Painting Exterior Lights Inspires Vintage Mailbox Update

2 Materials
$20
2 Hours
Easy

I recently posted a DIY on updating the exterior lights to our guest cottage. Due to the comments on this post made by HomeTalk users, the sad looking vintage mailbox (which is adjacent to the light), was brought to my attention. As a result, I was inspired to update the mailbox as well. To read the post about painting the exterior lights on HomeTalk, click .

Before~the Guest Cottage's exterior light and vintage mailbox


Due to sun exposure, the lantern has faded and the paint has oxidized. Same with the mailbox. This is our guest cottage tucked into the corner of our historic property. To see more pictures of the cottage, click .

After Painting the Exterior Light


The newly applied oil rubbed bronze paint makes the lantern look crisp and fresh. I was so happy with the results. However, I didn't even notice the condition of the mailbox until someone asked if the mailbox was next. That comment opened my eyes to the fact that the mailbox looked like the ugly sibling compared to the lantern.

Vintage Mailbox Before


I am quite fond of this mailbox as I have never seen another like it. The front panel opens toward you to expose the mail. The top lifts up. The curlicue on front adds dimension and the diamond shapes are slightly raised from the surface. The metal isn't hammered, nor is it flat and smooth.

Prep the Area


I wanted the color of the mailbox to be close to the lantern so I spray painted the interior and the sides (with Oil Rubbed Bronze Rust-oleum), being careful not to get overspray on the front and top. Make sure to use a drop cloth to protect the surrounding area.

Notice how different the spray painted side looks vs. the existing front. Once I saw this comparison I knew I was on the right path.

Mixing Colors


In order to get a warmer black to match the oil rubbed bronze spray paint, I mixed Mars Black and Burnt Umber together. These are acrylic paints.

I hand painted the lid first to see if the colors were right. I was careful not to paint the diamonds. So far, so good.

Using 3 different size brushes, I paint the front of the mailbox, working around the curlicue and diamonds.

When the paint on the front of the mailbox was drying, I realize the curlicue needs a light sanding. I didn't see the previous paint spill on it and lightly sanding helped remove it. In retrospect, I would suggest sanding before painting. Since the curlicue is raised, I didn't risk sanding the areas I had already painted. I used a sanding sponge.

In my craft stash, I have two tubes of Rub 'n Buff in Spanish Coffee and Antique Gold. The gold tube was unopened and I applied the gold paste to the diamonds with a small brush.

Carefully painting the diamonds


When working with Rub 'n Buff, it is important to paint only the area you want. The directions say to rub it in, but I didn't want the gold to spread to the black/umber painted areas.

Any slip ups can be painted over with the black/umber paint.

After painting the diamonds, I thought the gold was a bit bright. So I used the Spanish bronze over the top. Unfortunately, it was a pre-opened tube so instead of squeezing out paste, a runny bronze liquid came out instead. So I used the runny liquid and it worked perfectly. The bronze liquid subtly calmed down the gold.

Painting the Curlicue


I used the same runny bronze liquid and painted the curlicue. It was just enough to cover some of the dings and scratches, but left the charm and character.

The newly painted vintage mailbox


I am so please with the results! The two rivets holding the curlicue also got a bit of gold paint too.

Final Result


Now the mailbox is no longer the ugly sibling to the lantern! They both freshen up the front of the guest cottage. I couldn't be happier! I will more than likely spray the mailbox with a protective clear/satin coat so this wonderful painting job lasts a long time. Thank you HomeTalk readers for giving me the encouragement to tackle this project. I know some people love old and chippy, but in this case, the beauty of the mailbox was lost and faded. Painting it was the right thing to do, giving its unique character a big boost.

To see more about our guest cottage and historic home, please visit Life at Bella Terra

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Life at Bella Terra
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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