Mailbox Question
Have a Sunnyvale courtyard Eichler, no mail slot, so a mailbox is a necessity. Whatever original mailbox existed is long since gone. Does anyone have a source for a cool-looking modern mailbox that would go well with an Eichler?
The commercial mailboxes range from awful to just barely acceptable. I was hoping someone had managed to find something a little better than that.
-Andrew
Have you seen or heard of the Nvelope made in Canada? It is designed to work with all architectural styles (it is clean and modern), to hold 3 copies of the N. Y. Times, and is made of stainless steel. Prices aren't listed however--you have to contact the company directly. The designer thought outside the mailbox :) and came up with something better.
Here are the links: http://www.stainlesssteelmailbox.com/mailbox_residential.htm
In my tract (Fairglen in San Jose), it appears most homes had a mailslot into the garage. This meant easy and securable access. As far as I can tell, the mail slots were metal finish in the same color as the exterior doorknobs (in our tract, I think it was silver colored aluminum/stainless steel).
Sensible Precautions
I would strongly recommend to everyone that they use only secure access mailboxes. Most people don't realize how frequently ID fraud is perpetrated by someone simply walking up and stealing out of your box. (Neighbours often don't see the person or assume it's a dropoff of an invitation or flyer. And if you don't know there was a credit offer/order confirmation to begin with, the theft goes undetected until too late.)
Aesthetics
Also, I never really had an opinion about mailboxes on posts until some went up in our neighbourhood. IMHO, they don't fit in well at all. No matter how modern the box itself might appear, they still recall rural roadside postboxes to me.
Cheers.
Jake.
Jake, I agree mailboxes on posts are a definite Eichler no-no. Very pony express. I was referring to house-mounted mailboxes.
Leslie, thank you! The "Nvelope" was exactly what I was looking for.
-Andrew
Hi Andrew, here are some more options to look at: http://www.oriac2.com/cgi-bin/showitem.asp?itemID=25
Click on "Entrance Areas" on the left.
IMHO, the designs are all pretty modern and minimal, but the wall-mounted types are definitely more suitable for the Eichler aesthetic.
- Vivian
in TO we don't have a choice; they have to be boxes on posts at curbside. We have been looking for months for something simple and reasonable. Everyone in our neighborhood is going with the commercial square boxy looking boxes because they are the only ones ( I've seen ) that are modern looking. Any other suggestions please?!
It is amazing how something as mundane as a little mailbox can ruin the curb appeal of an Eichler. When we moved into our Eichler the first thing we did before unpacking was pull out the Home Despot looking mailbox from the front yard-- (there was an existing slot in the garage for mail). Wow, what an improvement! :)
Does IKEA do mailboxes? Or can one of their products be retrofittled to work?
What is the USPS rule about mail boxes? I thought all Eichlers were old enough to be grandfathered in as to house side (ie slot in door or front wall) for a mailbox. I thought curbside delivery was required much later (in the 80's for new construction?) as the requirement was that the mail delivery would be from a vehicle instead of a mailperson delivering by walking their route. And this stuff about ganging the mail boxes together in single family residence neighborhoods is inconvenient, you have to walk down the street to get your mail like in a pud or apt. bldg.
someone in our neighborhood has a custom looking mailbox that has a triangular shape that mimics the roofline of the A frame model... it's pretty clever.
