Restaurant Signs for a Spanish Paella Restaurant, Hatton Garden
We were commissioned to design and hand-paint a full set of restaurant signs for a new Spanish paella eatery located on the corner of Hatton Garden and Hatton Wall in Clerkenwell, London.
Because this was a prominent two-sided corner building, the signage needed to work from both streets while remaining sympathetic to the historic Hatton Garden area.
The client already had a static projecting sign, so the brief was clear:
the new fascia restaurant signs had to match the existing sign perfectly in colour, style, and quality.
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Colour-Matched Restaurant Sign Painting
Rather than ordering a factory-mixed RAL colour (which would have taken weeks and been wasteful for such a small quantity), we colour-matched the fascia paint on site using traditional signwriting enamels.
This allowed the client to see and approve the colour in real time, ensuring the finished restaurant signs matched the projecting sign exactly — something mass-mixed paint rarely achieves.
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Custom “Stitching” Design for the Fascia Signs
The client requested a unique “stitched” border to be incorporated into both fascia boards.
Originally this was set 20cm in from the ends, but once we mocked it up on the building, it became clear that the stitching sat too far away from the branding. We adjusted the spacing in consultation with the client so the pattern framed the restaurant name more effectively and was more visually striking from street level.
The final result subtly echoes road markings while still feeling refined and appropriate for a high-end restaurant.
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Hand-Painted Restaurant Sign Lettering
Once the layout was approved, a pounce pattern was created and the restaurant name was transferred onto the fascia.
All lettering was then hand signwritten using a traditional swan-neck signwriter’s brush.
The process:
- Flat white base paint applied in two coats for opacity
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Colour-matched enamel applied for the descriptive text
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Clean, sharp edges and high durability for long-term outdoor use
Despite being painted in June, the weather was unseasonably cold and windy — classic London conditions — so drying times and finish quality had to be carefully managed to achieve a flawless result.
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Finished Fascia Restaurant Signs
Two custom restaurant signs were completed:
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One facing Hatton Garden
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One facing Hatton Wall
Because the building is a striking architectural feature on a busy corner, the signage was designed to enhance rather than overpower it. The final fascias sit comfortably within the streetscape while still giving the restaurant strong brand presence and excellent visibility.
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Why Hand-Painted Restaurant Signs Matter
Unlike vinyl or printed boards, hand-painted restaurant signs:
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Look more premium
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Last longer
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Age better
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And give independent restaurants a distinctive identity
For restaurants in historic areas like Hatton Garden and Clerkenwell, this traditional approach also feels more authentic and appropriate.
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Traditional & Contemporary hand painted sign writing in London
Sign writer Traditional Signs of London
info@traditionalsignsoflondon.uk