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A Successful Mission to Give Back to our COVID 19 First Responders in Grand Rapids

With the gracious support of our clients we were able to donate and distribute over 500 meals!

With the help of the amazing KO Kitchen’s Chef Jilote and Villa Pizza #1, we were able to give back to a City who has always had our back since 1989. We are extremely thankful to everyone who donated, shared our posts, and got the word out to our community.

We are so proud of our Grand Rapids community and our front line workers. Five Star felt it was imperative to take action and give back to the people making such a sacrifice and difference during this COVID 19 crisis. To date we have been able to donate and distribute just over 500 meals to these local heroes.

Our city isn’t in the clear yet, we are all in this together. As our city begins to open up and adjust to the new normal that lies ahead – let’s all be mindful of those who have our back. Continue to respect social distancing and sanitizing until a scientific preventative or cure emerges.

Thank you Grand Rapids. We Love You!

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One Way Window Film adds Privacy and Comfort for Health Care

There is a “Cloud of Monarchs” at Spectrum Health Pediatric Rehab!

Visiting a hospital or Physician’s Office whether you are a patient or accompanying a patient can often lead to feeling anxious. A pleasant office setting and atmosphere can really help those nerves.

Health Care Design Professionals have made it a point to take great measures to not only protect privacy – but to create a much more calming environment by adding artwork and visual interest with window film!

One Way 50/50 Printed Window Film at Spectrum Health Pediatric Rehab Offices

Printed artwork on 50/50 Perforated Vinyl Window Film can produce the one-way visual effect that many healthcare facilities are looking for. Instead of completely blocking the view from both sides with a semi-opaque privacy film such as a frosted etch, a 50/50 Perforated Vinyl gives the flexibility of one-way privacy. The bonus is that it can be printed with bright and beautiful images to warm up the space.

The above example is a One-way Perforated Film we printed and installed in the offices of Spectrum Health Pediatric Rehab. This artwork was chosen from a library of wonderful natural images by henrydomke.com.

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Healthcare Privacy in a Glass Partition World

Check out the HUGE difference the addition of Frost Window Film makes in this space!

Frost Window Film in the Reception Area at Spectrum Health

The proof is in the pictures! This patient reception area just doesn’t look the same anymore. Privacy is a must in any healthcare setting. From waiting to examination rooms – patients need to feel a sense of comfort that their privacy is important and recognized. Frost window film does an excellent job of creating a privacy barrier between spaces.

Linen Window Film in the Reception area of Spectrum Health

Another popular choice is to go with a decorative window film which creates “distraction privacy”. This window film is subtle and typically has a decorative pattern in the film. It’s easy to use this film thematically as a design element throughout an office space. More light is transmitted through the film and gives the illusion of a privacy barrier without being as opaque or concealing.

Glass walls, partitions and even stairwell railings is a part of modern architecture, and window film is a great way to overcome privacy challenges to adapt a space that suits both the provider and the client.

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Frost Window Film Hides What’s Inside

A Great Solution and a Fantastic Look!

Window film installed on the entrance to an IT room

Frost window film is a great privacy solution for corporate offices that have glass walls and doors to private conference rooms and offices. On many occasions mechanical and IT equipment can be installed in an area that is better off shrouded in privacy – hiding the equipment housed inside the room.

This IT room in an office in Rockford, Michigan had 3 large glass panels that needed to be filmed in order to camouflage it’s interior equipment. Frost Window Film was the perfect solution for the job. Decorative film comes in a variety of designs and patterns, offering subtle to complete opaque privacy.

Residential glass door kitchen cabinets

In a residential setting – glass door cabinets and pantries are popular to film in order to hide the contents inside. Window Film can create the look of etched, rain, or antique glass. There are so many options to choose from, and you will find that Decorative Film is a much more economical alternative to custom glass.

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Brighten Up A Space With Printed Clear Window Film

A Little Bit of Color Goes a Long Way!

Calhoun County Juvenile Home

Working in collaboration with Custer, Inc. we custom designed a wavy-line continuous pattern and used a color scheme to liven up a very bland common area space at the Juvenile Home, located in Marshall, Michigan.

Printed on 3M Transparent Graphic Film – the design and color is equally apparent on both sides of the windows. The Matte surface finish eliminates glare and provides uniform color in reflected and transmitted light.

In this application, the customer was very pleased with the aesthetics of the film – as well as the subtle privacy the printed color bands add. A great solution resulting in a bit of decorative flair!

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Window Film With Decorative Designs

For a fraction of the cost of designer glass – window film can customize your surroundings

You move into your new home and realize you have to do something about the sidelight next to the front door – or the bathroom window that directly faces your neighbors windows… these are areas that are not ideal for window treatments or shades. Privacy may be essential and decorative film can be the perfect solution.

Textured Decorative Rain Glass Window Film Application on a Bathroom Window

For a fraction of the cost of designer glass, decorative window film can easily give your windows the look of frosted, etched, textured or stained glass – and you can even take it a step further and go with an elegant design in the film. From a residential perspective the concern is primarily exterior privacy. From a corporate perspective, decorative window film can provide exterior and interior privacy for offices, conference room, waiting rooms, reception areas, labs, cubicles, fitness rooms, bathrooms, and the list goes on! With so many patterns and options to choose from – there is basically a window film that can suit a variety of design styles and functional needs.

Namibia Gradient by Solyx installed on doors to hide power boxes in the new radiology room at Blodget Hospital
Solyx Broken Line Gradient Film installed in the offices of Mercy Health, Grand Rapids, MI  

Window film can provide privacy or camouflage areas of an office while still allowing excellent light transmission. Gradient films are a popular choice to achieve the best of both worlds – a slow or deliberate fade from an opaque patterned background that fades to clear.

