Square Corners
The Right Angle
Square-cornered signs, furniture, and architectural accents are a key facet of modern design. The sharp, clean angles and lines, combined with repeated circular motifs, create a living space that feels open, airy, and smart. For the same reason, sticking with high contrast and solid color has become very popular.
House numbers can be seen as a microcosm of this shift in interior design. Ten or twenty years ago, most houses displayed house numbers out front, usually in ornate metal or ceramic plaques with gold lettering and a graphic of some sort. These house numbers were not always legible, but they communicated pride and gave houses a sense of identity; walking past, you could look at the house numbers and create an idea of who the homeowners were based on their stylistic choices.
Modern house numbers have joined with the super-sparse modern minimalist design movement, resulting in the invention of clear plastic 'glass' house numbers, as well as the resurgence of the simple black or white bar with contrasting lettering. Now, the appearance of one's house numbers clues passersby in to not only the interests or hobbies of the homeowner, but their relative age. Younger, hipper homeowners are more likely to display house numbers on a sleek square-cornered sign.
Minimalist Design
Squares, lines, and smooth symmetrical curves abound in modern house design. Two-dimensionality is a good thing where furniture is concerned. Spheres are rare, whereas flattened circles may be occasionally found; but in surfaces or decor, such as paintings, tables, and house number signs, square is the general rule.
Acrylic 'glass'-looking house numbers can complement a bright white home or apartment very nicely. These house numbers are translucent, and have the effect of adding depth to a two-dimensional sign. Metal house numbers are less common, often present on square house number plaques of painted black and white; wooden house numbers are antithetical to minimalist design, which favors a sterile, 'scientific' aesthetic over a rustic, natural one.
Choosing the Right House Numbers for Your Home
If you're fond of minimalist design but aren't sure if it fits your home, consider these questions before purchasing your home signs. Are your walls mostly white, a contrast of black and white, or painted in bold solid colors? Is your home brightly lit with unobtrusive wall or ceiling lights, rather than traditional or "old-fashioned" floor and table lamps? Could your house's interior design be considered 'simple', 'sparse', or 'clean' - i.e., very little furniture and visual distractions that are few to none? Have you made an effort to increase the appearance of lines, squares, sharp angles, and flat surfaces in your home furniture and layout?
Minimalist design is so popular that many homes now have a few pieces that could be considered 'minimalist'. Chances are, if you answered yes to more than two of the above questions, your home is at the forefront of the minimalist movement. Congratulations! To put the finishing touch on your classy modern home, you should get some fine translucent house numbers to post by the front door.