You’re striving for “curb appealâ€� with a manicured lawn, tasteful front door and lovely outdoor lighting. But your mailbox may stick out like a sore thumb. That’s a shame: it could contribute to your style of décor. For example, a wall-mounted Mission mailbox ($169) would complement arts and crafts, contemporary or  ranch houses. Rusty and rustic, it comes in several stains, including verdigris patina and slate. The Huntington and Manhattan (scroll down) are available in horizontal and vertical shapes and in beautiful, distressed finishes (prices $130 - $170 depending on size and stain). For the thoroughly modern urban abode: a bright yellow box or a striking green-toned box, both designed and made in Germany ($395 each). Another minimal mailbox is the Metropolis ($109). This bronze box ($119) would complement an elegant home, and is big enough for oversized envelopes. Another traditional choice, a hand-polished Peninsula mailbox ($205) has old world charm. The saddlebag style ($509) in copper has an artisan flavor. If you have refurbished an old home, there are superb reproductions of Victorian mailboxes (scroll down), including an ornate design featuring Cupid ($270, pictured) in brass or a bargain ($17.79) in baked black enamel. A hammered copper mailbox would be right at home with a mid-century remodel. Some of the most whimsical and fun mailboxes affix to a post, (scroll down) hand-carved and hand-painted likenesses of cats ($189.50) or dogs (pick from more than 50 breeds for $145).

“The details are not the details, they make the design.” That’s how Charles Eames summed up his design philosophy. He most certainly paid attention to detail in creating the Eames aluminum chair, which turns 50 this year. You can view the classic creation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York or at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, but ifyou want to sit on one, be prepared to fork over a load of cash, or settle for a reproduction. Herman Miller Group offers the real deal. The Herman Miller Eames aluminum group side chair runs $880 (pictured), while the Group executive chair costs $1,600. If a knock-off will do, try Fast Furnishings.com, where the Eames lookalike chair is $180 with free shipping. This 100 percent leather Eames-style office chair is $250 on sale at All World Furniture and features a chrome plated steel ram with rolling base. CB2’s Surf office chair is available in red or white and includes executive features like 360-degree swivel and gas lifts for height adjustment ($200). Though no exact replicas are available at Ikea, the ultra-hip bargain store sells a variety of modern office chairs, including the Patrik visitor’s chair ($150) and the Rutger/Jules swivel chair ($60). You’ll be happy to take a seat.     Ikea, the ultra-hip bargain store sells a variety of modern office chairs  including the Patrik visitor’s chair ($150) and the Rutger/Jules swivel chair ($60). You’ll be happy to take a seat.

Room dividers can be so much more decorative, diverse and fun than those chintzy paper screens you sometimes see in strip mall Chinese restaurants. Whether you live in a trendy but space-challenged 900-square foot loft (where your dining area doubles as your work space), or a rambling ranch-style home, room dividers can decoratively divide and define space. This one with a rich honey finish ($150 - $280 depending on size), would work in main living areas with a variety of furnishings, including arts and craft and contemporary. It has independently adjustable wood blinds – which can be used to creatively filter light. More upscale is a three-part screen in dark wood with painted flowers ($469) or one with scalloped edges ($865) in a coffee finish. The Etchings metal leaf screen ($69, pictured left) could hold its own, standing tall in modern interiors with a nature theme. The Mikado room divider ($300) is made from wrought iron with imaginative wire insets. If you want something more whimsical, put this three-panel Paris room divider ($68) in a breakfast nook and enjoy a view of the Eiffel Tower (or café scenes on the reverse) with your morning coffee. The Audrey screen ($75) would no doubt add a touch of class to even the laundry room. Hide that messy computer desk in a bedroom corner with what looks like a dressing screen ($68). This screen ($70 on sale,k pictured right) does double duty in the children’s room: Use it to partition off a messy toy area and to display your little Picasso’s art. The butterfly screen ($70) in white or lime is an exceptional value. This room divider also functions as a bookshelf ($300). This one is ideal for dorm rooms or a shared home office space ($99). The three panels feature spacious pockets for storing magazines, beauty supplies,and anything else you’d want to keep handy.