Over-all Decorative Solyx Transparent Leaf Pattern

Whether it is an all over solid translucent film, a gradient fade, or an over-all decorative pattern – window film can customize your surroundings, add style and privacy while giving your windows new life.

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Switchable Frost… Can You Really Turn Privacy Window Film “On and Off”?

A decorative film that offers total control over your privacy in any glass setting

Typically, the go-to film in an office space that lacks privacy is a frosted decorative film. With its clean and semi-opaque look, it offers a way to eliminate surrounding distractions. Now however, I am here to say that we can offer you privacy-on-demand!  The ability to keep the open-airy architecture that glass walls provide – and still maintain the privacy that is occasionally a must. With unique liquid crystal technology called PDLCD (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal Display), privacy can be controlled better than with any window shade, curtain or blind. This privacy window film can be controlled in any space where this film is adhered. First things first though, let’s start at the beginning.

Even though this amazing film has been around for the past 5 years, and we’ve been installing it, it’s just now getting recognized by architects, interior designers, trade magazines, etc. Why is this? I’m not sure why it has taken so long – but we are definitely not complaining either!

This semi-opaque film works with molecules, polymers, transmittance…. and okay, I lost you now. Science wasn’t my strong suit in school, so let’s keep this simple and stick to the facts.

PDLCD Technology – Switchable Frost Window Film

PDLCD technology all comes down to applied power to the film through a small wire that is cleverly hidden of course. When the power is on, the microscopic liquid crystal droplets in the film begin to align themselves. In doing this, the film now allows transmittance of light through the film. In short, one would simply say the window is clear, see through and unobstructed. Now in the off-state, when no power is applied, this film is opaque. Remember those small liquid crystal droplets we mentioned? Those droplets are now suspended in the film, or as scientists would say the polymer matrix, to detect light and make your surrounding space that much more confidential (the science of this remarkable window film is referenced from the site: https://dglassp.com/news )

With control through a wireless remote or a light switch on the wall, you now have the best of both worlds. The ability to switch from a modern spacious atmosphere to the private area that you want; all with the click of a button.

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Distraction Privacy Window Film…is that a thing?

A translucent decorative film choice that can add design & flair to any glass in an office space

When you think of “privacy film “, frosted film is usually the go-to film in an office space. Whether it is a full panel or just a band-of-film strategically placed to obscure the view, it is a very valuable asset to any space if privacy or distraction is an issue. A decorative layer of film can make a huge difference in an office where there is a great deal of glass, and you’ll notice that glass is something that is incorporated everywhere in architecture today.

Decorative window film can also add a consistent theme and add visual interest throughout a building or office space. Some of the most popular areas that we install decorative, privacy, or distraction privacy film is in businesses that have conference rooms with glass walls, office space with glass doors and sidelites, reception areas, waiting rooms, glass partitions, and the list goes on! You will see window film in many Medical buildings – they use decorative film for safety concerns (so that their clients and patients actually see the glass barriers before them) as well as for decorative purposes, full privacy and distraction privacy. Linen Window Film is a popular choice at Spectrum Health as a decorative element throughout their buildings.

3M Linen Film Added to the 2nd Floor Railing at Spectrum Health, 461 Michigan St.
Spectrum Health, Ada – Linen Window Film on Glass Below the Handrails
Spectrum Health, Ada – Reception Windows
Spectrum Health, Ada – Waiting Room Partitions

Gradient, Frosted, Etched, Colored, Elegant Textured – the variety and types of Decorative Window Films is enormous.

Organic Cotton Gradient Film at Spectrum Health, Grand Haven

Frost film and decorative film can be mixed in application for a unique effect! It can also give patients a sense of privacy in a room with lots of activity.

Swan Orthodontics, Caledonia – 3M FASARA Chamonix Frost/Matte on the Bottom & Solyx Stones Film Up Top

Sometimes a band or panel of Frost Window Film is too dense and opaque for the look and feel of the office space. Below is a great example of subtle distraction privacy. Gradient Window Film comes in many patterns and opacities. Its a detail that most clients do not recognize right away – but appreciate none-the-less.

Dot Gradient Window Film for Subtle Privacy

Detraction Privacy definitely is “a thing” when it comes to the function and atmosphere in the workplace. We are finding a growing trend in our business that adding window film it is becoming a forethought and necessity when a building is under construction – rather than an afterthought. The beauty of window film is however, that it is very versatile. It can be installed at any time, inside or outside, and on most glass substrates. It can also be stripped and changed-out over the years if decorative remodeling or other window film properties and requirements are needed.

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Custom Printing for Glass – A Decorative Window Film Application

Printing on window film is an effective way to add distraction privacy or a decorative element to plain glass – whether it be a wall of windows, conference room, cubicle glass, or even a glass table.  Check out some of our work below:

Priority Health offices on East Beltline, Grand Rapids

This hexagon pattern (above) printed on optically clear window film was installed for decorative flair as well as distraction privacy in a healthcare facility.

 

Glass Table Design at Custer

This custom design was printed in reverse – applied to the underside of a glass table.  The black design was printed first – and then an opaque white ink was printed over the entire area.  Our technicians applied the printed film to the underside of the table – and then cut out it’s unique shape.

 

Want to know more?

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Contact Information:

163 Ann Street NE, Suite 1
Grand Rapids, MI 49505

Feel free to call us during our business hours 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday!

Phone:

616.363.0000

Email:

Randy@fiveswc.com

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