Stake out your territory.
Your sign is your shop's signature. It has to be visible, legible and reflect your positioning. We design durable illuminated signs that catch the eye and comply with planning rules.
The light box is one of the most widely used solutions on a shopfront: an enclosed structure fitted with LED modules that showcases your name by day and by night. Cut-out light box, illuminated tension fabric or built-up letters: this page explains the techniques and our manufacturing method. For the shop window as a whole, see shop window decoration.
The PROBLEM
Without a sign, you are a ghost.
Invisible at night
A shop in the dark doesn't exist.
Hard to find
Customers are looking but can't see you.
Faulty lighting
Broken letters give a neglected image.
Nos SOLUTIONS
Illuminated built-up letters
Internal LED lighting or backlighting for a premium finish, legible from afar.
Projecting sign
Essential side-on visibility to catch pedestrians walking down the street.
Light box
An effective, economical solution. Cut-out light box or illuminated tension fabric.
Shop sign: which solution for your storefront?
A shop sign is chosen on the façade first, not from a catalogue. The storefront decides what can be fixed, what can be read and what local rules will accept. The table sums up the cases we meet most often on a Paris street.
| Your storefront | What works | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wide fascia above the window | Built-up letters or cut-out light box | The available height allows letters legible from across the street |
| Narrow or shallow fascia | Slim light box, non-illuminated cut letters | Not enough depth to house the wiring of an illuminated volume |
| Narrow street, pedestrians walking along the façade | Projecting sign, in addition to the fascia | A flat sign is invisible when you walk along the wall |
| Corner shop or set-back frontage | Two flat signs, or a projecting sign plus window graphics | Each direction of travel needs its own landmark |
| Protected façade, no drilling allowed | Window graphics on the glass | The glass carries the name when the wall cannot take anything |
Three checks always come before ordering, and they are the ones that cost time when discovered late: what your lease and the building rules allow on the façade, what the local advertising regulations require in your street, and the declaration to file at the town hall. We prepare that file with you before manufacturing starts.
To compare sign families material by material, beyond the Paris case, the LETTRR guide which type of company sign to choose details relief manufacturing. And if your window must carry a message too, see window film.
What exactly is a light box?
A light box is an enclosed housing, usually aluminium, with a translucent face that diffuses the light from a bank of LED modules inside. Your shop name, your logo or a visual stands out on that face, lit continuously or only from dusk. It is the most common structure on a shopfront fascia, above a shop window.
Unlike built-up letters, where each letter is its own illuminated volume fixed to the wall, a light box forms a single rectangular block: simpler to manufacture and to install on a shallow fascia, with an even finish. Another variant is the projecting sign, perpendicular to the façade.
Cut-out light box or illuminated tension fabric: how to choose
Two techniques dominate light box manufacturing.
The cut-out light box
The name or logo is cut directly into the face of the box, with a sharp contrast between the lit letters and the rest of the housing, which stays dark. The result is legible from a distance, with a rather architectural look. It is the most common solution for a classic shop window fascia.
Illuminated tension fabric
The rigid face is replaced by a stretched textile or PVC, printed across the whole surface and evenly lit from behind. It allows a full-colour visual, not just text, and can easily be changed without touching the aluminium structure. It is the right choice for a rich visual identity or a façade whose visual changes regularly.
The choice depends mostly on your message: a name on its own, legible from afar, works very well with a cut-out light box; a complex visual or brand image calls for tension fabric.
Sizing and positioning your light box
The size of a light box is first set by the fascia on your façade: its width generally follows that of the shop window, and its height that of the band available above the door or glazed bays. A light box that is too small gets lost in the façade; one that is badly proportioned overwhelms the shopfront.
We take your measurements on site before proposing a scale mock-up, with the material, lighting and layout. Installation is then carried out from a cherry picker, with electrical connection, taking into account the weight of the structure and access to the façade. See our illuminated sign projects.
A project that shines
Feasibility study
Checking local planning rules.
Design & mock-up
Day and night simulation of your future sign.
Permit application
We handle the authorisation requests (TLPE local advertising tax).
Bespoke manufacturing
Cutting, assembly and LED wiring.
Cherry picker installation
Safe installation at height, with electrical connection.
Projects / Store signs and shops
On site, at our clients
Case studies
32 projects told from brief to installation, across all our clients
- Le Petit Prince
- Montreuil shopping centre
- Ladurée
- Offices, La Défense
- BforBank
- Veolia
- AXA Banque
- Jazz New York offices
- Adidas
- Payplug
- AXA Opéra
- AXA, Welcome to the Jungle
- AXA, botanical relief
- BearingPoint
- Humanis
- EDF
- Les Furets
- Cocobeach
- DGGN, reception
- DGGN, cafeteria
- Jo&Joe
- Hôtel Nation
- Les Terrasses de l'Arche
- Arthus-Bertrand
- Story
- Coach, Le Bon Marché
- BNP Paribas Real Estate
- Herno
- Transavia
- SNCF
- Art Deco offices
- Scandinavian-style offices
Our clients' satisfaction is our greatest pride.
