What if all signs were designed for everyone to read?

Looked sleek, sure, but you couldn’t read the restroom signs unless you squinted and tilted your head just right.

Been there. I once made a “stylish” house number out of reclaimed wood - looked cool, but my pizza delivery guy hated me for weeks. Function wins every time, even if it’s not as Instagram-worthy.

Function wins every time, even if it’s not as Instagram-worthy.

- Can’t argue with that. I’ve seen way too many “modern” buildings where the signage looks like art, but you need a decoder ring to figure out where the exits are.
- Had a neighbor who swapped out all their mailbox numbers for these tiny brushed metal digits - looked slick, but delivery folks just gave up and left packages at random houses. Not exactly sustainable if you’re wasting gas driving around lost.
- Accessibility gets overlooked in the name of style way too often. If you can’t read a sign from a distance, or if the contrast is so low it disappears at dusk, what’s the point?
- I get wanting things to look good, but there’s a balance. Universal design isn’t just about ramps and elevators - it’s about making sure everyone can actually use the space, including reading the signs without squinting or guessing.
- Maybe it’s not as “cool” for Instagram, but honestly, I’d rather not have to play hide-and-seek with the restroom when I’m in a hurry.

Universal design isn’t just about ramps and elevators - it’s about making sure everyone can actually use the space, including reading the signs without squinting or guessing.

Couldn’t agree more. I once tried to save a few bucks by picking “stylish” signage for a rental property, thinking it’d boost curb appeal. Tenants started texting me photos asking, “Is this the right building?” I ended up replacing them with bigger, bolder numbers. Funny how the “boring” choice turned out to be the only one that actually worked. Sometimes I wonder if designers ever walk through their own projects at night or in the rain...

Honestly, I’ve made the same mistake before - picked out “cool” house numbers that looked great in the catalog but were useless from the curb. Learned quick that function beats fancy every time. It’s wild how often the basics get overlooked.

Honestly, I get tempted by those “artsy” fonts too - like, who doesn’t want their house to look unique? But yeah, half the time you can’t read them unless you’re standing right in front of the door. It’s kind of wild how something as basic as legibility gets tossed aside for style. Makes me wonder how many pizza deliveries have ended up at the wrong house just because someone picked a script font...