While it’s never easy to make burial arrangements for a loved one who’s passed away, putting extra thought and care into their headstone can help celebrate their unique traits. If you’re thinking about memorializing someone you love with a personalized headstone, here are a few ideas.

How to Design a Personalized Headstone 

1. Pick a Meaningful Color

The majority of headstones you see in a cemetery are black, gray, or brown. But they don’t have to be. There are a variety of colors you can choose from, whether you decide to go with a traditional granite gravestone or one made of marble, bronze, or another material. Think about the colors that were meaningful to your loved one and try to incorporate them—if they loved blue, for example, consider getting a headstone in a pearl blue or silk blue shade. 

2. Create a Custom Shape 

Have a headstone made in a unique shape if the cemetery you’re using allows it. Most monument makers can create all kinds of customized designs, so come up with one that celebrates your loved one. For example, if they were a farmer, have their gravestone shaped like a farmhouse. Or, choose a natural material such as fieldstone or uncut granite to give the headstone a rugged, one-of-a-kind shape.

3. Add a Porcelain Photograph

Porcelain inserts allow you to add imagery to a headstone. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, including rectangle, oval, square, and heart. Often people choose to feature a picture of their loved one, but you can also add images of belongings that were meaningful to the deceased, such as a house, pet, or baseball glove.

If you’re thinking about getting a personalized headstone, get in touch with Derrick Monument Company Inc in Genesee County, NY. Since 1915, this family-run business has been using state-of-the-art equipment to create high-quality gravestones. Their compassionate staff will help you every step of the way to ensure you have a beautiful and meaningful headstone to memorialize your loved one. Visit the company’s website to see examples of their work, or call (585) 768-8470 to speak with a member of their team.