A Creative Way to Make Your House Number Stand Out

Whenever I go to a new place, I often feel like I'm playing hide-and-seek as I search for the proper house number. Address visibility is a problem, and in the past I've noticed some creative solutions: neon signs, giant digits, and brightly painted numbers. But recently, I stumbled upon an idea that I had never seen before.

When Caitlin at The Shingled House moved into her current residence, she couldn't decide what kind of door numbers she wanted, so she drew her number on the sidewalk with chalk as a stopgap. But as time went on, she discovered that she liked the distinctiveness of the sidewalk number, and she decided to make that stopgap permanent. I love the bright colors and the simple, graphic design that she chose. It's such a versatile, customizable idea, and it's an inventive way to make your home stand out.

Obviously, this method doesn't make the number visible while driving, but it's perfect for neighborhoods with a lot of pedestrian traffic, and for deliveries, it's a creative way to draw attention to the address. I can't tell you how many times I've had delivery people walk up to my gate, squint at my (admittedly) poor signage, and pace between my house and the neighbors' house. You could also combine it with more traditional signage methods if you're worried about the drive-by traffic or if you live in a place where snow prevents year-round visibility.

Caitlin went through lots of trial-and-error before coming up with the best method, and her blog has plenty of suggestions and details about the whole process.

For more details, pictures, and a complete how-to, visit The Shingled House.