Handsome House Numbers
There are simple house numbers that quietly go about their job displaying your address, and then there are digits so striking they achieve the level of functional art, inviting the gaze of passersby. Just about any set can add a hit of texture or color to your home’s entrance, but carefully chosen ones also reinforce its architectural style and make a welcoming first impression.
Most house numbers come in all-weather finishes sealed with lacquer or glaze, but when it comes to choosing a style, the options are almost endless. Materials run the gamut from shiny brass and satin stainless to white clay and terra-cotta tile, with numbers (and, often, letters) rendered in a wide range of typefaces, both traditional and modern. Here we’ve zeroed in on 21 options that span three general time periods, so whatever era your home dates to, we’re sure to have your number.
Pro advice
“Most municipalities require numbers to be at least 4 inches tall so that safety personnel can see them easily from the street, but check local ordinances before mounting new ones.”
—Terry Talken, co-owner, Shop 4 Classics
19th Century: Hammered Look
Solid, from-the-forge-look numbers fit Cape Cod, Georgian, and Greek Revival–influenced homes, while ornate options make a good match for Queen Anne and other Victorian-era styles.
From: Atlas Homewares
Size: Up to 3½”W × 5½”H
Made of: Zinc with a lacquered copper finish
Cost: About $14 each; Atlas Homewares
Rustic Patina
From: Ashley Norton
Size: Up to 4″W × 6″H
Made of: Solid bronze with a dark oil-rubbed finish
Cost: About $23 each; Door Hardware USA
Filigree Flourishes
From: All Fired Up
Size: Up to 4″W × 8″H
Made of: Glazed ceramic
Cost: About $20 each; Habitatter
Stylish Slant
From: Ashley Norton
Size: Up to 2″W × 4″H
Made of: Solid bronze with a light finish
Cost: About $21 each; Door Hardware USA
Textural Twigs
From: Pottery Barn
Size: Up to 6″W × 10″H
Made of: Cast aluminum with a bronze finish
Cost: About $14 each; Pottery Barn
Classic Brass
From: Restoration Hardware
Size: Up to 3″W × 5″H
Made of: Polished solid brass
Cost: About $10 each; Restoration Hardware
Victorian Vines
From: Rocheford Handmade Tile
Size: Up to 4½”W × 6″H
Made of: Hand-glazed terra-cotta
Cost: About $25 each; Rocheford Handmade Tile
Exclusive TOH discount! 15 percent off. Details at This Old House Deals.
Bright Enamel
From: Ecco by Fuoriserie
Size: Up to 2½”W × 4¼”H
Made of: Crackled glass and ceramic
Cost: About $7 each; Historic Houseparts
Aged Look
From: Rejuvenation
Size: Up to 3¼”W × 5⅛”H
Made of: Hand-hammered steel with a weathered iron finish
Cost: About $20 each; Rejuvenation
Pre-War: Scroll Style
Hand-craftsmanship and nature motifs suit bungalows and early-20th-century revival styles. Stream-lined digits are a good match for Prairie and Art Deco architecture.
From: Mission Metalworks
Size: Up to 3½”W × 5″H
Made of: Recycled white bronze that will patina
Cost: About $25 each; Shop 4 Classics
Artful Flourishes
From: Atlas Homewares
Size: Up to 3¼”W × 4″H
Made of: Cast zinc with a black lacquered finish
Cost: About $10 each; Atlas Homewares
Matte Mission
From: Atlas Homewares
Size: Up to 3″W × 5½”H
Made of: Cast zinc with a lacquered nickel finish
Cost: About $14 each; Atlas Homewares
Craftsman Cattails
From: Rocheford Handmade Tile
Size: Up to 4½”W × 6″H
Made of: Hand-glazed white clay
Cost: About $25 each; Rocheford Handmade Tile
Deco Digits
From: Porteous Tiles
Size: Up to 3″W × 6″H
Made of: Hand-painted glazed porcelain
Cost: About $22 each; Kensington Art Tiles
Hand-Pressed Clay
From: Ravenstone Tiles
Size: Up to 4″W × 6″H
Made of: Hand-glazed ceramic
Cost: About $30 each; Ravenstone Tiles
Exclusive TOH discount! 20 percent off. Details at This Old House Deals.
Nouveau Numerals
From: Porteous Tiles
Size: Up to 3″W × 6″H
Made of: Hand-painted glazed porcelain
Cost: About $22 each; Fair Oak Workshops
Mid-Century: Eames Era
Accessorize ranches and more modern homes from the 1950s and 1960s with bold, graphic numerals.
From: Heath Ceramics
Size: Up to 4″W × 4″H
Made of: Glazed ceramic
Cost: About $45 each; Heath Ceramics
Cleaned-Up Classic
From: Atlas Homewares
Size: Up to 3″W × 6″H
Made of: Cast zinc with a black finish
Cost: About $21 each; Atlas Homewares
Peel and Stick
From: Atlas Homewares
Size: Up to 4½”W × 4″H
Made of: Brushed stainless steel with easy-mount adhesive backing
Cost: About $21 each; Atlas Homewares
Bar-Code Script
From: Ecco by Fuoriserie
Size: Up to 2½”W × 4″H
Made of: Cast brass with a copper-plated finish
Cost: About $13 each; Comfort House
Modern Markers
From: Heath Ceramics
Size: Up to 3″W × 6″H
Made of: Glazed ceramic
Cost: About $45 each; Heath Ceramics