Architects Rebecca and Gary Shirley bought this simple black mailbox for their Kansas City, Mo., bungalow while vacationing in Italy.

Kansas city star / John Mutrux

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Strictly utilitarian and ornately decorative mailboxes are easy to find. However, chic, sleek letter holders are foreign to most U.S. stores.

Rebecca and Gary Shirley wanted a simple but stylish mailbox for their Kansas City, Mo., bungalow, but all the two architects saw in home warehouses were clunky domes. On a vacation to Italy, however, they discovered one that fit the bill.

“We liked the way it looked,” Rebecca Shirley said. “There was nothing kitschy about it. Guests have commented on how they like it, too.”

Fortunately, you don’t have to travel overseas for a modern mailbox. A few online stores sell artistic yet durable models.

Customers are always on the lookout for new mailboxes to greet visitors, said Brian Mehler, manager of the online store for Chiasso, a modern furnishings store based in Chicago.

“Mailboxes have gone from the basic drab adornment at the end of the driveway to a statement about the individual or family residing in the house,” Mehler said. “A piece of flair and personality can welcome the guest even before they step over the threshold.”

Many modern mailboxes are designed and manufactured outside the United States. Streamlined models include the simple arching Bobi from Finland and the flat, sleek, wall-mounted Knoblach from Germany.

New Zealand also is a major hub for mod mailboxes. The cylindrical Cadrona and cedar-and-steel Premier mailboxes, sold at Design Within Reach, were created in New Zealand. Heartlands Outdoor Living, based in Wellington, New Zealand, sells lots of mailboxes created there to American customers.

Besides being large enough to hold the daily stack of catalogs most people receive, many modern mailboxes also have connecting storage tubes for newspapers and newsletters.

Because modern mailboxes are often made by hand, they can take up to eight weeks to receive after ordering. Many are made of rust-resistant stainless steel.

However, during the winter, snow melt on streets and porches can deteriorate finishes on mailboxes.

So during the cold season, it’s recommended to wipe off mailboxes daily to protect the investment.

RESOURCES:

Chiasso, www.chiasso.com, (877) 244-2776.

Design Within Reach, www.dwr.com, (800) 944-2233.

Heartlands Outdoor Living, www.mailboxes.co.nz, 011-64-4-3889944.

Mailboxixchange, www.mailboxixchange.com, (800) 448-2870.

Target (online only), www.target.com, (800) 591-3869.