Custom Signs

Have a business with an office? That’s great! Odds are, you have a lot of things going on. Maybe getting a custom sign ordered is one of them.

When it comes to signs, there is such a thing as “the right sign” for you.

Maybe the sign you’re looking for falls into one of these categories:

• A bold sign that shows your customers where you are
• A “wow factor” piece that adds impact to your lobby or conference room
• Something that makes customers gravitate to you more than the nearby competition
• A sign that not only looks great, but matches your aesthetic

In these cases, opting for a more premium sign might be important to consider. Here are 4 specific ways that a premium sign can add to your bottom line.

1) It provides a lot of opportunity for organic promotion, especially on social media.

A sign that acts as a true centerpiece in your office (or outside) is not only impressive in the eyes of your clients when they’re in your office…

But gives you a chance to promote your business online!

When it comes to social media, eye-catching visuals command the most attention.

A well-designed sign not only turns heads, but gives your clients a reason to share your business with their friends and family online. Again and again.

We all know how powerful that kind of word-of-mouth can be for a business!

2) It supports your bold, memorable brand.

When you think about Apple, part of what made them successful is the attention to their specific aesthetic and quality, supported by the high performance of their products.

Apple is permanently stamped in the global consciousness for this reason…and your company can benefit in the same way.

If you have a bold, memorable brand with a striking aesthetic, using cheaper materials can sometimes take away from the brand image you’re trying to build – and compromise the perceived value that potential clients would have.

A premium sign, made with the right materials, should elevate your brand and show people you mean business.

3) You get remembered.

A standard sign serves an important purpose. It indicates who you are, and in many cases, is required by your building or landlord.

So why get a premium sign when you can get something that “does the job”?

One big reason – competition.

There are lots of businesses out there. Generating interest and building trust can be a long-term process when you’re first starting out. One of the most straightforward and immediate ways that you can get your business to stand out is with an eye-catching sign that looks different from the rest out there.

4) It lasts.

Odds are, you’ve heard the phrase “you get what you pay for”.

A standard sign works for many businesses, and that’s a great thing!

But sometimes, when costs are cut too much, and the right material was not provided based on the business’s needs, specific types of signs can fade or rust more quickly than anticipated.

When it comes to premium signs, “quality” doesn’t just mean it looks great the first week or month. It will continue to look great, year after year, with minimal upkeep!

ShieldCo Art is a custom metal sign fabricator based in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Our colorful metal signs are recognized internationally for their unique layered design. We are proudly American-made and veteran-owned with a dedication to great craftsmanship.

As we step into 2024, the landscape of business signage is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer behaviors. On the frontline of business signage, we’ve identified the top 12 trends shaping the future of signage for 2024. Among these, the rise of three-dimensional metal signs stands out as a game-changer for businesses seeking to make a lasting impression.

1. Three-Dimensional Metal Signs

The era of flat signs is giving way to dynamic 3D signage. Expansive signs add dynamic life to your branding, making your logo pop and catch the eye of passersby. 3D design allows each element of your logo to interact with your interior design and stand as a keystone of personality.

2. LED Lighting Integration

LED lights are not just energy-efficient; they add a vibrant touch to signs and showrooms, especially at night. The incorporation of LEDs into signage creates a captivating visual appeal that’s visible from a distance and resounds in your client’s memories. Best of all, the colors are customizable to achieve exactly the hue and saturation you need from season to season.

3. Powder Coated Finishes

Durability meets aesthetics with powder-coated finishes. These finishes not only extend the life of the sign but also offer a sleek, modern look.

The best part of powder-coated finishes is the versatility of colors and effects, implementing sparkling highlights, textures, metallic finishes, and chromatic shifts from various viewing angles.

4. Interactive Digital Displays

Signage is becoming more interactive, with digital displays allowing for real-time updates and customer engagement through touchscreens and augmented reality.

