A cedar wood doormat brings a natural elegance and subtle beauty to front porches, patios and decks. A lot of people do not realize, however, that many of the companies that produce these unique doormats also give buyers the option of personalizing their mat with an original name, saying or image. Rather, folks will instead opt for what they believe to be their only choice; namely, cheaply made and cheesy looking doormats. Don't fall into the kitsch trap. Go with cedar, but make it your own. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Name, Please.

The first and most logical thing you might want to have engraved on your cedar wood doormat is, not surprisingly, your family's last name. Go with either the full name or simply the first letter initial for an added measure of anonymity. No one likes to think about theft identity or having anyone intrude on your privacy, but it's a very real problem these days. Think about it; just a few decades ago no one would have thought twice to plaster their name across their home. Either way, having your name of initial engraved onto a cedar wood doormat is a sense of familial pride and welcome to any visitors stopping by. Plus, as an added bonus, there's less chance of anyone swiping your doormat!

Worth a Thousand Words.

The next most popular choice for cedar mats is being able to add an engraved or painted image to personalize them. On most models available, there are two places to put images owing to the distinct separated slat design of these mats. The first place to put an image is running across the top, like where you would otherwise have your name engraved. Because of the long, slender space, repeating patterns tend to work better than solitary images. For example, a line of interconnected leaves might be nice. Or, if you live by the beach, a pattern of repeating flip flops makes a subtle yet whimsical nod to your sandy surroundings. The other place to have a picture engraving is in the corner, where a square piece of cedar is affixed to give more room than the thin slats would normally allow for a sizeable image. Here you can place a number of images, including everything from animals to your favorite sports team logo. It's a great and unobtrusive way to show people a little of your personality.

You Know what they Say.

Equally common is the addition of a brief saying. Granted, with the way a cedar wood doormat is designed, your saying will have to be especially brief (or hard to read!) because you unfortunately do not have the same kind of room to work with as you do other mats. However, that's not to say that you're entirely without choice. There are a good number of sayings which can still fit. Choose from the basic ?welcome? or ?greetings? to something that expresses your blessings or best wishes to whomever reads it. Humorous doormats are a culture all on their own, and a lot of people love being able to switch out their mats with whatever funny sayings they come across. Some of the recent popular doormats read like the following: ?Hi. I'm Mat,? ?Welcome. Just don't expect too much? or for those with pets ?Our vet drives a Porsche. See dog for details.? The amount of space and freedom you have to work with depends on the company, but don't be afraid to express yourself.