Finding the Perfect Address Plaque

I’ve always wondered what it is that makes a house truly special. The size? The location? The paint colors or the architecture? To be honest, I don’t believe that it’s any of these things. I’ve been in homes large and small, simple and extravagant, and there are those that just possess that certain something. Well, having just finished building a house with my husband, I’ve come to believe that a home is not complete without the little details – small, personal things – that make it truly special.

I experienced this “a ha!” moment when, prior to moving in, I set off to find a way to creatively display our house numbers. A shopping trip to the local hardware store turned up some iridescent address stickers – in hunter orange and industrial stark black and white – along with a few wooden numbers. Shaking my head, I returned home to see if I could find something a little better. Luckily, an internet search revealed exactly what I’d been picturing: customizable address plaques in more colors, designs, and configurations than I’d imagined. At first, the Traditional Plaque Collection caught my attention – I knew that their rich, true colors and distinguished type would complement any house. I hesitated, unable to choose between the marquee-inspired Egg and Dart Marker and the slightly nautical Cape Charles Marker. I found the Decorative Plaques elaborate and intricate and completely charming, too – the Monogram Marker was a definite favorite. After all, how much more personalized can you get? The handsome Vertical Plaques reminded me of something I might see on a European townhouse: the Windsor Vertical Plaque struck me as such a creative way to display a single-digit house number! And before leaving the Oval Plaque category, I bookmarked the simple Date Plaque as a personalized piece I could imagine giving as a treasured housewarming gift (in fact, I was tempted to purchase it for our own home).

A quick search through the Specialty Plaques revealed several more unique gift ideas – I bookmarked the Grill Hawthorne Plaque for my father-in-law, the self-proclaimed “BBQ King”, and the Dove Wedding Plaque for my bride-to-be cousin. Soon, I found myself exploring the other Outdoor Marker categories. The Garden Signs were just delightful, and the Mailbox Signs and Ornaments were a unique idea I’d never thought of before. Could it be that these were the things that could give a home that personal feeling – the atmosphere that I had been looking for?

I hadn’t yet found the perfect personalized address plaque for our new home, though. It couldn’t be too ornate (my husband’s criteria) but it had to fit my theme of classic rustic décor. A quick glance back through revealed the Providence Artisan Metal Plaque – a piece I had missed before amid the dozens of lovely offerings. Rugged, trendy, yet classic, too, this plaque was simple enough to earn my husband’s approval yet personal enough to fit the look of our new home. Once personalized with our house numbers, it would be perfect. And I would be one step closer to creating in our house that particular feeling of home.