House Signs: Yes or No?
By Christa TerrySometimes a house has just the right amount of doors and windows and eaves and things to fill up all the space one needs to fill to please the eye. And sometimes a house doesn’t – ours, for example, has a big dead zone between a first-floor bedroom window and the front door. There’s just nothing… nothing but boring blank siding. Until recently, we filled the space with a Penn Dutch hex – one indicating friendship, supposedly – but it’s begun to look a bit worn around the edges in recent months. But what to put in its place? Hanging plants? We can’t afford to put in another window there or push out the front door at this time. At some point, signs came to mind. Specifically, signs that advertise who lives in the house to which they’re affixed.
The thing is, though, I eventually nixed the idea. While it’s easy enough to find out who lives in my house – search for the address online or have a peek in the mailbox – do I really want to advertise that the so-and-so lives here and, oh yeah, we got married in such-and-such a year? Not to mention the fact that it feels a little hokey-boasty to me. What do you think? When you see a sign that says something like “The Johnsons – Established 1994” or whatever, how does that strike you?
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June 9th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Have you considered a quarterboard? My family is from Nantucket, where such things are found in abundance, and I find them to be adorable. (It’s also in keeping with your Cape-style abode.) The quarterboard doesn’t have to be engraved with your family’s last name or house number, either. It’s actually quite customary for houses (like ships) to have names.
June 10th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
These signs strike me as extremely pretentious and in poor taste. I’d be impressed if the houses were actually “established” many centuries ago, but 2004? 1997? Simply getting a house does not make one important.
June 10th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
I think it depends on the house. I would agree that it gives out a bit more info than just numbers. How about some big/unusual numbers?
June 11th, 2010 at 11:51 am
I agree with Pam -I’ve seen some great ones on vintage homes, but on 60’s ranch it might look silly. Here is whole bunch of cool numbers that you won’t find astyour local box box home center:
http://www.accurateimageinc.com/