House numbers could be the difference between emergency services finding your home easily. Therefore, your design should take visibility into account. Here are 6 ways you can make your address numbers easier to see from the street: Light them up . One way to make them easier to see, especially at night, is obviously lighting. You could do this by placing the numbers next to the existing porch light or install a small solar-powered light that automatically illuminates them at night. Choose contrasting colors . You will need to make sure you choose house numbers that are a different color to your house. This means matching light with dark, and if you have colored weatherboards (instead of a neutral color) then it would be a good idea to choose a backing rectangle that stands out instead of just metal numbers for example. Choose the right size and placement . As well as using the sizing guide above for the right height, make sure the numbers are far enough apart that they do not overlap or touch. Find reflective materials . Instead of lights, you could choose materials that reflect when light is shone on them (like headlights for example). Don't write them in a creative font . Even if your address numbers are big enough, they will still be hard to read if they are in a cursive, decorative, script or thin font styles. Thick sans serif fonts (like Helvetica) are said to be the right fonts for your house numbers. You should also use numerals rather than writing the numbers out for artistic purposes Place them horizontally instead of vertically . While vertical placement may look pleasing, it is much harder to read, especially at speed or from far away. Most local governments recommend displaying numbers horizontally.