flowers in the design. We went back and forth several times with several different designs until we came up with the final product you can see here and driving around Lafayette.
The flowers were picked out specifically by Orchard – in fact, for some, we used a custom photo that they arranged to have taken just for this project. And the color….- as we’ve said, it took several iterations. Again, the goal was to make it stand out. At one point we tried green, but our designer pointed out that there are quite a few green-branded vehicles on the roads these days. Orchard agreed and chose this light blue to stand out- or as our tagline says, they will Stand Tall and Get Noticed!
As with any type of sign, vehicle graphics come in all shapes and sizes. From simple cut lettering to a full vehicle wrap- Sequoia Signs and Graphics is your one stop shop for improving your visibility on the road.
Are you thinking of wrapping a vehicle? Maybe a partial wrap? Give us a call! 925.300.1066. We would love to help! At Sequoia Signs & Graphics, we want our clients AND their vehicles to: Stand Tall and Get Noticed!
We recently had the great pleasure of helping The Organic Coup open their new location at the Rincon center in San Francisco. The people at Organic Coup are great to work with and the project involved several different types of signs which always makes for fun work.
The Organic Coup is the first certified organic fast food on the nation! Their sandwiches are delicious and the Rincon location has been a huge success. If you are in downtown SF, be sure to stop in for some delicious food!
On this project we helped brand everything from the windows to the menu boards to the walls themselves. First take a look at the windows which invite the customers to “Taste the Difference” and display some tasty examples. After some discussion, we created these graphics with translucent vinyl which allows them to be viewed from the inside as well.
We also created the menu boards. The Organic Coup has their own design team, so we can not take credit for the graphics, but we worked with them to put their art on the best substrate. In this case, we printed on 3M matte vinyl and applied it to an ACM (aluminum composite material) backer. This menu boards then slid easily into the custom made frames.
Probably our favorite part of the project was the branding wall. We used brushed aluminum dimensional letters at the top, including the red painted rooster. Those wall are beautiful reclaimed wood which made our job tricky, but it worked out. Below that, the design team wanted a unique way to display their message. Once again, we worked with them to create a sign which accomplished everything they were looking for. The ‘green’ acrylic that you see is actually clear acrylic with a transparent green vinyl applied to the back. When we then put the white lettering on the front, they appear to float off the green backing. This wall really presents well and was a pleasure to create.
Want to hear the best news- there are more locations coming! We are currently working with them as they open their Pleasant Hill location and it’s a good bet that more are on the way. Be sure to stop in if you see a location!
Do you have a project like this? Or maybe you have something completely different in mind? We would love to help you create anything you can imagine. Give us a call! 925.300.1066
At Sequoia Signs & Graphics, custom lobby signs are one of our specialties. We take our clients through the entire process and design is the first and most important step. Often we will work with our clients through several revisions until we find the best fit. In other cases, customers come to us with their ideas fairly set, and we make their creations happen!
The latter was the case with Caveman Foods in Lafayette, CA. Caveman Foods is a really cool company that specializes in “Paleo Inspired” products that taste great. Next time you are reaching for a protein bar- try one of their jalapeño chicken bars!
Caveman Foods called us and expressed a desire for two signs. They wanted their logo on an acrylic backer below the front desk, and they wanted polished aluminum letters on the wall behind. Both signs were right in our wheelhouse!
For the red logo pictured below the counter, we suggested applying the graphic to the back of the acrylic so that the viewer looks through the substrate to view it. This also allowed us to bevel the edges to present a nice “polished” look. The process involves a 2-sided laminate which is a little more complicated than your average application- but well worth it!
The dimensional letters are ½” flat cut aluminum with polished faces. ½” Aluminum is pretty thick and it really makes these letters stand out. I guess that may be a play on words because we also used ¼” spacers to allow the letters to ‘float’ off the wall. This is customer choice but can add an extra layer of dimension if desired. The letters are stud mounted which means they each have 3-4 studs which are screwed into their backs. We lay out a pattern and drill holes which correspond with the studs. After that, we will apply silicon to the holes for long-term stability and insert the letters. Installing stud mounted letters should be a fairly straight forward process but you would be surprised at the little hiccups we run into. With this install, one of our studs landed right on top of a sheetrock screw! Luckily, we have some tricks to get around these problems. As you can see, the sign turned out fantastic.
Are you looking for a new lobby sign? We would love to visit your location and talk with you about your goals. Office signage can create an important first impression for your clients. Give us a call! 925.300.1066
At Sequoia Signs & Graphics, we want you to: Stand Tall and Get Noticed!
Here is another great project for another great business. We created a building sign on School Street in Lafayette for Lamorinda Toothbuds. In case the logo doesn’t give it away, Toothbuds is a pediatric dentist with facilities for kids of all ages. Dr. Barnali Roy is the lead dentist and when you meet her, you’ll know why she became a pediatric dentist. She is a natural with the kids. After several visits during the build-out- I wanted to get in the chair myself! And the kids get a toy at the end of their visit!! Where was Toothbuds when I was growing up!!
