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The naming of houses is a British tradition that stretches back hundreds of years. Although it’s a custom that never really caught on in Canada, I’ve spotted a few homes here in Toronto sporting name plaques. Tooraweenah’ (meaning ‘a collection of huts’), is a 1930s house in the west end, Baby Point neighourhood; apparently the original owner was fascinated with an Australian town of the same name. Across town in the Beach is ‘White Oaks’, reportedly named for the many oak trees that grace the lawn but also because of its resemblance to the Whiteoaks of Jalna. The same street is home to other named properties including ‘Maple Grove’ and ‘Pine Crest’.

After a number of visits to England, my mother decided she’d like to name her house. She and my Dad considered a few options before settling on “Idyllwood” for their 1928 Tudor-style home, which is set on the edge of an ancient, wooded ravine.

Since you can’t have a name without a sign, I began investigating plaque options. I discovered that simple carved wood and painted signs can be pricey so I decided to put one together myself. After selecting a font and scale my mother liked, I emailed a file of the name to a local print and sign shop, iCOPY Express.

I selected a forest green vinyl from their stock and they cut the peel-and-stick letters while I waited for less than $20. Many homeowners use these vinyl cut letters to mark their house number and street name.

I painted a generic wooden plaque the same colour as the trim on my parents’ house, then just placed and burnished the letters into place. Installed on their rose pergola at the entrance to their garden, the sign now welcomes visitors to this romantic and relaxing retreat. Idyllwood, indeed.