For a smaller yard, or a house that sits right on the sidewalk, the Hawthorne Oval standard one line plaque is the sensible size. It carries one line of up to five characters at 3 inches tall inside the same oval outline as the larger estate version. The photo shows it in a neutral gray finish with the number 8749.

Where 3-inch characters work

Three inches is readable from the sidewalk and from a car that has slowed to look. It isn’t a highway sign. So this is the oval for in-town lots, townhouses with a strip of lawn, and garden beds near the walk. If your house is far from the road, the estate oval with 4.5- or 7-inch numbers is a better fit than the Hawthorne Oval standard one line plaque.

Hawthorne Oval standard one line plaque colors

Eleven finishes are offered on this version: Antique Brass, Antique Copper, Black/Gold, Black/Silver, Black/White, Bronze Verdigris, Bronze/Gold, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Pewter/Silver, Red/Gold, and White/Gold. Since the sign is small, contrast matters more than usual. Black/White, Black/Gold, and Black/Silver are the safest reads from a distance. The metallic finishes look best up close, where they can be appreciated.

Material and warranty

The oval is cast in the USA from recycled aluminum, and aluminum does not rust. Over the casting goes an all-weather protective coating, which carries a five-year warranty. Your characters are cast right into the sign. Because it’s made to your order, a Hawthorne Oval standard one line plaque can’t be changed, cancelled, or returned once placed. Look over the number before you check out.

For a street name and a family name as well, the three-line Hawthorne Oval standard adds two 14-character lines. It and the rest of the staked styles are under lawn address plaques. If you’d like to compare with plainer options, see the economic home plaques.