class="tag"Posts Tagged ‘Sign’
No Comments Outdoor Dining and 3 Dimensional Signs at Dels
Dear Dels, We Love What You’ve Done With The Place
Approximately four years ago the expert sign-makers here at THE SIGN DEPOT were busy with the signage rebranding of Del Dente to the Dels Enoteca Pizzeria. If you read our earlier post you know the change was quite significant, and you are aware that they were able to re-purpose the original 3 dimensional sign to different part of the building. Fast forward to present-day and the restaurant has upped their game once again. They have created a very inviting outdoor dining space. This Al Fresco dining area, known as #DelFresco, is a charming patio that provides a wonderful dinner spot for the summer. It even has an area for you bring an extra special guest that normally wouldn’t be able to join you while eating at the establishment.
Pet Friendly Patio
The addition of pet beds and water dishes make it a welcoming spot to bring SPOT along with you! This means you can now bring your dog to your fancy Italian dinner.
Outdoor Decor
Beyond the wood tables and the pet area, the Dels Patio is surrounded by bountiful flowers and plants and the signage provides great accents to this fresh air atmosphere.
The custom crafted utensils and dimensional signage serves as a backdrop for the new dining area and because it is a lit sign you can easily find your way to the patio during the evening hours. Open air dining is great way to enjoy warm summer nights and we think the new Dels Patio is the perfect place to try before the summertime ends.
If you are looking to add 3 dimensional signs to your establishment, we would glad to assist you. Check out our DIMENSIONAL SIGNS GALLERY for inspiration and then head to our CONTACT US page to connect with us.
Social Enterprise and Small Business Signs
Community Involvement Means You Are Always Learning
The month of June was beyond busy with our cottage sign segment of the business, but we still take time to be involved in our community and find ways to learn about new ideas. Earlier this month The Centre for International Governance held an advance screening of the film THE SOCIAL SHIFT along with a Q&A with the creators of the film, Meaghan and Marie Wright of Mirror Image Media. Many in attendance were new to the concept of Social Enterprise and the positive effects it has on a community. The creators summed it up well when it was stated that many business owners wait until they retire and then become philanthropists. In reality they could be creating businesses that “do good” as their mandate, which then would be referred to as a social enterprise. You can learn a bit about social enterprises in Canada by viewing the film’s trailer below.
Throughout the filmed the audience learned about Canadian businesses that assist with environmental change, companies created that gave people a place to work and taught them new skills with a chance for advancement and so many many other ideas that help both locally and globally.
Signs With Social Enterprise In Mind
Last month we spoke about our community involvement with the BUDDY BENCH project.
Since then we been able to work on other signage that promotes inclusivity and social change. One was a donor recognition feature at St. Paul’s University College along with signage for their Greenhouse social impact incubator. Another project we were proud to be part of was the WELCOME NEIGHBOUR exterior sign created for the Victoria Hills Neighbourhood Association that was revealed at this year’s Neighbours Day.
As you have noticed in earlier posts we also enjoy being involved in our community, whether it be at sponsoring events or attending events like this above mentioned screening to see how we can be innovative with the way we make our signs and source our materials. For example our preferred metal provider donates and holds fundraisers for the Make a Wish Foundation, which is why we buy from them. When businesses take a look at how they run their company and the businesses they choose to work with they can learn how they can make a social impact. Even small tweaks can provide lasting results and social change.
Lykke – Minded 3 Dimensional Signs
The Danish Have Done It Again
In 2017 we told you about Danish HYGGE and LAGOM and what they have to do with signage. Once again they are bringing a new sensation to North America. LYKKE is the new Danish word at the tip of our tongues and we think our 3 dimensional signs fit the bill perfectly. According to The Little Book of Lykke: The Danish Search for the World’s Happiest People, lykke means Happiness but it has shown that people feel much happier if they call happiness Lykke rather than Happiness. Here at The Sign Depot we want all of our signs to bring people happiness, and while we work hard to accomplish that with all of custom signs, our whimsical 3 dimensional signage provides an extra layer of lykke to the mix.
Bring On The Happiness With Our Lykke – Minded 3 Dimensional Signs
Many of our 3 dimensional signs are made from layered High Density Urethane, often referred to as HDU. They are created in our workshop on our CNC router table. Once the form is cut, it is up to our expert sign-makers to shape the sign into the object of our client’s choice. Over the years we have created many sign structures that bring smiles to faces. We think it makes it “Lykke – Minded” signage. You can see examples in the images below.