"Merci vous êtes géniaux !!!! Laura tu m'as sauvée la vie :)"
Translated from FrenchThank you, you're brilliant!!!! Laura, you saved my life :)
CCarole L.
Cheffe de projet, Ladurée
"C’est très beau et les collaborateurs sont très satisfaits ! Merci à toute la team Paristic."
Translated from FrenchIt looks beautiful and the staff are very happy! Thanks to the whole Paristic team.
LLaurent S.
AXA France
"Je travaille avec vous depuis plusieurs années, je ne peux pas changer de prestataire :)"
Translated from FrenchI've been working with you for several years, I can't change supplier :)
AAxel
Happy Manager, AXA Banque
"Je n’ai plus l’impression de travailler dans un aquarium ! Et c’est super élégant."
Translated from FrenchI no longer feel like I'm working in a fishbowl! And it looks really elegant.
JJean-Luc
Stamina
"Je ne reçois que des compliments sur le travail réalisé."
Translated from FrenchI get nothing but compliments on the work.
AAnna
Merchandiser, Ladurée
"Merci à Laura pour sa réactivité sur chacune de mes demandes."
Translated from FrenchThanks to Laura for her responsiveness on every one of my requests.
MMarie-Claire
Veolia Paris
Our Strengths
Why choose us?
Expertise
A dedicated team.
Quality
Premium materials.
Speed
Deadlines respected.
Our COMMITMENTS
What you can count on, project after project.
20 years of experience
Design, production and installation of bespoke decors.
1,200+ projects delivered
Offices, shops, hotels and restaurants.
Eco-Responsible
Solvent-free inks and waste recycling.
Project Tracking
A single contact from quote to installation.
A dedicated team, from art direction to installation.
Premium materials, proof approved by you before production.
Deadlines respected, installation scheduled with you.
Clean installation
No heavy building work, site left clean.
Continue exploring
Related services and resources: shop window decoration, exterior and shop signage, shop window film, shop sign in Paris and growing footfall with your sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sign should I choose for a small shop?
It depends on the storefront above all. A wide fascia takes built-up letters or a cut-out light box; a narrow fascia calls for a slim light box or non-illuminated cut letters; a busy narrow street calls for a projecting sign as well. A façade that cannot take any fixing is handled with window graphics.
Do you need permission to install a shop sign?
Yes, in almost every case. Three levels add up: your commercial lease and the building rules, the local advertising regulations of the municipality, and the declaration to be filed at the town hall. We prepare that file with you before manufacturing starts.
Do you comply with shop sign regulations in Paris?
Yes, we know the Paris RLP (Local Advertising Regulations) thoroughly. We help you design a compliant sign and handle the authorisation application.
What lighting technology do you use?
We use only high-performance LED modules, which are durable and energy-efficient. It is the ideal way to cut your running costs and respect the environment, unlike old neon tubes. Consider window film too, to complete your visibility.
Do you provide maintenance?
Yes, we offer maintenance contracts covering cleaning and, where needed, replacement of LED modules, so that your sign stays immaculate year after year.
How long does it take to make a shop sign?
Allow 3 to 5 weeks after approval of the technical file and receipt of the administrative authorisations. It is bespoke work carried out in our workshops. See our shop sign projects.
Do you make projecting signs?
Yes, a projecting sign (perpendicular to the façade) is essential in Paris to catch the pedestrians walking along your shop.
What is the difference between a light box and built-up illuminated letters?
A light box is a single rectangular housing that carries all the text or artwork on a translucent face. Built-up illuminated letters are individual lit volumes, one per letter, fixed directly to the wall. Both are LED-lit, but the look and the installation differ.
Cut-out light box or illuminated tension fabric: what is the difference?
A cut-out light box has letters cut into the face of the housing, with a sharp contrast between the lit text and the dark background. An illuminated tension fabric replaces that face with a printed textile lit across its entire surface, suited to a full-colour visual.
Does a light box stand up to the Paris weather?
Yes, the aluminium structure and translucent faces are designed to stay outdoors all year round. The LED modules and wiring are protected against moisture, which is essential on a Paris façade.
What kind of façade can a light box be installed on?
The light box is fixed to the fascia above the shop window, provided there is enough depth for the wiring and the structure. We also check compliance with the local advertising regulations before manufacture. See our page on shop window decoration in Paris.
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