Are you getting ready to design a custom headstone for a loved one? Here are a few things to think about first:

Available Space

It's a good idea to know exactly how much space you are working with before you start designing your loved one's custom headstone. Otherwise, you may end up designing something that is too complicated or in depth to properly be transferred to the headstone due to its limited size.

So if the headstone has already been picked out, make sure to find out its exact dimensions. If you haven't yet picked out a headstone but will be doing so on a budget, choose the headstone before you start designing it so you don't end up having to go over budget just to get a headstone that can accommodate your design.

If you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to pricing and headstone size, you can probably get away with designing the headstone before actually buying it. Take some time to really think about your options here before making any serious decisions.

Family Preferences

You should also consider any ideas and preferences your family members might have when designing your loved one's headstone. Doing so can help ease any tension that might be present as everyone prepares to say goodbye to your loved one a final time.

And you may get some ideas that you haven't thought of yourself. In the end, your loved one's headstone design will be a collaboration of everyone who loved them throughout their life and will have special meaning to anyone who visits their grave as time goes on.

Ongoing Maintenance

Your loved one's headstone will have to be maintained over time to keep it in good shape, and your custom design may have an impact on ongoing maintenance requirements. If your design is very intricate with lots of engraving included, you will have to clean the engraved areas on a regular basis to keep mold, mildew, and gunk in general from building up.

If colors are used in your design, the colors may have to be refreshed once in a while to keep them vibrant. If you don't have a lot of time for maintenance, consider sticking with a basic design that will honor your loved one yet be easy to keep up with.

If you don't mind maintenance or are willing to hire someone to do the maintenance for you, there really aren't any limitations to worry about when it comes to design. Just make sure to get a list of maintenance requirements from your service provider after they finish designing the headstone.

For more information, contact local professionals like those found at An Thiel Monuments.