Why are people still buying book lights with conventional incandescent bulbs? The answer isn’t price: The famous Itty Bitty light costs $45 (some of which probably goes to that cutesy package), and users have to budget $7 a pop for replacement bulbs. Meanwhile, LED bulbs practically last forever and are more eco-friendly to boot, using much less energy to deliver comparable light. This Xtra Flex 2 from Mighty Bright has a more easily maneuverable neck than the Itty Bitty lamp, clips firmly onto your book (or stands by itself), and at $17 is just over a third of its competitor’s price. Granted, those of us who don’t want to run on battery power have to spend another $10 on an AC adapter — it’s still a bargain, and the cord is long enough to reach the most inconvenient under-the-bed power outlet. The Mighty Bright folks have branched out cleverly, with a two-arm light/magnifier gizmo for crafters and some sleek workhorses for musicians, but the item that will likely come in handy for us all at some point, whether we read at bedtime or not, is a magnifying glass with a built-in lamp — you may still have a hard time comprehending the fine print of that new cell-phone contract, but at least you’ll be able to read it.

My taste in furniture is a bit old school. More French Country meets shabby chic than contemporary-modern, which can seem cold and uninviting. Take this chair for example: made of 30,000 paper tissues for a “cloud-like atmosphere.â€� But I’m cozying up to furniture with a modern bent after looking at modernreproductions.com, which specializes in reproductions of the best of mid-20th century modern furniture. Their items, unlike the originals they mirror, are livable  and fairly affordable, like this comfy arm chair ($899). (Compare it to this pricier version at $3,529.) The chair is a version of one created in 1958 by Florence Knoll of the Bauhaus school of design. Swivel and turn in the miniature egg chair, a replica of Arne Jacobsen’s 1956 signature piece. Sit any way you want in the Ox-chair reproduction. The orginal was created in 1960 by Hans J. Wegner, a noted cabinet maker who became a member of London’s Royal Society of the Arts. Imagine cuddling on this iconic couch ($3,500), available in more than 40 soft, natural colors. It’s a replica of sculptor Isamu Noguchi’s original. Noguchi was the set designer for many of Martha Graham’s best known dances. Dreamily stretch out on this couch ($1,800) based on a 1929 Ludwig Mies van der Roh original. Take a look at this Frank Lloyd Wright table replica at $3,500, or let the teens “hangâ€� in the acrylic and chrome-plated bubble chair ($1,500, pictured). The original was designed in 1963 by Eero Aarnio, who recently received Europe’s most prestigious award for industrial design, the ADI Compasso d’Oro Award, for his Trioli chair for toddlers.

Whether you choose to accent your living space with a single statue from Indonesia or fill every room with furnishings from far-flung cultures, you’ll find your environment transformed and enriched by touches of the unfamiliar. At Ashtree Imports, you can shop for unique, high quality objects from Asia and Africa without spending a fortune. Right now, the Royal Ruby end table from Morocco (pictured) is 30 percent off at $139. It’s a hand-painted, freestanding cabinet that beautifully expresses the influences of French, Roman, Arab and Berber design on Moroccan décor. Also 30 percent off is the Savannah Foyer Bench from Ghana ($49). This beautiful hand-carved low wooden bench is perfect for staying balanced while tying or removing shoes. A row of them would look marvelous against a wall. If your couch is a solid-colored but slightly boring “classic,� spice it up with throw pillows covered by creations from Rajasthan and Gujarat, in India. Village Crafts World has pages of them to choose from. Check out these violet cotton and satin covers (set of two for $71). The front features fine embroidery and antique mirror work. Or get a set of five mirror-work covers for just $77. These are all cotton and have dangling fur latkans (little tassels) on all four sides. At Rachana World Collections, you’ll find a great selection of ethnic masks, sculptures, wall décor, vases and more. Especially nice are the sculptures/statues, like this hand-carved suar wood Buddha (on sale for $70) and this amazing wild boar sculpture (on sale for $160). The site provides close-up photos of each piece from multiple angles. Think of the exotic objects in your home as wonderful souvenirs from places you’ve now (sort of) visited.