THE GLOWNIQUE
Behind the reception desk
The classic position. Center the logo on the desk, not on the wall, and keep it about half to three-quarters of the desk width.
Reception and lobby signs
Backlit Lobby Signs & Reception Wall Logos
Your logo in stainless steel behind the reception desk, lit from behind and sized to the wall.
Free mockup first. You pay nothing until you approve the design.
- Free mockup within 24 hours
- 5-year warranty
- Free worldwide delivery
- Secure Etsy checkout
What is a backlit lobby sign?
A backlit lobby sign is a company logo in solid metal letters, mounted on the wall behind a reception desk and lit from behind so it sits in a soft halo. The Glownique makes each one from your logo file in stainless steel, sizes it to your desk and wall, and sends a free mockup before anything is made.
For how the sign is built, the finish chart and the full specifications, see custom backlit signs. This page covers what a lobby adds: the lease, the desk, the corridor and the power.
Updated . Pictures are design previews with sample logos.
Before you order
Four things to settle for a lobby sign
A reception wall comes with rules a shop wall does not have. Answer these four and the mockup can be right the first time.
Is the wall leased?
Many leases limit how many holes you can drill. Instead of fixing every letter to the wall, the whole logo can be mounted on one backer panel in acrylic or metal, so the wall takes a few fixings and one cable. Check your lease, then tell us which you need.
Where does the power come from?
The LEDs run on low-voltage 12V from a power supply. Decide with your electrician where that supply sits and how the cable reaches the wall before the sign is made, and we will mark the cable exit on the mockup.
Do people walk past it?
A sign beside a corridor or doorway has a depth limit. The 2010 ADA Standards (section 307.2) allow objects mounted between 27 and 80 inches above the floor to project no more than 4 inches into a circulation path. Ask for the total depth, letters plus gap, on your mockup.
What color is the room's light?
Match the halo to the lighting already in the room. Warm white suits wood, stone and warm downlights; cool white suits white walls and bright, clinical interiors. Send a photo taken with the lights on.
Source for the depth rule: 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
Sizing
How big should a lobby sign be?
Size the sign to the desk under it. About half to three-quarters of the desk width looks balanced; smaller than that and the logo looks lost on the wall. These are starting points, and the mockup shows the sign at scale on a photo of your own wall.
| Desk or wall | Sign width | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Small desk, 4 to 5 ft | 28 to 36 in wide | Center it at eye level behind the desk |
| Standard desk, 6 to 8 ft | 42 to 58 in wide | Center the logo about 60 to 66 in from the floor |
| Long desk, 10 to 12 ft | 60 to 84 in wide | Suits wide or double-height lobbies |
| Feature wall, no desk | 40% to 60% of the wall width | Boardrooms, corridors and photo walls |
Where it goes
Three places a lobby sign works
A plain reception wall
With no desk to size against, aim for 40% to 60% of the wall width and hang the center of the logo at eye level from the door.
Boardroom or corridor
A smaller logo, read up close. Check the depth where people walk past, and choose a brushed or matte finish under strong downlights.
Fitting out the whole office? Office and reception signs covers the other sign types, and the wall surfaces guide explains how your wall changes the halo.
Questions
Backlit lobby sign FAQs
What is a backlit lobby sign?
A backlit lobby sign is a company logo in solid metal letters, mounted on the wall behind a reception desk and lit from behind so it sits in a soft halo. The Glownique makes each one from your logo file in stainless steel, sizes it to your desk and wall, and sends a free mockup before anything is made.
Can a backlit lobby sign go on a leased office wall?
Yes. Where a lease limits drilling, the logo is mounted on a single backer panel in acrylic or metal instead of letter by letter. The panel hangs from a few fixings and needs one cable, which leaves far less to repair when you move out. Check your lease, then tell us which mounting you need.
How big should a lobby sign be compared with the reception desk?
About half to three-quarters of the desk width looks balanced: 42 to 58 inches for a 6 to 8 foot desk. On a wall with no desk, aim for 40% to 60% of the wall width. Send a photo of the wall and the mockup shows the sign at scale.
How far can a lobby sign stick out from the wall?
On a circulation path, the 2010 ADA Standards (section 307.2) limit objects mounted between 27 and 80 inches above the floor to 4 inches of projection. A backlit sign's depth is its letter depth plus the gap behind it, so ask us to state that total on your mockup and confirm it with your building manager.
Who installs and wires a backlit lobby sign?
We make and ship the sign; we do not install it. It arrives prepared for the mounting method on your mockup. A local sign installer or contractor mounts it, and a licensed electrician makes any hard-wired connection.
How long does a backlit lobby sign take?
The free mockup comes back within 24 hours. After you approve it, the sign takes 3 to 10 business days to make and 3 to 8 business days to deliver, free and tracked. Rush orders cost nothing extra: give us your opening or move-in date with the enquiry.
Can you match our brand colors and logo exactly?
Send the logo as AI, PDF or SVG and the letterforms are cut from that file. Metal comes in mirror, brushed and antique finishes, and painted elements are matched as closely as the materials allow to a Pantone, HEX or CMYK reference. For several floors or sites, order together so the signs match each other.
Send your logo and a photo of the wall.
The mockup is free and so are the revisions. If you like it, you get a quote for that exact sign, with free worldwide delivery and a 5-year warranty.