House Sign
Your Guide to Proper House Sign Usage
The house sign is an ancient tradition that has survived into modern-day popularity due in large part to its versatility and subtle creativity. Since anyone can now design their own house sign using one of many different house sign creation programs online, it's easy to create a customized house sign to show off your tastes in design, color schemes, and style.
The modern house sign falls into one of three categories: to inform; to guide; and to entertain. Some types of house sign might be accurately placed in more than one category, such as decorative house signs.
Where To Place a House Sign
Appropriate placement of a house sign depends on its content and the material from which the house sign is made. An address plaque, house sign with the house's name, or other specific information intended to help guests and visitors find your home is most appropriately placed outside, in an easy-to-see location. However, a duplicate house sign placed indoors adds an air of homeowner's pride to your living room.
A house number plaque welcoming guests can be placed on the entryway or indoors, depending on the material from which it's made. If it's a small decorative house sign, it's unlikely to have the strength necessary to stand up to outdoor weather. A decorative house sign made of stone or varnished wood is appropriate for placing outside; these are usually best displayed near the front door.
House signs of warning, such as a house sign indicating a dangerous pet, sharp drop-off, or steep slope, should always be placed as close to the dangerous area as possible. For example, a "Beware of Dog" house sign would be appropriate placed on the gate to the dog's yard, rather than a doorway the dog is rarely near. Try to determine the "safe distance" from the threat, and place your sign there.
Ways to Display Your House Sign
There are numerous and varied ways to display house number signs, dependent on their size and material. For a truly elegant appearance, try mounting your house sign on a wrought iron yard post or using eye hooks to attach it to a flange on your outside wall. A more 'rustic' appearance can be had by placing the sign in the yard or mounting it on a tree alongside the drive. Small, high-contrast address plaques look good mounted on the exterior wall of a home, or on the fence surrounding the property, while large signs can be suspended over an entryway, hanged from the rafters, or affixed to an exterior wall.
Placing a home sign in a window, or propping it up on a shelf, is generally seen as a 'low-class' method of display. If you can't afford an expensive mounting method, you can get a package of frame brackets at a hardware store and use those to attach house signs to your wall with minimal damage and no visible attachments.