360 West

A glass ornament goes under the laser; smoke is ventilated through the machine itself.

The Custom Touch
360 West Magazine, November 2011
Compiled by Meda Kessler.  

Known for their custom personalization of everything from tableware to travel gear, Inside Out Designs/The Pleasure of Home owners Kay Spruill and daughter Stephanie have expanded beyond their in-store monogramming and engraving services. With the purchase of a new machine (a combination of carbon dioxide laser and stylus engraver) they’ve launched Custom Laser Engravers, based in Dallas, where they’ve set up shop in a nicely rehabbed warehouse in the design district.

The possibilities are endless: Soap? Check. Glass Christmas balls? Check. Cowboy boots? Check. Stephanie put the machine through its paces for us, as she’s been working nonstop for months to dial in the capabilities of the sophisticated piece of machinery, and she and Kay have left no material unlasered. While they’re accustomed to meeting their clients’ needs, they stepped it up a notch recently with their new technology by fulfilling a large special order from West Texas that needed a very fast turnaround.

And while corporate clients are certainly on their radar, they also see practical and decorative applications for anyone who might want to monogram a set of pewter chargers or personalize ceramic tile for a special remodeling job. Check out their work at Custom Laser Engravers, www.cle-staging.myvafdb1-liquidwebsites.com, or stop by the Fort Worth store to check out the exclusive in-store line of custom-lasered pieces (leather ottomans and acrylic pieces) and consider the possibilities.

A solid wooden cutting board and a thin bamboo plate with laser monograms (the cutting boards are for sale in the Fort Worth Store)

Photography courtesy of Ralph Lauer