Novelty Mailboxes

If you're adventuresome type when it comes to house decor, you might well be flirting with the notion of novelty mailboxes. They may be a bold statement, but life is short. If you bring a smile (or grin) to someone, you've done well, right? Novelty mailboxes are just that kind of unique home accent!

Your mail carrier might shake his or her head from time to time, admittedly, but will smile at the same time. You can't help but smile when opening a mailbox designed like a football helmet or golf ball. And you've got more shapes and sizes to choose from than the conventional round-topped rectangle at the end of the drive or rural lane. Wall-mount mailboxes offer just as much potential for creative design.

Checklist for Novelty Mailboxes

Of course, the USPS has established a number of specifications for residential mailboxes. The thinking behind all of them is that mail carriers have no difficulty in delivering mail, whether on foot or from a vehicle, and that the mail is protected from the weather until the homeowner retrieves it. You'll find, though, that novelty mailboxes are designed--or should be--around USPS-approved models.

Common sense dictates that whatever material a mailbox is made from, it should be able to withstand the elements. That might be galvanized steel, powder-coated aluminum, brass, copper, wrought iron, or treated wood. Whatever material or design you choose among the mailboxes you consider, be sure to look for or ask about expected "life span" in the elements. Ideally the manufacturer will offer a guarantee of 10 or 20 years. It's an investment but you want to enjoy the fun as long as possible.