Toothbuds has a very playful logo and Dr. Roy wanted it displayed on their building which is right across from the Lafayette Elementary School. We met with her on site and despite the rough brick exterior, we knew we could help. We went back and forth on the design and ended up using polycarbonate backer-plates with raised dimensional letters. Using the backers allowed us to keep the letters all on the same plane despite a rough wall surface. Of course, it was not easy. First we had to cut the polycarbonate to size. Next we needed to drill holes in the backers to accept the stud mounted letters. While doing this, we had to select certain studs to be long enough to act as anchors in the stone. Once the sign pieces were assembled, we had to use our pattern to mark the holes on the wall that would hold our longer anchors- and with this rough surface, it was not easy to get them all right! In the end, though, it worked great. The backers hold the letters nicely and Toothbuds sign can be seen by everyone traveling School Street in Lafayette.
For the center logo, we made a custom formed plastic shape and we matched the paint to Toothbuds’ exact logo colors. Below you will see a closer view- it is really quite attractive.
As Part two, we created a smaller sign by the door. This sign was created with a vinyl overlay on ½” white acrylic. While this sign face is relatively flat, we added some dimension by using stand-offs to mount the sign away from the wall.
We are proud to have helped Toothbuds on this project! If you have a project that you are working on- or even one you are just considering- give us a call! 925.300.1066
Every sign is a custom sign, I don’t know how many times I’ve said that but it is so true. At Sequoia Signs & Graphics, we have created and installed countless lobby signs with dimensional letters but no two are exactly the same. Last month we had the pleasure of installing a new dimensional letter lobby sign for Edrington, Schirmer & Murphy LLC in Pleasant Hill. (Or rather, we had the pleasure of installing their sign twice but I will explain later.) ESM are defense attorneys that have been around for a long time. Thankfully, we have not required their services but the team are so nice and professional that we almost wish we did! ESM called us in because they were tired of their existing sign and wanted to add new life to their reception area. We discussed several different options from flat-cut aluminum letters to painted acrylic. We eventually settled on metal laminated acrylic letters. As part of the process, we looked at a variety of face metals and even ordered additional samples to insure we found the right one. In the end, we created the letters with a brushed black aluminum face. Then came installation. These are stud-mounted letters which is a fairly common method of installation. Studs are screwed into the backs of the letters in a defined pattern. We then drill holes in the wall which correspond to that pattern and slide the letters into the wall. Once we know the letters look great, we will often add some silicon to hold them firmly in place. On this job, we had a new twist. The partners loved the letters, but they decided that they might look nicer standing a bit off the wall. This is what I meant when I said we installed the letters twice. We needed to order the spacers, so we left the letters in place, flush, while we waited for the new hardware. A few days latter we returned, added the spacers and re-installed the letters.
It was a pleasure working with Edrington, Schirmer & Murphy. They knew they could find what they wanted and they worked with us to achieve a fabulous lobby sign. Are you looking to improve your office or reception area with a new lobby sign? We would love to help. Give us a call at 925.300.1066. We would be happy to schedule a free consultation.
Lobby signs can say a lot about a business. When potential clients walk in, they should get a good feeling for the company they are visiting. A good lobby sign will 1) clearly identify the company 2) convey an image of what the company represents and 3) provide assurance that the client is in the correct place. (Literally and figuratively) Last month we had the opportunity to work with Mercer Advisors, installing a lobby sign in their new Walnut Creek office. Mercer Advisors has been around for over 30 years and provides best-in-class institutional grade investment management to the individual investor. They were a pleasure to work with and having met the Walnut Creek team, it is easy to understand their success. As the picture shows, Mercer’s sign is a beautiful combination of red and brushed aluminum letters. All the letters are made from ¼” flat cut aluminum. The word Mercer starts with a 9” letter M, followed by slightly smaller letters. The whole word was painted to match the firm’s custom color. Below that, “Advisors” is a little smaller and remains raw, brushed aluminum, as is the bar to the right. All of the letters are stud-mounted and flush to the wall. We often use this mounting technique, particularly with heavier letters. Studs are screwed into the back of each letter. To install, we drill holes in the drywall and then add silicone to the holes. One in place, these letters do not move! With Mercer, this was not their first time at the plate. Having opened a number of offices, they knew the exact specs for their sign, from the thickness of their letters to their PMS color. You may not have the same certainty, but we can still help out with your custom lobby sign! If you are opening a new office, moving offices, or just want to re-vamp your existing office- give us a call at Sequoia Signs & Graphics. Our number is: 925.300.1066 We would love to visit your location and talk to you about your goals and options for effective signage.
Sequoia Signs & Graphics is an architectural sign company that provides comprehensive signage solutions for multifamily housing developments, business parks, and campuses. Our innovative approach combines project branding with wayfinding to create differentiated and unique sign packages. As a full-service sign manufacturer, we manage projects from concept to installation throughout Northern California.