5. Eco-Friendly Materials

Sustainable practices are now a major consideration. Recycled materials and solar-powered signs are gaining popularity, reflecting a commitment to environmental responsibility.

6. Minimalist Design

Less is more in 2024. Minimalist designs with clean lines and simple color schemes are on the rise, emphasizing clarity and elegance. There’s a reason you see simple typeface versions of company names everywhere you look, from doctors offices to high fashion. Nothing say’s steadfast & dependable quite like the bold confidence of fully metal sign and lettering.

7. Bold Typography

Typography is the most subtle and psychologically impactful focal point of any design. With creative and bold fonts your business is able to make a statement, enhance brand recognition, and cement your identity.

Whether your searching for classical serifs, or dynamic san-serif fonts, nothing communicates your brand ideals better than artfully displayed typography of your name.

8. Dynamic Color Schemes

Businesses are experimenting with dynamic color schemes that change with the time of day or season, adding an element of surprise and freshness. Consider playing with color swatches and emphasizing high and low contrast pairings to stand out.

9. Integrated Landscaping

Signs are being designed to seamlessly integrate with the surrounding landscape, creating a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing environment.

10. Smart Technology

Incorporation of smart technology, like sensors and IoT connectivity, allows signs to interact with smartphones and provide personalized experiences. Subtle effects like animations and in app control are simple flairs that add considerable life to even the simplest of designs.

11. Cultural Elements

There’s no better way to celebrate the community that made your business what it is than to integrate key characteristics into the elements of your signage. Reflecting local culture and art in signage designs helps businesses connect more deeply with the community and stand out.

12. Vintage Inspirations

A nod to the past, vintage-inspired signs with modern twists are making a comeback, offering nostalgia with a contemporary edge. Celebrate your love of tradition by restoring traditions of the past, upgraded with rust proof aluminum and powder-coated finishes.

2024 is set to be a transformative year for business signage. The key lies in embracing these trends, especially the sophisticated allure of three-dimensional metal signs with LED lights and powder-coated finishes, to create signage that not only attracts attention but also tells a compelling story about your brand. As businesses adapt to these trends, they’ll find themselves at the forefront of an exciting new era in branding and customer engagement.

Office signs are a great way to communicate information about your company and provide a nice touch for visitors. They can help improve customer service, boost morale and even reduce turnover.

25 Of Our Favorite Office Sign Ideas

Here are some ideas to keep in mind when choosing the right signs for your office:

Idea #1: Meeting in Progress

We all know you shouldn’t interrupt a meeting that’s already in progress (whether or not it’s productive is another story). Still, if you catch someone wandering down the hall and looking like they’re headed toward an empty conference room, this sign should do the trick.

Idea #2: Don’t Disturb

This is a good one for employee work areas and public spaces, such as the break room. The last thing you want to do is interrupt someone’s workflow and cause them to lose focus — especially if they’re on a tight deadline or project — so clearly marking non-interruptible zones will help people respect those boundaries.

Idea #3: Conference Room Reserved

This sign should come in handy for anyone who has ever had to track down an absent coworker or hunt around for some reserved space. And since many businesses don’t have enough conference rooms for everyone, having active signs posted can make finding free space easier.

Idea #4: No Food Allowed

There are several reasons why you wouldn’t want to let your employees bring food into the work area, such as:

A cluttered desk can seem unprofessional when showing off your space.

Idea #5: No Food or Drink Allowed

Similar to the sign above, this one is great for keeping things clean and professional in break rooms.

Idea #6: No Loitering

There are two reasons why this would be a good idea for an office sign:

Necessary throughout the building main entrances, lobbies and hallways by providing direction.

Idea #7: No Soliciting Sign with Logo

This is especially helpful in front of your business during certain times of the day. It’s also important to clearly mark with your logo and/or name, so that people know it’s a legitimate sign and not just another sign maker company.

