Sure! The lamp post was here already but.. 7 years ago I worked at a sign shop and learned how to make sandblasted 3- dimentional signs out of high density urethane… “Sign Foam” …I still have access to the materials a couple friends with the software set up. essentially you design your sign on the computer then your design is computer cut (or hand cut) onto a thin adhesive backed rubber…you stick it to the piece of H.D.U. you have already cut to the desired shape and primed.. you peel away the part of the design that you want the sand to blast away. Then carefully sandblast , peel away the rubber, sand, primer again then paint to match your house or whatever your design dictates…I found the mailbox at its original location, one county over… I asked the owner, “If I buy you a new mailbox and put it up for you, can I have your old one?” He said, “Sure.” So I went to Lowes, bought him a box, went back and finished the job. I sent the old box to a friend’s auto body shop to smooth it out and patch the rust… so after much delliberation about the design of the mailbox stand… I drew it out ‘to scale’ on a huge piece of paper. Next I found the right size square steel tubing to match the design. Then, with some help from my Dad, who is a retired welder and metal fabricator… We got it all welded together and the rest was just my priming painting, installing my little cut out, brushed gold diamonds. Then putting it in the ground and attaching the completed mailbox. I can make these signs for others, privately out of my home.. It’s another one of my art interests lol.. sign posts too.. but mine is the only diamond one I’ll ever do! The angles were such a pain!!!
Notice on the pics, more diamonds inside the house (brushed alum.) and……big diamond accents I made out of cypress then painted and added to the exterior with the brushed gold center pieces… just like the mailbox stand…
DIY midcentury modern mailbox post and address sign — Gabe explains how
The crowning glories of Gabe and Amanda’s 1954 midcentury marvelous house may well be those groovalicious mid mod mailbox, mailbox post and address name sign. Gabe did most of the work on these pieces himself, so I asked him if he could tell us how he made it and he quickly responded:
Thank you, Gabe — your attention to detail is amazing. And, I always love doing post posts tee hee. Yes, readers: Repeat your principal (principle?) shapes throughout your house. The Retro Decorating Gods will be pleased. xoxo
Brenda says
I tried looking you up on facebook…there are a bunch of gabriel nicholsons on there! Which one is you? 🙂
gabriel nicholson says
Hi There! on fb i live in Mt.Gilead although it may say Charlotte, N.C. and my profile pic is a black and white of my wife and i all done up in 50’s lookin’ clothes.. look forward hearing from you!
Trip H says
WOW! What an incredible job you have done with your home. I live in North Carolina as well and know that there are alot of beautiful older homes in the area. I also know first hand the trials and tribulations that one can go thru just to make it like they want. If you ever put your house on tour please let us know, I for one will camp out to be first in line to see it!
gabriel nicholson says
Sure, We might possibly do a Christmas tour but you are welcome to my contact info on FB, call and plan a day to come visit with us!
Rebecca says
Nice diamonds. Hmmmm. Gets me thinking.
Melanie says
Drool!!!!
midmichigan says
Great, great job! It definitely put a smile on my face.
James Owens says
Groovy man! Love the DIY. Really great stuff.
Atomic Auntie says
I love that, too, Laura! In fact, this idea has me thinking about a few to-die-for things I’ve seen over the years (porch lights, mainly) on homes where it doesn’t appear that the owner values them for their midcentury look. I wonder if someone would take a swap — I might get the porch light of my dreams!
gabriel nicholson says
It has sure worked for me!!! Don’t be afraid to ask… as long as you don’t mind the crazy looks and questions!! lol!!! the worst that can happen is that they might say no, but they might say YES!!!!
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
I love that he just asked someone if he could change their mailbox. The guy was probably a bit surprised. I love the chutzpah in that!
gabriel nicholson says
He was kinda taken aback with the whole situation.. I think he was really happy to get the new mailbox.. this one looked pretty bad.. dented up and rusty when I rescued it..
Lee in Florida says
I’d love a 4-diamond sign, with house numbers… that’d be sweet!
gabriel nicholson says
It too can be yours!!!!
Lee in Florida says
We need to get hooked up, then!
gabriel nicholson says
Contact me via, FB and we can talk about it, I’d Love to help!
Lee in Florida says
Message sent, along with “small world” reference.
JamieAbe says
It’s so funny that you posted this because I too have been trying to find a way to reproduce the shapes in my porch posts to make a mailbox post. Maybe I should learn how to weld. And, yes, I have been repeating the shape in other places in the house. I actually picked up a super cool vintage nesting dish set that when put together creates the same shape.