Where's the Best Place to Buy Concrete Garden Statuary, Fountains, and More?
Where’s the best place to buy concrete garden statuary, fountains, and more? Keep it right here to check out the Midwest’s finest source. From cast concrete figurals and fountains, to natural stone landscaping materials, the quality and quantity here is unsurpassed.
By John G. Stamos
Camille's Studio: The Best Place to Buy Concrete Garden Statuary, Fountains, and More
Welcome back loyal readers and subscribers, and “Howdy and Welcome” to new readers and subscribers. It’s time, once again, for another shameless Renaissance Garden Guy plug.
On this site (as my regular readers and subscribers already know), you’ll find that I write articles about businesses and products in which I firmly believe, and of which I wholeheartedly approve. So, in the case of these particular businesses and products, can these articles really be considered “shameless” plugs? Hmmm… A question which philosophers will still be debating centuries from now, no doubt. But I’ve got my own answer for you right now and it’s “Yes!” Shameless, for sure. And that’s because there’s absolutely no shame whatsoever in giving a figurative, public, pat on the fanny to any business or product that does great things for its clients, customers, and consumers. And in the case of Camille’s Studio, located on two acres of well-stocked grounds in Cedar Lake, Indiana, that pat on the fanny is actually a (still figurative) super-appreciative and resounding smack on the ass! Way to go, Camille’s Studio!!!
The first of the two photos immediately above show the first section of the extensive limestone planter/retaining wall/waterfall/pond/walking path paradigm I’ve got planned for my garden. The second pic shows some of the limestone I bought and have got stored on pallets along the south side of my property. There’s a total of seven pallets sitting there, awaiting the ministrations of yours truly. Where did the six fullest of these pallets of limestone come from? You guessed it – Camille’s Studio. More on my limestone, and its journey to my garden a bit later. My point in showing you these pictures is that although the good folks at Camille’s Studio are locally famous for their incredible selection of cast concrete garden statuary and accessories, they’ve got plenty of great landscaping/hardscaping stone and rock materials on-site, as well.
What makes Camille’s Studio so great? There are other sources for concrete garden statuary, landscape stone, rock, etc, etc. So, why Camille’s? What makes them so special? The answer boils down to four basic things: Service, selection, quality, and price.
Service at Camille's Studio
A Short History of Camille’s Studio. Camille’s Studio came into existence in 1966 in the garage of a small house on Luella Avenue on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Bill and Catherine Mitchell were the founders and proprietors, and the owners of that little house. The business took its name from Catherine’s nickname, Camille. (If you pay a visit, make sure to ask about the story behind the nickname). Bill and Catherine, or Camille, made beautiful cast concrete statuary in the garage of that small home for seven years, all the while developing a reputation for product beauty and quality, and strengthening their positions as honest and reputable members of the local business community.
In 1973, Bill and Camille bought a two-acre parcel of land in Cedar Lake, Indiana which would serve as the home of Camille’s Studio from that time right up through the present. In 2005, Bill Mitchell passed away. It was at that time that Bill and Camille’s son, Ed, who had been working for his folks at Camille’s since the very beginning in 1966 (when he was in sixth grade) took over ownership and operation of the company. Since 2005, Ed and his partners, wife Lynn and son Nick, and have continued to grow the company and expand its product line.
The business now operates out of three buildings on that two-acre parcel of Indiana land, and virtually every square foot of surface area on those two acres is covered with fabulous concrete statuary, fountains, furniture, etc, and a great selection of landscape/hardscape stone and rock, and more. Three generations of Mitchells have worked tirelessly to provide customers with an ever changing, and ever growing inventory. The success of Camille’s Studio can be attributed directly to their hard work, unquestioned integrity, and over-the-top customer service. Camille’s Studio is all about the people. It’s all about Ed, Lynn, and Nick Mitchell.
Customer Service at Camille’s Studio – A Firsthand Account. I bought my first pallet of limestone from Camille’s Studio last summer. The limestone “landscape stones” were stacked on individual pallets with their respective weight in pounds displayed on each pallet. I bought somewhere just under 3,000 pounds worth that day. That purchase would be my very first of many from Camille’s Studio.
