A unique type of upgrade
House numbers are an often-neglected detail of a house.
They are the first impression people get of your home. They are crucial for first-time dinner guests, emergency vehicles or Uber drivers. So go out to the street and look critically at your house and see how clearly you can read the numbers. Perhaps you could use something a little more stylish, a little larger, a bit more classic or a little more modern.
“Numbers are the only typography on your house,” says Glenn Milano, who started the House Number Lab in 2011 when he couldn’t find a proper sign for his Wardman-style townhouse in Washington, D.C. “You can put a mindless number up there to get the job done. But you are missing a great opportunity
These painted and distressed aluminum house numbers are colorful and a nice deviation from predictable modern styles, she says ($17 per number). to do something beautiful and interesting.”
Designer Carmel Greer often turns to Etsy vendors for interesting house numbers. Here are two favorites: Camilla Cotton: She likes these “quirky, off-the-beatenpath” cast-iron numbers to add charm to a small house ($17.50 per number).