Choosing a Font for Memorial Plaques & House Plaques
When you’re designing a custom cast plaque, you’ll want to choose the right font. Take a look at historical fonts and how styles have changed through the years. We’ll also guide you through our font list and where each typeface might look best.
Fonts by Decade
Fonts have changed over time as new styles emerge and others decline. Take a look at how fonts changed through the decades:
- Early 1900s: The beginning of the last century was characterized by older font styles that reflected medieval text. Gothic fonts were created during this time, and they were simple and easy to read.
- 20s and 30s: The 1920s used a lot of organic shapes, bold text and theatrical qualities. In the 30s, text became a little more structured, and fonts were narrow or skinny.
- 40s and 50s: During World War II, fonts were inspired by news headlines and were big and bold. By the 50s, bold text continued, and comic books often inspired fonts.
- 60s and 70s: The 60s and 70s enjoyed rounder text with large circular letters.
- 80s and 90s: With the introduction of computers, fonts focused on simplicity and readability.
- 2000s: Fonts are now modern and clean while still taking inspiration from earlier eras. Sans serif fonts are popular for a clean look, like the Google logo, while serif fonts offer classic readability, like Times New Roman.
Get to Know Our Font Options
As you choose a font for your plaque, you want it to reflect your desired era and style. Our font selection includes classic serifs and more stylized fonts to appeal to everyone. Take a look at our list below, and to see all our most popular fonts on the same page – please click here.
Benguiat: This serif has a slight bend to it, giving it a more modern flair. Use this font for mid-century homes.
Casablanca Antique: As the name implies, this font has an antique style. Old Colonial and Victorian homes would mix well with this typeface.
Flareserif: This small serif font incorporates classic and modern elements, making it an excellent choice for older or newer homes.
Goudy: Created in the early 1900s, this font reflects homes built in the same era.
Iowan Old Style: Classic serif look that works well with Colonial and Georgian homes.
New Brunswick: Classic serif look that works well with Colonial and Georgian homes.
Raleigh: Classic serif look that works well with Colonial and Georgian homes.
Swiss: This clean sans serif font looks great with modern homes.
Times New Roman: As one of the most classic, readable fonts, Times New Roman works well with most houses, especially Colonial, Georgian or Cape Cod styles.
Willow: Often associated with Craftsman homes and Frank Lloyd Wright, this font has tall, narrow letters and accents on letters like H and O.
Zapf Chancery: This intricate script font looks great for older homes like Victorian or Tudor styles.
Work With Erie Landmark Company for a Custom Cast Plaque
A plaque can be an excellent way to reflect your home’s personality. Reach out to us today to request a custom plaque.