Camille’s will deliver product within a 75-mile radius of its Cedar Lake location. Although delivery was an option for me (my home lies within their delivery territory), I decided to haul the stone home myself in my pickup truck. Nick Mitchell was working by himself that day. And although he was right in the middle of ten million other things when I showed up (a business with two acres of product doesn’t just run itself), he stopped what he was doing and devoted his full attention to me, and my purchase. He removed the tailgate from my pickup and carefully and safely loaded nearly a ton-and-a-half of limestone onto my truck’s bed with his forklift. When the stone was onboard, he replaced my tailgate. The stone was secured with a heavy wrapping of shipping plastic and was safe and ready for the trip to Michiana Shores. Easy peasy. Nick was informative, polite, helpful, and efficient. As a result of Nick’s helpfulness and the ease and smoothness of getting my stone loaded, I knew immediately that this was a place I’d be doing more business with.
And I did. This past spring, I purchased approximately six-and-a-half additional tons of limestone. Ed and Nick marked the individual pallets and held them for me until I was ready to pick them up and bring them home. They even re-shuffled and split some of the pallets into smaller loads for easier transport. When I found another pallet of limestone which I felt was more suitable for my use than one of my original selections, they had no problem letting me switch them. These guys could not have been any more accommodating. I guess no retail operation could stay in business for 55 years unless it provided the absolute best customer service. In this department, Camille’s Studio is unbeatable.
If you’re planning on using the bed of your own pickup for hauling your garden construction and hardscape goods, I highly recommend protecting it with a Pendaliner Truck Bed Liner. My own truck is a Ram with an 8-foot bed, and my Pendaliner is specially made for it. But there’s a Pendaliner for every make, model, and bed size. This liner is incredibly tough, and it’s a breeze to install. I’ve hauled everything from limestone to lumber to soil and mulch to steel electrical conduit in the bed of my truck, and my Pendaliner has performed perfectly. Click the #advertisement link to learn more, or to order one right here, directly from Amazon.
Product Selection at Camille's Studio
The selection of product at Camille’s covers an area of two acres. Two acres worth of concrete statuary and ornamentation, plus stone and rock material, makes for a huge selection. Here’s a basic breakdown:
Cast Concrete Garden Items.
1) Statuary. The variety and selection is enormous. To give you a general idea, here’s a very basic breakdown.
- People and Their Loved Ones. People with their pets, plus the human form in every possible size, shape, and iteration.
- Animals. Dogs, cats, birds, lions, frogs, turtles. Even crocodiles and pigs. And bears. And sheep. You name it, virtually every living organism of the kingdom Animalia is represented here.
- Religious, Spiritual, and Mystical.
- Asian Accents and Eastern Religious.
- Mythical and Macabre. Gargoyles, faeries, gnomes, skulls. All sorts of creatures and beings from myth and legend. Bigfoot, too!
2) Fountains and Birdbaths. A vast selection of styles and sizes.
3) Baskets, Planters, Flower Pots, and Vases.
4) Benches and Seating.
5) Plus a Wide Variety of Themes Including Military and Police, Nautical, Old West, Ancient Civilizations, and Much More.
Landscape and Hardscape Stone, Rock, and Concrete. Camille’s has a sizeable selection of various types, shapes, and sizes of stone and rock for landscape and garden hardscape application. They’ve got limestone landscape stones (like mine), large “snap-wall” limestone blocks, and large limestone “steppers”. There are multi-type accent boulders on-site, as well as square and round cast concrete patio stones. And fire pits. Camille’s sells 3′ and 4′ polished granite fire pit sets, as well as concrete fire pit sets (with necessary metal liners) in the same sizes. Plus, they carry an assortment of additional products and materials for a variety of landscape/hardscape uses. Camille’s has got a really wonderful selection of great stuff for landscaping and building your garden.
Quality at Camille's Studio
Product quality is of paramount importance to the Mitchells of Camille’s Studio. Since they first began manufacturing concrete statuary in 1966, they’ve used only the finest quality rubber (and to a lesser degree, aluminum and fiberglass) molds to form their beautiful product. And those molds are kept in perfect condition in order to ensure a highly detailed and beautiful finished work of art. If a mold becomes even slightly compromised, it’s immediately replaced with a new one. Camille’s quality control procedures and quality standards are absolutely impeccable, and have been for over 55 years.