Idea #8: Reserved Parking Sign

This is one of the quickest ways to keep your lot from looking like a circus — we’ve all seen this; you’re running late for work and find every spot occupied by random cars. Putting in place reserved parking signs will help avoid confusion when someone needs to leave or come back quickly, such as picking up something from their car.

Idea #9: Safety First

Your safety signs don’t have to be limited to biohazard areas, electrical danger zones and no smoking areas. These simple reminders in prominent places will go a long way in keeping everyone safe at work.

Idea #10: Share the Space

As more people become familiar with co-working spaces, it could be that your office will start to feel a little cramped or crowded at times. But while you may not have the physical space for everyone, there are still ways you can spread out and make room by enlisting this smart solution.

Idea #11: Stop! Hammer Time

Reminding employees to use proper safety equipment is important in any job environment, especially when dealing with heavy equipment or machinery that uses dangerous fasteners or parts.

Idea #12: Working From Home Office Sign

This is great for small companies that communicate often over email and need to put up clear working from home signs so their employees know when they’re expected to be at work and available.

Idea #13: Working From Home Sign

This sign is similar to the one above, but it may be a better choice for companies that don’t expect their employees to stay in a specific area while working from home.

Idea #14: No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service

It’s essential to have signs that inform customers of your business’s rules or dress code — especially if you want them walking in with dirty clothes! Having these types of signs posted will add an extra element of professionalism. And if it catches on with other businesses too, so much the better!

Idea #15: We Are Open [Number] Hours Daily Sign

If you’re not open for as many hours as your employees work, it may be a good idea to post this sign —it will help them know when you don’t expect them to be available.

Idea #16: Please Be Quiet After 5 pm

After-hours noise can be distracting for coworkers who are trying to focus on their work. This simple sign can make sure everyone knows after 5 pm is hush-hush time.

Idea #17: If Found, Please Return to…

This is a great way to keep track of anything important that’s been lost or left behind at your business. This can include cell phones, keys, ID badges and more — it’ll save the day when you need to prove who you are.

Idea #18: No Running in Hallways!

It may seem like common sense, but people (especially kids) tend to forget how fast they can run when there’s something fun happening or something exciting to do. Having this sign will help them remember why running in hallways leads to hospital visits.

Idea #19: Keep Out/Closed Door Policy Sign

If the office door should be kept open or closed at all times, this sign is a helpful reminder. It’s also good to have in busy offices where people may not realize they have an open door policy and need to close the doors to avoid disturbing their coworkers.

Idea #20: Front Desk Area Only!

Having a sign that lets everyone know exactly where the front desk area is will help employees understand where they’re supposed to be during certain parts of their shift — and it’ll let customers know exactly where to go if they want someone from your business.

Idea #21: Clean-Up Your Mess!

Getting tired of having other people leave their dirty dishes on your desk? This is what you can do about it! A sign could be a good reminder, especially if you have many people sharing a kitchen area.

Idea #22: Keep the Front Desk Area Clear at All Times!

This sign can help remind employees of their responsibility to keep the front counter area clean and presentable for customers at all times. It’s also helpful in busy offices where someone may walk up to use the printer without realizing it’s not available because someone else is using it.

Idea #23: No Loitering or Standing Sign

Having this type of sign would be useful in any office space, especially those with a waiting room where people are left alone for periods while they wait for appointments. Sometimes it might be necessary to make sure there are no distractions for people while they wait.

Idea #24: Keep Phone Calls Off the Floor!

This sign is especially important in places where many employees are working on different shifts throughout the day. It can help remind them to keep their conversations down when other people need to use the phone too.

Idea #25: Employees Must Wash Hands Sign

Whether your business deals with food or not, it’s good sometimes to remind everyone that they should stop what they’re doing and wash their hands before continuing back to work again. These signs keep them healthy at work!

With all these sign ideas, you should be able to come up with a sign or two (or more) that will make your office space more functional and inviting.

