What is the best house number size, font and placement to improve kerb appeal?

I can hardly believe we are well into 2022 already, and now that we have entered the Chinese Year of the Tiger I thought this would be a grrreat time to introduce you to my latest slate house numbers and handmade glass name plaques plus give you some key pointers when selecting the right product for your needs.

What Font / Typeface is right for my house plaque?

When choosing a font for your bespoke house name plaque you can take inspiration from the vast range of written texts we are surrounded by everyday in our daily lives. Specific fonts have been used throughout history to symbolise everything from company name branding to music and film genres. And the choice of font isn’t by coincidence either, it is specifically chosen as a recognisable visual statement about what it represents. Your chosen font, or design, will not only give personality to your product, brand, or in this case, your house name plaque, but it will also make yourself stand out from the crowd, demonstrating a visual representation as unique as you. I’m happy to chat through any ideas you may have on how to make your house plaque as individual as you are.

Ultimately, typefaces need to work hard; not only do they communicate a legible number or name, it also needs to be aesthetically pleasing and convey a cultural image of the thing, brand or person it represents. So, whether decorative and elegant, or uber-modernist and streamlined, typefaces are a visual feast for the eye and essential elements to a designers toolbox. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and clients can choose their own fonts and designs that best represent them and their homes.

How to choose where to place your house plaque?

I’m often asked where should house numbers and name plaques be placed and the obvious answer is in an unobscured spot, either on your house or at the start of your driveway so it can be easily seen from the road or pathway. If you are lucky enough to live in a country home set way back from the roadside or on a private road then you should consider a set of house number and name plaques for both the start of the driveway and then also for the side of the actual house so that family, services and visitors can easily locate you. My hand made, unique house name plates will grant your abode maximum kerb appeal whilst raising the bar for the area, generating suitable impact, guaranteed to make all your neighbours green with envy.

What size should my numbers be?

The size of the house sign will often be determined by personal choice as well as the necessity for it to be clearly visible so that visitors can find you. A recent trend has seen a demand for oversized numerals regardless of the distance from the property to the street. More traditional tastes will find that three to four inches in height is a suitable size for numbers and names right next to the front door for a house with access directly onto the street. To ensure good visibility, this sizing generally increases to six inches for doorways 130-160 feet away and then 10 inches or more for house numbers and name plaques over 300 feet away.

Finishing touches

Once you’ve chosen your font or design, size and location, your item will be handcrafted by me to give an exclusive, personal touch to your house name or number plaque. If required, the finished project can also be illuminated by an LED light fitting that will make your sign stand out, especially useful if your house or driveway entrance is difficult to spot from the road whilst also offering some useful light around the front door.

You can now also choose whether to have a standard pure white LED light to illuminate your house number or name plaque, or if you’d like something even more bespoke I can also offer warm white, amber, blue or green lighting options (warmer colours most effective when used low iron glass). Low voltage electric powered lighting guarantees consistent illumination regardless of the notoriously unpredictable British weather and can also be used with sensors and timers. With that in mind, you may prefer to have your glass house number or name plaque connected to your electric supply using an IP67 12 volt LED driver installed by an electrician or an indoor 3 pin plug-in LED driver to ensure friends, family and visitors can easily find your home all year round. The 12 volt LED modules are very low wattage and cost very little to run.