Spring Into Action
Spring is in the air (most days), and it is often known as a time of renewal. Now that the spring season has arrived it is time to see how you can refresh your business. Could it use a little HYGGE, LAGOM and/or LYKKE? Finding the right recipe for your company is something we can assist with. Just visit our CONTACT US page to connect with one of our sign experts. Together they can provide you with the signage that best suits your business. Do you LIKE (or LYKKE) that idea? Let us know in the comments. We always appreciate hearing from our readers.
Custom Interior Signs That Create Brand Awareness
Interior Signs For Business
When it comes to selecting a sign design for your company’s interior signs it is very important that it conveys your business brand and serves as a constant reminder of what your company is known for.
Most established businesses have a welcoming reception sign that includes the company name and logo, but they often stop with the branding there. Your logo and company name should be on all of your wayfinding and office signage as well. Whether is marking a meeting room or a building directory, your business should be represented throughout the interior of the building. This elevates brand awareness about your company as it relays the message that you are a professional business that knows the importance of clear communication.
Types of Interior Signs
When it comes to choosing interior signs for you company it it best to consider all the signs you will require. Here is a list of the types of custom interior signs that your business may require.
- Reception Signs
- Directory Signs
- Wayfinding Signs
- Washroom Signs
- Office Door Signs
- Meeting Room Signs
- Window Decals
- Privacy Window Frosting
- Elevator Signs
- ADA / Accessibility Signage (IE Braille, Raised Lettering)
Find The Right Fit For Your Business
Once you have selected all the signs that you require, its time to consider what materials they should be fabricated from. Choosing to work with a custom sign maker means that you have several options. You have a variety of substrates to choose from. You can also pick 3 dimensional signs and lit signage. When you find the right fit for your business we would happy to chat with you about pricing. Visit our CONTACT US page to be connected to one of our expert sign-makers. Together we can create the right interior sign mix for your business.
Purple REIGNS Again With The Announcement Of Ultra Violet As The Pantone 2018 Colour Of The Year
Purple Reigns Supreme Once Again
Today Pantone has announced that its 2018 Colour of the Year is Ultra Violet. We think that the popularity of 2014’s purple hue Radiant Orchid and now with today’s announcement, that Purple Rain, oops I mean purple reigns the colour palette. As stated on the Pantone website,
Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality.
With inspirations like this, be on the lookout for Ultra Violet popping up everywhere.
via GIPHYPerhaps even in 2018 artistic sign design projects. We are always looking ahead and this colour is sure to spark creativity with many in the design industry.
Trendspotting For 2018
As each new year begins so do new trends. Many follow trends in different industries. Some follow fashion trends, others follow tech trends and most of us follow food trends.
Here at The Sign Depot, we follow design trends, but we also like to create trends with our custom signs. When it comes to creating trends in the signage industry we always try to partner vintage looks with new tech or give sleek design an edgy look. There are always ways to incorporate signage into your brand strategy and with this bright bold colour trending, Ultra Violet and its complimentary colours can add new life to a dated look.
Now Is The Time To Start Building Buzz About Your Business
Being on trend also means that your company is creating buzz about the business. You want to be as standout in your industry and make yourself unique in the marketplace. Now is the time to put your 2018 marketing plan into action and start building buzz about your business. Get a jump on your competitors by connecting with us to discuss how we can help elevate your brand with custom signs.
Crafting Custom Cedar Wood Signs For Christmas
Cottage Signs For Christmas
When the weather starts to get chilly and everyone heads indoors to Hygge, we start preparing our cedar signs for the Christmas season. Every year we receive requests for Cottage Signs for Christmas Gifts. They make a unique gift and each cedar cottage sign can be personalized to an individual’s taste. This means they become a timeless gift that can be displayed with pride all year long.
Wood Signs That Weather Well
While there are several types of wood signs, we prefer to use Canadian Western Red Cedar for our cottage signs because of the longevity of the wood. Cedar holds up against the elements and with our 4 seasons ranging from heat and humidity in the summer to the freezing temperatures and moisture in the winter it is the best choice for custom signage.
We Make What Works For You
Our custom sign designers keep your budget in mind when it comes to creating a cottage sign that meets your specifications. You are able to select the size, shape, text and image for your sign. You can also decide if the sign is to be a single sided or a double sided sandblasted wood sign. You even has the option of having a custom post created to match your sign. With all of this choice, you are sure to find a mix that works for you.
What You Need To Provide When Ordering A Sign For Christmas
Because you want to ensure you receive your quote in a timely fashion, follow these steps
- Know your budget
- Decide on a size
- Figure out the shape you want the sign to be
- Provide the text to be on the sign
- Think of an image that would suit the sign
Once you have prepared these five items, send an email to sales@sign-depot.on.ca to receive your quote. Please note that taxes, shipping and/or installation are extra. Be aware the earlier you get your order in the better, as there will be time required to prepare and custom finish your sign.