Light Boxes are a great way to grab attention for your business, especially if you have a small or crowded window. They are also good when you want to display only text, as they can be used just like an electronic signboard to write out messages. Light boxes are incredibly versatile and easy to install. They come in different sizes and shapes and can be used in any business.

Light Boxes for Window Displays

There are two different types of light boxes: open face and closed face.

• Closed face boxes (also known as clamshells or pop-ups) sit on one side of the window, with a vinyl graphic covering the inside of the box. When the box is turned on, the graphic glows within the box. This type of box is perfect for messages that change frequently or have a lot of text in them.
• Open face boxes have a fabric graphic covering one side of the window and sit inside the window. It looks almost like someone cut out part of your window to place this sign inside. This type of box is perfect for pictures or graphic images that might be too big for the space of a flush-mount light box.

Light Box Displays for Restaurants

Because they are so versatile, there are many different windows where you can put an open face or closed face light box.

A restaurant could use this for its menu at dinnertime. A bar could use this for their drink specials. An office could use an open face box to advertise a new product or service, while closed face boxes work well for changing messages about sales.

Light Boxes For Billboards

Although light boxes are often used as window displays, there is nothing stopping you from using them for larger spaces. Light boxes can make your message bright and clear if you need to communicate a message to people on the street.

Display cases or countertops are popular places for these types of signs. Light boxes work particularly well when positioned under a piece of artwork in a gallery where you want to accentuate the artwork or if you want to draw attention to a sale sign.

Light Boxes For Backlit Signs

Backlit signs are illuminated from behind and can be used for both indoor and outdoor use. They’re commonly found in restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. The light emitted from these signs makes them stand out even more and gives your sign a 3D look.

Backlit signs can be powered by an electrical chord or battery and typically require no maintenance. If you choose to go with a battery-operated option, it’s important that your sign is easy to turn on and off so the batteries don’t die when your bar is empty (which will happen in about 15 minutes in NYC).

Light Boxes For Office Signs

Light boxes are not limited to signs for businesses. One way people are using them is in their office. They are perfect for displaying awards, certificates, or company information on the desk of your most trusted employees.

A light box would be beneficial in an office setting where you want to highlight specific areas of your business. For example, if you are an accounting firm that specializes in audits, you could put your latest awards on the light box that sits on the desk of your most trusted accountant.

Light Box Signs for Home Use

One area where light boxes are starting to pick up steam is home décor products. You can now buy bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen signs made of wood, plastic, or fabric.

These signs are perfect for hanging in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, front door entryway, or laundry room to leave your guests with a warm welcome. You can also put these on the wall of your study, living room, or media room as an accent piece of art.

Light Boxes For Trade Shows

Light boxes are not just for use as indoor signs. They also work well as portable signs that can be brought to trade shows and set up on a table.

The pop-up nature of these types of signs gives you the ability to have a quick, easy setup so you can spend more time at your booth networking with other business owners.

You can also get different style frames so your light box can collapse down into a smaller size. This is great for people who want to bring their sign with them, but don’t have so much space in their car or office where they will be displaying it.

Light Box Frames And Sizes

The type of frame you get for your light box will vary depending on how you plan to use it. For example, if you want the light box to be portable and used outside of your home or office, then a collapsible style is what you want.

If you’re using the sign indoors and don’t need it to collapse, then a simple frame with a locking mechanism would be the best choice. The type of frame you choose will also depend on how large your sign will be. When deciding between different size options, bigger is always better since it gives your message more impact and makes it stand out more to viewers.

Light Box Graphics

When choosing light box graphics, there are really no size limitations. The sky is the limit when it comes to what you put on a light box.

You can have a single-vision graphic that takes up the entire board, or you can get multiple graphics that transition from one to another. This gives your sign more versatility and allows you to have a different message for each month of the year, for example.

A great way to get started with light box signage is by putting your logo on the front of the sign and using a custom graphic for the rest of it. This will allow you to have a consistent branding message from one location to another while also giving you a chance to highlight specific parts of your business that not every customer needs to know about.