Welcome to the Sign Designer!
The Sign Designer is a cool new site which allows you design your own custom house sign, tweak it, save it, send it to your friends, or purchase it online. There are already over 99 million possible configurations, and we will keep adding more options as time goes on, so keep checking out this space for news.
The house signs purchased on this site are hand-carved & hand-painted by the crew at Danthonia Designs, so your house sign is sure to get the attention it deserves. We are based in New South Wales, Australia - but we can and will ship signs to wherever you are, anywhere on the planet. Each week we choose the best sign designed on the Sign Designer, and post it as the 'House Sign of the Week' (see this week's house sign below.)
And we love feedback, so if you have a question which isn't answered in the FAQ's, or have comments about the Designer, just call us on 1800 552 700 (Australia) or email us at designyourown@danthonia.com.au. We'd love to hear your comments.
House Sign of the Week:
This house sign was designed on The Sign Designer, and features a sculpted & painted apple blossom.
Like this sign? Click here to use it as a basis for your own custom design.
Click here to design your own house sign.
Design Tips:
Choosing the right text style
"What's so hard about picking the right font?" you say. Well, it turns out there's more to typography (that's what its called) than first meets the eye. Each font has a different feel and personality, so you have to make sure your house sign says what you want it to say - in the way you want it said. For example, Blackletter just won't work for 'Rumpus Room', but for 'Ye Olde Cottage' its the perfect choice. Another thing to keep in mind is that while some fonts look great in ALL-CAPS, others are not designed to be used that way, and will look bad and amateurish.
Using Contrast
Contrast means the lightness/darkness difference between two colours. This is very important in creating a striking and readable design. Try designing a house sign with a black background and black text - you'll notice its bad for two reasons: 1) You can hardly read it, and 2) It's not very interesting to look at (so why bother). Always use light-on-dark or dark-on-light.
Effective Colour Schemes
Good colour schemes should as a general rule work around the artwork you choose. A swimming fish on a red sign would seem strange - put it on blue, and it works. You can also look at the colours of the artwork, and choose one to 'echo' in the edge or text colour. Having too many different colours on your house sign all at once can be distracting and weaken the sign design overall.
Designing your shape
Shapes also communicate non-verbally. Basically, you pick the one you like most, then play with corner & edge styles to achieve the desired effect. Inverse corners & cove edges usually give a more 'old fashioned' or 'heritage' feel - square corners & plain edges make for a more clean & contemporary looking house sign.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How will my house sign be delivered?
We will use TNT unless advised otherwise.
2. What if my sign is damaged during transit?
Report any 'damage in transit' within 24 hrs of delivery - we will repair or replace your sign free of charge.
3. What if I'm not happy with my house sign?
If we did not render the sign according to the 'proof' that you approved - we will repair or replace it free of charge. If you overlooked a mistake on the proof or changed your mind later - we can still fix or replace your sign - but additional charges may apply. See our terms and conditions for all the details.
4. What are the signs made of?
Your sign will be made of high density urethane (HDU) and finished with Dulux Weathershield paints. HDU can be carved, painted and gilded like traditional carving timber - but as a 'closed cell foam' it is water- and insect-proof. Dulux Weathershield is Australia's most UV-resistant paint. Gilding is done using genuine 23kt gold leaf. These signs are designed for long life in external applications.
5. How do I mount my sign?
A mounting system is included free with every sign. We provide you with instructions. Any questions - give us a ring on 1800-552-700 (Australia).
6. Can you custom-design me a sign?
Yes. View our portfolio of custom signs for ideas and inspiration, and then contact us.
7. What picture can I have on my house sign?
You can choose any picture from the gallery shown in the Sign Designer. The image that you choose will be sculpted and individually hand-painted for your sign. If you do not want any of the standard images please contact us and our artists can create a custom image for an additional fee.
8. How long does delivery take?
We will ship within 14 working days - allow several days for delivery. If you need your sign sooner than that, let us know. Additional charges may apply for rush jobs.
9. Will you sell or share my personal information?
Never. See our privacy policy.
10. Do you ship outside of Australia?
Yes, we can ship to any country you like. When you get to the checkout page, choose "Other" in the shipping options, and tell us in the comments field which country you'd like us to send it to. We'll email you to let you know the cost.
11. What if I want a bigger sign?
We can make your sign any size you like - just let us know in the comments box on the checkout page, and we will email you a 'proof' before we start carving.
12. Can I have two lines of text?
Sure - just include this in the comments box provided on the checkout page. We will tweak your design and email you a 'proof' to make sure you are happy.
