Decorating
Walk This Way: Fun Ways to Use Road Signs in Your Home
Five playful and cost-effective ideas for including vintage road signs in your home styling
Repurposing, upcycling and reusing are words we are all becoming familiar with as we try to reduce the amount of waste produced by our throwaway society. Road signs are designed to keep us safe or provide direction on the road, but once they become weathered and aged, they can no longer serve the function for which they were designed. This does not mean that they need to end up as landfill. Road signs can be used in various ways in your home and are an affordable way of injecting some humour and colour into sterile interiors. Styling your home doesn’t have to be serious, so if you are keen to adopt a quirky approach to decorating, why not consider including some road signs in your decor. Here are five fun ideas on how to use them in your home.
This rusty old SLOW sign casually leans against a mustard armchair, demonstrating the purpose of the space. The tone of this room is conveyed by a single word. This is obviously an area where rest and relaxation is priority, and even the dog knows it! The rustic look of the sign blends nicely with other vintage items in the room.
2. Reuse signs as art
Art can be expensive to buy, but it is possible to create unique and quirky pieces in an affordable and environmentally friendly manner. Old number plates hung together in a cluster of bright colours are a fun way to fill an empty wall, and are a talking point for visitors to your home.
Art can be expensive to buy, but it is possible to create unique and quirky pieces in an affordable and environmentally friendly manner. Old number plates hung together in a cluster of bright colours are a fun way to fill an empty wall, and are a talking point for visitors to your home.
Road signs can be hung on walls as colourful and humorous pieces of art. Each road sign will weather and age in a unique way, so you are guaranteed of producing an original artwork.
Road signs have been designed to be noticed, so using them as wall decor is a sure-fire way to creating eye-catching displays that visitors to your home will notice.
These old signs have been removed from their posts and curled slightly around the edges to soften their appearance. The orange sign with the black arrow points us in the right direction, up the stairs. And a perfectly placed chair is ready if we need to STOP.
Road signs have been designed to be noticed, so using them as wall decor is a sure-fire way to creating eye-catching displays that visitors to your home will notice.
These old signs have been removed from their posts and curled slightly around the edges to soften their appearance. The orange sign with the black arrow points us in the right direction, up the stairs. And a perfectly placed chair is ready if we need to STOP.
3. Unique building materials
Most people are aware of the benefits of repurposing objects to reduce the strain on our environment. Road signs are designed and built to be sturdy enough to endure a range of weather conditions, which is why they make a great alternative to traditional building materials.
The owners of this kitchen have cleverly used a collection of old street signs as a splashback rather than traditional tiles. All of these street signs have been named after trees, tying them together and emphasising the environmentally friendly nature of repurposing these objects.
Most people are aware of the benefits of repurposing objects to reduce the strain on our environment. Road signs are designed and built to be sturdy enough to endure a range of weather conditions, which is why they make a great alternative to traditional building materials.
The owners of this kitchen have cleverly used a collection of old street signs as a splashback rather than traditional tiles. All of these street signs have been named after trees, tying them together and emphasising the environmentally friendly nature of repurposing these objects.
Road signs are a perfect match for any industrial setting. This warehouse loft, with exposed metal beams, is the perfect place for displaying signage. Its purpose here is twofold: 1). a bright and fun wall display, and 2). an extra layer of insulation for this otherwise open frame.
Despite a lack of furniture and homewares, character is added to this room by including this collection of unique road signs.
Despite a lack of furniture and homewares, character is added to this room by including this collection of unique road signs.
4. Signs for boys
Boys’ rooms can be tricky to decorate once they grow out of the toddler stage. Most boys or teenagers want a cool space to hangout that is masculine, relaxed and not overly styled. Using road signs or license plates as wall decor in boys’ rooms is ideal because they don’t date. They are suitable for young boys, teenagers and adult males alike, which means you don’t have to worry about changing the decor every year as they grow out of fads or themes.
In this room, the number plates on the wall are a smart addition to the space because they aren’t restricted to a particular age group. This means that with future updates to the room, the wall decor could remain the same.
Boys’ rooms can be tricky to decorate once they grow out of the toddler stage. Most boys or teenagers want a cool space to hangout that is masculine, relaxed and not overly styled. Using road signs or license plates as wall decor in boys’ rooms is ideal because they don’t date. They are suitable for young boys, teenagers and adult males alike, which means you don’t have to worry about changing the decor every year as they grow out of fads or themes.
In this room, the number plates on the wall are a smart addition to the space because they aren’t restricted to a particular age group. This means that with future updates to the room, the wall decor could remain the same.
Road signs can also be used to cover a host of wall blemishes, or as a distraction from unsightly items in a room. In this boys’ room, the wall of road signs immediately grabs your attention and distracts your eye away from any less attractive elements in the room.
5. Signs as furniture
There are endless examples of how road signs have been given a new life with clever repurposing, but my favourite transformation is where signage has been manipulated into practical and useful pieces of furniture.
This yellow sign transformed into a tabletop, works well in this nook, and there is no need for coasters due its rustic nature. The more bumps and scrapes, the more character it will display.
There are endless examples of how road signs have been given a new life with clever repurposing, but my favourite transformation is where signage has been manipulated into practical and useful pieces of furniture.
This yellow sign transformed into a tabletop, works well in this nook, and there is no need for coasters due its rustic nature. The more bumps and scrapes, the more character it will display.
I love pieces of furniture that can be used both inside and outside that you don’t have to treat preciously. This orange bench seat is ideal for this outside courtyard, particularly for a burst of colour in an otherwise grey setting. You can’t help but be drawn to it with an invitation to sit down.
TELL US
Have you used road signs in your home? Tell us how in the comments section.
MORE
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TELL US
Have you used road signs in your home? Tell us how in the comments section.
MORE
10 Upcycling Projects to Turn Your Trash Into Treasure
Make Do and Mend: Enjoy the Savings of the Simple Life
Second Best: 5 Reasons to Scour the Op Shops
Houzz Tour: Salvaged Finds Add Soul to a Western Australian New Build
Road signs generally indicate the speed or direction that we should follow while on the road, but they can also be used in a lighthearted way to set the mood for a room.
Stop signs are almost universally recognised by colour and shape. An old stop sign in this rumpus room is a good reminder to cease work and relax in this space. Maybe sit quietly for a while, read a book or make time to engage in conversation with a loved one. We all live busy lives, so using a sign as a gentle reminder to slow down or stop, would work well in a living or bedroom area.