In April 2014 NLXL presented “Archives wallpaper” by Studio Job at Salon del Mobile in Milan. Below is an interview from 2014 with NLXL founder Rick Vintage for leading Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad.
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NLXL sells wallpaper worldwide that does its best not to look like wallpaper.
text Arjen Ribbens
Entrepreneur Rick Vintage (47) was always “busy-busy-busy”. He headed the graphic design agency Homemade Cookies and was also active in the hospitality industry in The Hague, with the Jetlag Lounge club and the Pastis brasserie. At its peak, he had seventy employees. “A lot of stress”, says Vintage. And then with a laugh: “Certainly for someone who is not very good at management.”
Vintage sold his companies and started a new business in luxury wallpaper at the end of 2010. This time they would do it differently, he promised his wife Esther. “I said: this will be a stress-free company. Without employees and without a telephone. Ten weeks a year, during the school holidays, we go out with the family. And we only work two days a week.” With a grin: “Only the latter has not been entirely successful.”
The story of wallpaper manufacturer NLXL is a success story. With just one employee and a few small collections of photo wallpaper, Rick and Esther Vintage conquered the world. Their wallpaper is currently for sale in 70 countries, at a total of 3,000 points of sale. And if the negotiations with a Chinese distributor go well, the counter will soon jump to 3,500 stores in 71 countries. NLXL's goal is one step closer: to become the world's smallest globally operating company.
That didn't look like it at all at first. The first wallpaper collection, six photo prints of reclaimed wood, designed together with designer Piet Hein Eek, received a lot of international attention in interior design magazines. However, sales were disappointing. Until the wallpaper won a prize at the New York ICFF furniture fair for "best product" in May 2011. Suddenly orders came in from all over the world. Vintage: "I couldn't believe my eyes: an order from South Korea, three hundred rolls at once."
The company was then still called Scrapwoodwalppaper.com. An awkward name that didn't appeal to the imagination internationally. DutchXL seemed to be a much more suitable choice for Vintage, until it became clear that there was already a porn company with that name. He then bought the name NLXL.
Vertical planks
What made NLXL's wallpaper so special? The Eek collection was certainly not the first wallpaper with a reclaimed wood print. But the wallpaper printed on heavy, removable non-woven paper was superior to that of the competition. The planks were also printed vertically, for a calmer effect. Also important: a roll of NLXL wallpaper (900x48.7cm, over 4 square metres, retail price 199 euros) has no repeating pattern, making it easy to stick. The company had not even been around for a year when a buyer came forward. Vintage, which was then still called Vintges (''A name I always had to spell''), was very surprised. ''We only sold Eek's wallpaper and it was just starting to take off. Out of sheer fun, I asked ten times the price of what I thought NLXL would eventually be worth. To my surprise, a serious counteroffer came in. Apparently, that party saw something in our company that Esther and I had not yet seen ourselves. I immediately declined the offer.”
The scrapwood wood from Eek was followed by prints of weathered, old ceiling tiles, made for the Parisian concept store Merci, and of rough concrete walls, in collaboration with designer Piet Boon. With just five collections, NLXL achieved a turnover of 2.5 million euros last year. Perfect time, Vintage thought, for a presentation on the largest design podium, during the annual furniture fair in Milan. The small wallpaper manufacturer went all out there last month. NLXL rented a space in the prestigious Via Savona to unveil the sixth collection: seven graphic designs by the Belgian-Dutch art and design collective Studio Job. An introduction that cost a total of half a million euros. An investment in the company's name recognition, says Vintage. He did not write any orders in Milan. "There are other fairs for that." The presentation already generated a wave of publicity and many interesting contacts. And a lot of fun, says Vintage. ,,We were in Milan with thirteen employees, including eight friends. We had our own cook, slept partly in campers, and partied for a week. An unforgettable school trip.”
NLXL is working on the development of new products. Not only wallpaper, but also luxury office products. After the summer, a self-designed furniture line will also be launched on the market: a chair, table, workbench and stool, made of steel and teak. How does he keep his company small? Vintage: ,,By saying ‘no’ a lot.” He is therefore not responding to the great interest from South America for the time being.
See all wallpaper designs by NLXL on nlxl.com