It’s important to mention here that, in 2005, after careful consideration and evaluation, Camille’s Studio secured the services of a super-high quality concrete form and casting company to take over the casting component of their manufacturing process. And the exact same quality control measures and quality standards Camille’s has maintained since 1966 remain and continue. Camille’s Studio continues to provide the finest, most detailed cast concrete works of art available to the buying public.
Post Production Work. No statue or other cast concrete work of art ever comes out of its mold in flawless condition. Concrete is an imperfect medium, so anything formed from concrete will have imperfections. The Mitchells make sure there are no imperfections in their works of art – they perform any number of post-casting adjustments to each and every piece. All post-casting processes, such as grinding and filling, for example, are performed by the Mitchell’s and their talented staff right on the premises at Camille’s. Any casting imperfections are remedied, and flawless, highly-detailed pieces are the result.
Painted, Stained, and Sealed Pieces. Camille’s Studio is aptly named. It’s a true artist’s studio. And once you check out their painted and stained concrete sculptures, you’ll understand this point. The artistry and workmanship is incredible. These pieces are true works of fine art. The Mitchells and their staff of highly-talented artisans perform all of their artistic magic right on-site. They use water-based latex paints and stains to achieve their stunning and detailed effects. You can buy concrete pieces in painted, stained, sealed, or natural form at Camille’s Studio. If you prefer to see one of these works of art in your garden in its totally natural, untreated state, Ed Mitchell still recommends sealing the piece with a high quality clear sealer in order to maintain its surface integrity. Camille’s can perform this service for you right on-site, or you can seal it yourself at home (the Mitchells will gladly recommend the right products). I received several of these beautiful sculptures (two are pictured above) as a gift from our dear friend, Kevin Richardson. I sealed every one of them myself with a high-quality sealer. This treatment, whether performed on-site at Camille’s, or done at home on your own, is totally undetectable – the piece looks completely natural and untreated. But it’s protected, and your enjoyment of its beauty in your garden is ensured for years to come.
Pricing at Camille's Studio
Not a whole lot to say here. Trust me when I tell you that you’re gonna love the prices at Camille’s. You’re gonna seriously love the prices at Camille’s. Trust me. Seriously.
Great customer service, massive selection, incredible quality (and beauty), and low prices. Now there’s a combo that’s pretty tough to beat. These are folks who’ve been treating their customers right for over 55 years. They’ve got a mind-blowing selection of fine sculptural garden art of the absolute highest quality and the most breathtaking beauty. And really, where else are you gonna find this kind of art and garden landscaping/hardscaping materials all under one roof (or on the same two acres of land)? From where I’m sitting, it looks like the answer is “Nowhere but Camille’s Studio.” I highly recommend paying them a visit. Ask for Ed, Lynn, or Nick. And tell ’em The Renaissance Garden Guy sent you.
Camille’s Studio
1548 Wicker Avenue, Cedar Lake, IN 46303
(219) 365-5902
Email: camillestudio@yahoo.com
Website: www.camillestudios.com
I hope that you found this endorsement of Camille’s Studio informative and helpful. It’s important for me to support great businesses and products on this site, but it’s more important for me to inform, entertain, and benefit my readers and subscribers with what I write. It’s my hope that by giving you, my readers and subscribers, my honest and informed opinion about great businesses and products, I can successfully accomplish both of these goals. Maybe a beautiful sculpture or some terrific landscaping stone from Camille’s Studio will find its way into your own garden. If that happens because of what you’ve read right here in this article, then I think I’ll honestly be able to say that I really did accomplish both of those goals. Thanks once again for your readership. And as always, Cheers, and Happy Gardening!
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I have been to Camille’s many times over the years. I have found many unique items for myself and special gifts. The boy and his dog and the frog are a couple examples of what can be found. Those kinds of gifts last a lifetime! So check out Camille’s if you are looking for that special item for yourself or others.
Love this place!
Man, what a cool place! I actually want to travel cross-country so I can see it all in person. Such an entertaining read.
Thank you for showing me around Camille’s. I really enjoyed it! I had to laugh at the Big Foot!! That would be a big seller here in KY!! They have a great selection!! So much!! Love it! Your very lucky to be close to them. I am wondering about her name!! I may need to call and find out!! Lol