Trophies and awards convey a sense of achievement and importance for their recipients.

Unfortunately, old trophies are often one of the first possessions to go when people de-clutter their lives.

If you want to honor an employee, award winner, or other recipient with a gift they’ll keep for decades to come, you need to design a custom, elegant trophy.

Keep reading to learn how to achieve the feeling of elegance in your trophy design.

How to Choose an Elegant Trophy Design

Choose an Appropriate Material

When you’re creating an elegant trophy, the material can make or break the final design.

Certain materials automatically carry more prestige. Platinum, crystal, and art glass can create beautiful keepsakes your recipient is sure to cherish.

A silver cup on a rich, mahogany base also makes for an elegant final product.

Pick a Vendor with a Wide Range of Options

Many trophy vendors, like Martin Awards, offer a variety of commemorative objects. This gives you much more flexibility when it comes to choosing the right trophy design for your needs.

Look for a vendor who offers traditional trophy materials, like acrylic, crystal, glass, and precious metals.

Keep a look out for some more creative options you can turn to for different events. A commemorative plaque or clock might be a better fit for a retirement gift, for example.

Pay Attention to the Scale

If you’ll be presenting your recipient with their trophy at an event, take special care not to choose one that’s too small. Pick a design that’s large enough for the audience to see, but not too big for your recipient to lift and carry!

A desk ornament, on the other hand, doesn’t need to be larger than a few inches tall.

Keep It Custom

Customize as much of your design as you can. The more details you include about the recipient and the award itself, the better your keepsake will be.

Some custom trophies will give you the option of uploading your own design that will be etched into the final product.

If you’ll be designing your trophy from scratch, brush up on your graphic design skills and follow these tips to create a truly elegant keepsake.

How to Design for Elegance

Choose a Serif Font

Your typography choice can instantly add elegance to your design.

By choosing a serif typeface—one with small, decorative lines at the end of each letter stroke—you automatically add a sense of traditionalism and timelessness to your trophy design.

Use White Spaces

While you want to include as many details as possible on your trophy, don’t clutter your design with too many elements.

Make sure every element of your final design has enough room to “breathe.”

Keep It Clear

The most important aspect of any design is creating a clear, legible final product.

Remember, your design will be etched or otherwise printed on a final product. Make sure the recipient will be able to read it.

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