5 Keys To Effective Monument Sign Design: Brand Better In Houston, TX

Whether you’re looking to build a stunning monument sign or enhance the design of your existing structure, the team at Houston Graphic Signs makes it easy to brand better.

Read on to review research on 5 keys to effective monument sign design, and find out what’s possible with a cost-effective monument sign makeover, or call (713)-244-8074 to speak directly with a monument sign specialist in Houston, TX.

Research Review: 5 Quick Tips For Better Monument Sign Design

1. The best monument signs use solid fonts. In a review of literature by the Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, Bullough (2017) ound that outline characters needed to be 1.8 times larger than solid characters to achieve equivalent legibility.
2. The best monument signs create internal contrast. The International Sign Association states that contrast is one of the most important factors for sign conspicuity, so make sure you choose colors that make your sign copy jump out at the reader! Blue and yellow, black and white, white and red, orange and black, and white and purple work great, whereas green-on-orange, gray-on-purple and red-on-green are notoriously hard to read.
3. The best monument signs create external contrast. Internal contrast is critical, but it’s not enough to get your message noticed on its own. According to one report by the Transport Research Record, cited by Bullough (2017), “the contrast between a sign and its immediate background is the primary determinant of one’s ability to detect the sign, perhaps more than size.” In other words, your sign should also contrast with its external surroundings, so try to pick colors that aren’t present in the visual environment.
4. The best monument signs use borders. Borders are extremely useful, helping readers distinguish your sign from natural environments and busy backgrounds, defining its shape and drawing the eye towards the message contained therein.
5. The best monument signs make use of vertical space. Monument signs aren’t the tallest signs available to you, but they can be constructed up to a maximum of six feet tall, according to some local sign codes. And for lots over three acres, or anchor tenants over 20,000 square feet, they can be constructed up to 12 feet tall. If you are advertising somewhere with tall hedges, plenty of pedestrians, or constant traffic, height is your friend, and our monument sign team can help you elevate your message, even on a limited budget.

Can I Improve The Look Of My Existing Monument Sign?

In a word, yes!

If your current monument sign design is aged, showing wear from the elements, or needs to be updated, we offer monument sign redesigns and replacements that incorporate all of the best practices mentioned above.

Take this recent monument sign makeover we completed for the Tilger Center for Dentistry, which began with a basic clean, black-and-white design:

The white-on-black palette created excellent internal contrast, though the original monument sign was not particularly informative, using a very neutral palette and withholding the word “Dentistry” until the very end..

Dr. Tilger felt it was time to upgrade his monument with their business logo, name of business, featured services and to add a bit more creativity in the physical style and display.

Here’s what we came up with:

To create a monument sign that would be equal parts impressive and informative, our design team opted for:

• Less cluttered sign copy, omitting Dr. Tilger’s full name and dental school accreditation to create more white space and leave room for the TCD logo and service descriptors detailing what they offer
• A more legible font to generate more impressions and eliminate costly wayfinding errors
• A built-in border around the sign face to help the message pop out of Houston’s signscape
• A beautiful stone base to boost brand authority and create a sophisticated foundation for your roadside promotions
• A clean and professional palette, using stone and pearly-white colors to convey a sense of cleanliness and freshness that suits the brand, while also standing out from the surroundings better than the original design (i.e. external contrast)

Dr. Tilger was thrilled with the final product, and you will be, too! In some cases, we may also be able to reuse the original monument sign structure/foundation to get you faster results and additional savings.

Brand Better: Book A Monument Sign Consultation In Houston, TX

The team at Houston Graphic Signs has helped countless local business owners find, design, and install the perfect monument signs for their unique marketing needs and budgets, and we can do the same for you.

To schedule a free monument sign design consultation, you can:

• Call (713)-244-8704 to speak directly with a monument sign designer near you
• Email sales@hgstx.com with questions, schedule availability, and inspiration for your monument sign design
• Fill out our contact form online for a quick-and-easy response

References

Bullough, J. (2017). Factors affecting sign visibility, conspicuity, and legibility: Review and annotated bibliography. Interdisciplinary Journal of Signage and Wayfinding, 1(2), 2-25.