Transform your Garden with a Statement Weathervane

Location is Key

When choosing where to site a weathervane, the location is key if you want it to make a strong impression. Follow the points below for advice on choosing the most effective location for your new weathervane to establish a presence.

Where is the weathervane most likely to be noticed? A weathervane with a traditional black iron work finish will best command attention if sited where it can be seen with sky behind it, rather than the dark green leaves of a large tree, or the grey stonework of a neighbouring house. A backdrop of white cloud, or if you’re lucky, blue sky will enable the weathervane to stand out and create a striking silhouette against the sky.

Choose somewhere that will catch the light. If you have a summerhouse or shed that benefits from loads of natural light on a sunny day this could be a good option for siting your weathervane. If not, you could consider mounting the weathervane to a post fixed centrally in the garden where the sunlight can perfectly illuminate it.

In or close to a social space If you have a patio or seating area, perhaps a firepit or pizza oven around which friends and family gather, is there an outbuilding close by where the weathervane can be sited for maximum impact? 

The Weathervane Itself

The design on the weathervane sail is another thing to consider in making an impact within your garden. There are so many off the shelf, mass produced weathervanes available online; if you value originality, it's worth looking a little further and find a company like Black Fox Metalcraft who has the skills to design a bespoke weathervane that is unique to you and your family:

Make it Personal A bespoke or personalised weathervane design can tell others so much about you and your interests – the more unusual the better! A bespoke weathervane can be a great way to start a conversation or celebrate a memory or event as you would with a framed photograph. A skilled designer can bring your ideas to life in a clever, stylish way, even if you are combining two or more totally disparate elements.  The bespoke weathervane below was a wedding gift for our customer’s daughter and son in law. They had affectionately nicknamed each other Bear and Panda, and ran a luxury private catering business together, hence the inclusion of the champagne! It really is a bit of fun, and if it makes you and your loved ones smile, all the better.

Go large. Though we have a very useful weathervane size guide, if you really want your weathervane to stand out as a statement piece, it can be worth considering going a size up, especially if you were undecided between two sizes anyway.

Add a touch of sparkle! A weathervane’s cardinal points or even the sail can be gilded in 23.5 carat gold leaf. There is nothing like the sparkle of gold leaf on a sunny day to turn heads. It really is stunning and impossible to ignore. 

Weathervanes painted in full colour Black Fox Metalcraft’s weathervanes can also be painted by hand in full colour by a highly skilled artist to create a beautiful piece of art in your garden. Like any piece of artwork or photograph on your wall, a painted weathervane can evoke a feeling or memory; something that has significance for you and your loved ones. The photo below features a bespoke dogs weathervane created as a gift for our customers wife; it features their beloved family pets – we worked from photographs of the dogs to create a truly bespoke weathervane design.

Make it Abstract A weathervane sail does not need to feature a laser cut design; elements can be hand forged, like this example shown below. The back of the sail was forged by hand to look like torn cloth, while the large arrow at the front is gilded. An unusual, abstract weathervane like this is definitely a talking point; it may not be to everyone's taste, but like a piece of art in a gallery, most people will have an opinion on it! 

If you are thinking of a statement weathervane either for yourself or as a bespoke gift but are not sure where to start, why not contact Black Fox Metalcraft for advice and to discuss ideas!