Flexing Our Custom Sign Design Muscle At Fluxible
Fluxible 2017
We are thrilled to announce our involvement with this year’s Fluxible conference happening in Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario, Canada. Fluxible is Canada’s UX Festival and it brings those interested in the user experience fields together for a week long celebration. This year we noticed the theme of tech and design intersecting and we knew we needed to be there. In fact you can find us there in a few different ways. You can find us in person, on stage and through out the festival. All of these factors will contribute to our custom sign design theme we are creating with Fluxible this year.
The Sign Depot Enters Fluxible
Earlier this month we were announced as a sponsor for Fluxible via their twitter account.
Big thanks to @TheSignDepot for sponsoring #Fluxible2017. We couldn’t do this without your support! https://t.co/A3hldm3IrF pic.twitter.com/qkqiiWc5w8
— Fluxible (@Fluxible) September 4, 2017
As the custom sign sponsor sponsor for this year’s event we will be creating a stage item as well as wayfinding signs throughout the event spaces. We are collaborating with Fluxible by using their designs and logo to create signs that are highly visible for the conference.
Not only will be represented at Fluxible through sponsorship, our own Owner/President, Peter Moir will be the presenter at the BROWN BAG LUNCH that is happening at Noon on Wednesday September 20, 2017.
This brown bag lunch features Peter Moir of The Sign Depot, a local fabricator of high-end signage whose work can be found across North America. Peter will talk about how sign design impacts our experience of public spaces.
Looking to learn a little more about Peter before the event? Read up on his latest adventure at THE SIGN DEPOT – @ THE TOP OF CANADA and see what was happening in this pic.
To get all the info on Fluxible: Canada’s UX Festival visit the links below
Website: http://www.fluxible.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fluxible
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fluxibleconf
and the link to Peter’s talk is can be found at https://www.meetup.com/Fluxible/events/242396280
We’re looking forward to seeing how everyone will be flexing their design muscles at Fluxible. Be sure to connect with us while you are there! We always want to be part of a “connected” community.
The Sign Depot Revamps the Look of Restaurant Signs with Their Rust Finish Signage
Over the years, The Sign Depot has perfected the art of rust finishing signs using a custom finishing process. It is a multi-step paint finish that requires steady hand when it comes to achieving the distressed look required for each custom sign. This trend has since caught fire in the restaurant industry, changing the sleek chrome look to create more of a vintage look in many establishments. At a time where businesses are constantly looking to find ways to be unique, the distressed look rust finish trend gives restaurants a one of kind sign that helps them stand out from others in their industry. By using their signage as a focal point for the area, it attracts both current and potential customers to their locale and it serves as a 24 hour advertisement for their business. Below are four examples of restaurant signs that were given a distressed look by The Sign Depot.
OAK + CRU Social Kitchen and Wine Bar
The sign for Kelowna British Columbia’s OAK + CRU Social Kitchen and Wine Bar is a mix of modern and vintage all in one sign. The juxtaposition between two eras in one sign was crafted through a mix of metal, rust and LEDs. It was created as welded metal sign box with cut outs for the letters. The sign was then fit for lit LEDs to light up the cut out areas. It was then given an all over rust finish creating a unique exterior showpiece for the local hot spot.
Belfast Love Public House
Belfast Love Public House in Toronto Ontario is branded as “A Proper Pub” and in turn required signage that reflected that statement. As a new restaurant in Toronto they knew they would have to get lots of eyes on their building and establish themselves as the top of mind place to be for traditional pub fare. This signage project required open can letters with neon tubing along with a paint and distressed finish to achieve authentic the look that the restaurant was going for. In this case the rust finish was strategically placed on the lit sign to create a patina look. For this project an exterior sign for the front entrance and a projection sign were created to catch the attention of both vehicle and foot traffic. The result is pub signage that looks like it’s straight out of Ireland.
Sociable Kitchen + Tavern
Retro is all the rage at Sociable Kitchen + Tavern’s Brantford Ontario location. So much so that their sign is actually a retrofit of sign that was already on the property. This multidimensional sign has several components to recreate the look of a vintage marquee sign. This project included refinishing the sign base to represent the look of an aged tin sign, LEDs faced with acrylic ovals to represent lit light bulbs, high density urethane that was CNC router cut to match the texture of a sea can shipping container, individual lit can letters for the restaurant name and a changeable message board to interact with their local clientele. The rust finish was the tie in that brought all of these items together. It created the retro look that Sociable Kitchen + Tavern wanted to achieve. Once combined, all these sign elements created a past meets present upcylced pylon sign that has quickly turned into a local landmark for the City of Brantford Ontario.
Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar
In Las Vegas Nevada, the best way to stand out from all the flashing lights is to come up with something completely different. In this case, the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa wanted to replicate the look of a salvaged Gaslight Sign for their Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar restaurant. In order to recreate this look a three dimensional metal sign with can letters for the word Hearthstone was crafted. The letters were then halo lit with LEDs to give off a backlit glow to best replicate the hazy lighting of gaslight sign. Below the restaurant name, individual push through clear acrylic letters with the words Kitchen & Cellar were attached to let additional light from the LEDs shine through. After all of those components were in place, the distressed rust finish was applied to the sign base as well as the text and graphics on the sign. The addition of the rust finished suggested that the sign could have been a salvaged sign from the Las Vegas sign graveyard.
As you can see from the images above, the rust finish on each sign is used differently depending on the style each restaurant wants to convey to the public. Finding the best fit for each establishment is something that the expert sign-makers at The Sign Depot specialize in. They can transform signage from being brand new to a very vintage look with various sign making techniques and paint finishes. By choosing the distressed rust finish for these restaurants signs, it took bespoke signage to the next level. As a result of this, it makes each of the restaurant signs stand out showpieces that attract clientele to their establishments. These one of a kind signs show the public that they are in for a unique experience by choosing to dine there.
The Sign Depot strives to not only be “on trend” in the sign industry but also creates trends with their custom crafted signage. As they say at The Sign Depot “A Good Sign Is The Sign Of A Good Business”
To learn more about these and other sign projects by The Sign Depot, be sure to visit the following links
Website: https://sign-depot.on.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSignDepot
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSignDepot
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TheSignDepot
or visit our CONTACT US page for custom quote.
The Sign Depot – @ The Top Of Canada
Peter Moir of The Sign Depot Heads To The Top of Canada
Last month Peter Moir, owner/president of The Sign Depot went on his yearly canoe trip. This year his trip took him to the top of Canada. He and his canoe group headed to Baffin Island, Nunavut to explore the Mount Joy area of the Soper River. The Soper River, now deemed a heritage river in Canada, is region full of wildlife, including polar bears!
The summer days are extended in Baffin Island. With only a few hours of darkness you can explore the area at length each day. As you can see Peter was able to find great scenery along his canoeing adventure.
A lot of planning went into preparing for this trip. Here are just a few things to think about when planning a canoe trip vacation.
How To Plan A Canoe Trip
- Research the area – Make sure you are aware of the rules and regulations for that area
- Travel light – Everything you need has to be transported by canoe or carried by you
- Make it waterproof – Keep your belongings in a watertight container to avoid damage
- Capture the moment – Remember your camera so you are able to photograph your adventure
These are just a few things to think about when planning a canoe trip. The best way to prepare is to speak to someone with a lot of paddling experience.
Summer Vacation
How are you spending your summer vacation? Are you planning a canoe trip or something else? Perhaps a long trek, or a relaxing time at a cottage or cabin? Which ever you choose we hope you get to spend some time enjoying the outdoors this summer. It won’t be long until the winter starts to creep in and we’ll be talking about hygge once again.
Custom Signs That Leave A Lasting Impression
Who Said It First?
No one really knows who coined the phrase
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression!”
While, this rings true when it comes to storefront signage and reception signs, but our stance here at The Sign Depot is a little different.
Because you never get a second chance to make a first impression, make sure your signage leaves a lasting one.
We want your business to look impressive from the moment that a potential customer sees it, but we want your company signage to leave a lasting impression as well. Choosing to brand your business with custom signs is the best way to ensure your company is memorable. This is of great importance when it comes to current clients recommending your business to others. They want to refer their friends and colleagues to well established professionals. If your signs don’t convey that sentiment there is less of a chance that your will get that word of mouth recommendation.
What Do Your Custom Signs Say About Your Business?
Springtime is always a good time to take a look at your building’s curb appeal. Take some time to pass by your business. See how it looks to those traveling past in a vehicle or just walking by. Will they be impressed by what they see? What is your signage saying about your business? If it’s not conveying the message that you are the expert in your industry, it would be a good idea to change it. You may just change the impression of your business in your community.
Have The Last Word
Choosing to create a custom sign that elevates your brand is the best way to make a statement both visually and in your field of business. It acts as a 24 hour advertisement for your company, so be sure to consult the expertise of a professional sign company. They will make recommendations that fit your business and your budget. Your custom sign might start a conversation with a potential customer or help influence a decision maker looking for a new supplier. Here at The Sign Depot we want to ensure your company is always top of mind and leaves a lasting impression.
