LIGHT BRIGHT NEON SIGNS ARE TRENDING BY NORA HESTON TARTE LED signs, they can’t be fixed. If a real neon tube cracks, breaks, or just totally fails, it can get re-worked to be good as new. After all, neon is made to last for doing in Stockton since the 1980s. But 30 years or more. LED isn’t. about five years ago, he started to see a Roger’s works include small signs new type of client—individuals looking that say “Cheers” and “Drink Up!” for to decorate their homes with neon. a mobile bartending businesses, short “I’ve had neon all over my house,” cursive sayings for home décor, and Roger says. wedding mementos that feature names The trend is prominent on Instagram of the bride and groom. On average, where you see homeowners and even these pieces range anywhere from $500 celebrities posting photos of brightly to $1,000. colored, handcrafted neon signs above To make the signs, Roger has a power their headboards, in their living rooms, pole transformer in his shop that he just about anywhere. For the most part can pull 20,000 volts from. “It’s very it’s short sayings or names that people dangerous… we have high voltage, we are requesting. He calls the trend “living have open fires... we have glass you can walls,” because the neon makes them get cut on,” Roger says. “Which one do feel alive. you want to play with?” Like any cool new thing, there are Using helium, neon, crypton, zion, knockoffs. If you go on Amazon or Etsy, and argon and/or colored glass, Roger there are a host of LED-lighted signs can produce just about any color neon. on sale for a couple hundred dollars Neon itself is that popular reddish color. that people can buy and install. There Whites, such as a soft, yellowish tone are, however, a few setbacks to not he calls candlelight, is very popular. using real neon. “The LED is almost He keeps about one ton of glass in his too clean, where you don’t see any workshop at all times. workmanship in it,” Roger Other colors, however, says. It’s also not as ecoare not the best. He warns friendly. “We’re more green against the use of lime green, than LED,” Roger says of the LIGHT UP YOUR HOUSE: which draws the color out of 100 percent recyclable neon C.R. Glow Neon (209) 465-6366 everything. Neon also isn’t works he creates. Perhaps CRGlowNeon@hotmail.com the best light for putting the worst part though is that makeup on. once a light goes out in the
Roger Daniells, owner of C.R. Glow Neon, makes and fixes neon signs for a living. It’s a job he’s been
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at home magazine | 2020
