From a Pinterest photo to a solid-brass front door
A client sent us one inspiration photo and asked if we could make something like it. Here is how we turned that picture into a handmade brass number plate and name plate, why the client chose to go smaller and subtler than the picture, and why they then sent us their door knocker to match.
The project at a glance
- Pieces: round number plate and rectangular name plate, plus refinishing the client's door knocker
- Material: solid brass, raised letters, framed edge
- Sizes: first drawn at 254 mm (10") round and 305 × 75 mm (12 × 3") to match the picture, then made smaller at the client's request
- Finish: brushed, sealed with a gold-tinted lacquer, hex-bolt details
- Started from: one Pinterest photo sent by the client
Shown with the client's permission.
“Can you make something like this?”
The client shared this picture: a dark door with a round brass number plate, a slim brass name plate and a ring knocker. They loved the look.
But an inspiration photo is not a plan. It has no sizes, no fonts and no build details, and some details in such pictures cannot be made exactly as shown. Our job was to keep the feeling of the picture and turn it into something we could make, for their door and their name.
Four steps from a photo to the door
Choose the lettering
We sent lettering options for the family name and the flat number, so the style was the client's choice.
Proof, then rethink
A first proof true to the picture. On their own door it felt too loud, so we made both plates smaller and subtler.
Make it in brass
Our artisan made both plates in solid brass with raised letters and a framed edge.
Finish and fit
Brushed, sealed in a warm gold-tinted lacquer and finished with hex-bolt details.
Lettering the client chose
Type sets the mood of a nameplate more than anything else. We started by sending lettering options for both the family name and the flat number, from bold and rounded to taller and more upright, so the final plates would look like the client's choice and not a template.
The first proof: true to the picture
Our first manufacturing proof followed the Pinterest door closely. Both plates were drawn at one common scale, so their sizes looked right next to each other:
- Round number plate, 254 mm (10") across
- Rectangular name plate, 305 × 75 mm (12 × 3")
- Brushed brass finish
- A side-profile drawing of the raised outer lip and the standoff letters
Lovely in a photo, loud on your own door
This is why we make a proof before cutting any metal.
The picture looked beautiful. But when the client imagined plates that size on their own door, right at eye level, they felt the bigger plates would be the first thing anyone saw, and could look awkward or too loud.
They wanted something subtler. So we made the round number plate smaller, shortened the name plate, and changed the styling to suit, keeping the brass, the raised letters and the warm finish that drew them to the picture in the first place.
A Pinterest photo shows how something looks in someone else's home, styled and lit for the camera. A proof at real size lets you judge it against your own door before anything is made.
Made by hand in solid brass
Raised letters and a framed edge, made by our artisan. These photos show the raw brass on the bench, before finishing.
Finished and fitted
Smaller and quieter than the picture, but still unmistakably brass. Brushed, sealed with a gold-tinted lacquer for a warm, even tone, and finished with hex-bolt details.
The client came back for the knocker
The Pinterest photo also had a brass ring knocker. Happy with the plates, the client sent us their own knocker to refinish so it matches: the same brushed texture and the same warm gold tone.
Cast brass hardware like this is often a slightly different alloy from the sheet brass used for the plates, so we test the finish on a hidden spot and check it against the plates before finishing the whole piece. Work in progress; photos of the finished knocker will be added here.
Bring us any reference
Start from a picture
A Pinterest pin, a hotel photo or a sketch. We work out the sizes, lettering and build.
Approve before we make
Lettering options and a to-scale proof to sign off before any metal is cut.
One finish across the door
Plates, numbers and existing hardware finished to one tone. See materials & finishes.
Questions about custom brass nameplates
Can you make a nameplate from a Pinterest or Instagram photo?
Yes. Send the photo with your door size and the name or number you want. A picture has no sizes or fonts, so we work those out, send lettering options and then a proof drawn to scale for you to approve before anything is made.
How big should a door number plate and name plate be?
It depends on the door and how bold you want it to look. For this door our first proof followed the Pinterest picture: a 254 mm (10 inch) round number plate and a 305 × 75 mm (12 × 3 inch) name plate. When the client imagined that size at eye level it felt too loud, so both plates were made smaller for a subtler look. Send a photo of your door with a tape measure and we will suggest sizes, and show you the proof at real scale on your door photo.
Can you match the finish of hardware I already have?
Usually, yes. Send us the piece. Cast brass hardware such as knockers and handles is often a slightly different alloy from sheet brass, so we test the finish on a hidden spot and show you a photo before finishing the whole piece.
Do you make nameplates for architects, interior designers and builders?
Yes. We make one-off plates for designers' client projects and matching sets for whole buildings, from your drawings, references or a list of flat numbers and names.
Have a picture in mind?
Send your reference photo and door size — we reply with lettering options, a proof and a price.