| As individual as the garden in which it
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| | characters, Tudor houses, family crests
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| resides, a uniquely conceived,
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| | and emblems and rendered images depicting
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| well-crafted mailbox can punctuate a
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| | the owners' interests -- ranging from
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| landscape with just the right amount of
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| | botany to the railroad locomotive.
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| panache. Designed and constructed with
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| | And today's mailboxes can become
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| various combinations of wood, stone,
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| | tomorrow's mementos. Designing and
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| plastic, metal, tile and paint, an artful
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| | maintaining a mailbox can become a
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| mailbox can enhance the architecture and
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| | genuine part of the love and dedication a
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| landscape which surround it. The mailbox,
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| | good gardener pours into the landscape.
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| standing sentry at the front of the
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| | Rose Tourje, whose Pasadena garden
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| garden, can provide a glimpse into the
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| | garnered the Golden Arrow Award,
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| minds, hearts and souls of those who
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| | presented by the Pasadena Beautiful
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| reside inside the house behind it.
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| | Foundation, has two mailboxes. She has a
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| With the abundance of home and garden
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| | standard box for receiving mail and an
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| megastores, neighborhood nurseries and
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| | antique box that was preened over by her
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| Web-sited manufacturers, available
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| | father 60 years ago. As a boy, he was
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| resources for boxes have multiplied, and
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| | charged with annually applying flesh
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| mailbox art has taken on new life. Ohio
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| | coats of paint and restenciling the
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| landscape architect, Patrick Cloonan,
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| | family name onto the metal structure.
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| says that his clients have "a lot more
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| | This proud relic now holds an honored
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| fun with mailboxes these days. The
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| | position in the family's patio garden.
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| possibility of creating a custom box is
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| | Even with decades of rusted and patinaed
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| usually mentioned during initial
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| | finish, the Tourje name is clearly
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| conceptual discussions, when material for
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| | identifiable.
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| architecture and landscape are reviewed."
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| | The price tag on a custom mailbox is less
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| More often than not, Cloonan states, "the
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| | than one might imagine. A quick check
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| design will reflect those elements, but
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| | among manufacturers represented on the
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| in many instances, it has relevance to a
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| | World Wide Web places the average cost at
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| client's hobbies, careers or special
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| | $99 and up, depending upon the complexity
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| interests."
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| | of design and the materials used. Dozens
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| During the course of a recent landscape
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| | of novelty boxes are already standard in
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| commission, in order for his client to
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| | most product lines, making the chance of
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| pay homage to the beloved "stogie,"
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| | finding an appropriate expression of your
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| Cloonan was instructed to design a
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| | interests quite likely, without further
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| mailbox that would incorporate a sculpted
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| | customization. Another resource for
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| hand. Strategically placed between two of
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| | locating a quality manufacturer is the
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| the sculpted fingers was a cigar.
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| | American Society of Landscape Architects,
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| "But styling often seems trendy and it
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| | which sponsors a Directory and Buyer
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| reveals itself in spurts," Burwell says.
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| | Guide of recommended products.
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| Some months, the bulk of his thriving
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| | As for the placement and size of the box,
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| manufacturing business is consumed with
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| | landscape architect Cloonan says "almost
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| the construction of replicas of beloved
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| | anything goes." In checking with the
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| pets--dogs, cats, cows and pigs. Then a
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| | postal service, one uncovers only general
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| "shift toward more rusticated product
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| | guidelines. A curbside mailbox, for
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| might take place, with a demand for
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| | instance, should be 40 to 48 inches off
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| redwood boxes." This type of mailbox can
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| | the ground. Openings should be wide
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| contain elaborate carvings of animals,
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| | enough for mail to be placed inside with
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| and this work often leads to additional
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| | one hand movement by a postal delivery
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| commissions for garden carvings of totem
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| | person. And at minimum, a mailbox should
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| poles, ship figureheads and angels.
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| | be approximately 19 inches deep, 6-1/2
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| Clients arrive at The Mailbox Factory in
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| | inches wide and 8-1/2 inches in height.
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| various states of preparedness. For those
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| | Further information relating to approved
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| with only a sketchy idea of the finished
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| | specifications for mailboxes can be
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| article, Burwell and his team of
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| | obtained through the local post office. A
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| multi-disciplined artisans provide the
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| | representative will consult with
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| requisite expertise to complete the
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| | customers on guidelines for box size,
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| design and fabrication of the mailbox
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| | strength and quality of construction.
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| unit, which is comprised of the mailbox
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| | Now imagine you're outside toiling in the
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| itself and a post onto which the mailbox
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| | front garden, wiping perspiration from
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| is secured. Other clients might arrive at
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| | your forehead and reveling in the
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| his shop with fully developed drawings
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| | inspirational quality of such hard, but
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| and specific material selections and
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| | loved labor. Then give some thought to
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| requirements. Over the years, completed
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| | this object that could be a focal point
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| products have left the factory in the
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| | for those would-be admirers of your
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| shape of golf balls, popular cartoon
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| | landscape endeavors: the mailbox.
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