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There was a time when a mailbox was just a mailbox: an ordinary item that simply held the mail without calling any attention to itself. Today, it’s all about curb appeal, and choosing the best mailbox to complement your home is an essential part of that. Luckily, mailbox ideas are now more stylish than they’ve ever been. They frequently emulate notable architectural styles so you can match or artfully contrast the aesthetic of your home. Think midcentury, farmhouse, craftsman, and so on. Your days of settling for humdrum mailboxes are over.
Instead of browsing the limited selection at the hardware store, you can find incredible mailbox ideas online that perfectly coordinate with your home's color scheme, design type, and building materials. You can also customize many mailboxes with unique house numbers in a variety of fonts for some head-turning, typographic flair. Read on to check out these 20 mailbox ideas to find the design you'll look forward to opening each day.
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1
Punctuate With Plants
One of the great things about a mailbox is that it doesn’t have to serve only one purpose. It can also be an opportunity to act as an anchoring fixture in your landscaping. For instance, you can build a raised garden bed around your mailbox and fill it with greenery. That should help you remember to water your plants!
2
Contrast Colors
If you have a predominantly white house, the easiest way to make a stylish mailbox idea more eye-catching is to go with one in a black hue, or perhaps another color that will stand out like slate gray, green, or orange.
3
Consider Opposite Styles
Here’s the thing: a midcentury mailbox doesn’t have to go with a midcentury house. A farmhouse-style home doesn’t necessarily need a farmhouse-style mailbox, and so on. In fact, in order to create even more visual interest, think about pairing your traditional home with an ultra-modern mailbox.
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4
Echo Exterior Details
The quickest way to create cohesion in your front entryway area? Match the color of your mailbox with exterior elements, like your address numbers and lighting.
5
Opt for Woodgrain
You're not required to have a metal mailbox! Woodgrain mailbox ideas feel current yet cozy, and it will match your house perfectly if you also have wood siding.
6
Layer Brick Tones
To make a mounted mailbox look consistent with your brick exterior, choose one that echoes the shades of the stonework. For example, since these bricks pictured are mainly orange, an orange mailbox looks just right with them.
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7
Pair It With Planters
A mailbox doesn’t always have to stand on its own. Your front porch will look even more put together if you pair your mailbox with matching planters filled with greenery and flowers directly underneath.
8
Go for an Old-School Look
Wall-mounted mailboxes have an old-fashioned vibe about them, so why not match them up with other exterior details that feel as if they’re from another era? For instance, alongside a vintage-inspired mailbox, include a classic door outfitted with stained glass and a doorknocker, along with an antique sconce.
9
Embrace Linear Detailing
If you’re gravitating toward a modern feel for your home’s exterior, look no further than linear detailing, which can also include your mailbox. A mailbox idea featuring clean lines looks spot-on when it’s mounted on wood slats, for example
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10
Consider an Envelope Shape
Weave in vintage visuals on your front porch by considering an envelope-shaped mailbox idea. It looks particularly charming when it’s accompanied by exterior lighting and other features.
11
Try a Craftsman Look
A craftsman exterior often includes a mission-style door, one that’s rendered in wood and displays stained glass, and you can make the visuals look even more polished with a mailbox idea that spotlights these unique details. Choose a mailbox with streamlined elements and materials with visual appeal, like bronzed metal and iridescent glass panels.
12
Make It Mod
Who says that a mailbox has to be ho-hum? Instead, inject some playfulness into your outdoor space with a midcentury-inspired mailbox in a punchy hue that either matches the era-appropriate appearance of your exterior or contrasts with another architectural style.
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13
Use It as a Planter
No space for a windowbox? Make your mailbox a mini planter! Opt for low-maintenance greens here, or you can opt for faux varieties for less upkeep.
14
Treat It as an Art Piece
Although the idea of a small mural or an art installation of any kind sounds so creative for a front porch, you can capture that idea with a mailbox idea that includes head-turning designs. This one, for instance, features a flora-and-fauna motif.
15
Go Natural
While sleek and sophisticated is always a good look for a mailbox, maybe that’s not the vibe of your home. In this case, we’ll recommend a mailbox idea with tons of patina, looking flawless alongside a natural stone exterior and wild greenery.
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16
Think Moody
To give your mailbox a bit of edge (just because it serves a practical purpose doesn’t mean it can’t push the envelope!), opt for one in black to match an equally dark and moody house exterior. But a pop of color, such as in the form of this orange column, can’t hurt either.
17
Choose Whimsy
Allow your mailbox to go on flights of fancy by picking one that doesn’t take itself too seriously—like this one, displaying a playful paper airplane. Complete the lighthearted look with a front door in an anything-but-shy hue.
18
Wrap in Charm
Do you ever see a delightfully charming mailbox and want to bring that look home with you? You can with this mailbox idea that includes touches of copper and a flower planter.
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19
Go Nontraditional
Perhaps your home has an eclectic look and an ordinary mailbox simply won’t do. For this, we recommend going with a mailbox idea that looks especially modern, preferably one with laser-cut numbers for an added dose of the unexpected.
20
Opt for Sleek Visuals
To make your home look undeniably sleek, choose a mailbox idea that communicates that very feel. Clean lines on the mailbox can match the lines in your garage, shutters, and front porch.
