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Still looking for that perfect gift for your significant other, clients and colleagues, family members, pets or yourself? Or struggling to decorate for the holidays? We’ve scoured gift shows and websites to find a little something for everyone — from the gadget geek to the foodie — so that you could spend less time searching and more time enjoying the season. Best of all, these ideas will also delight design junkies. (Shown above: Poopy Cat’s Landmarks collection.)
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KITCHEN
PERSONAL ACCESSORIES AND APPAREL
PETS
PLAY AND CRAFT
TABLETOP
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ART AND DÉCOR
DESKTOP AND OFFICE
ELECTRONICS AND GADGETS
HOLIDAY DÉCOR
HOME TEXTILES
JEWELRY AND WATCHES
Hurom (hurom.com)
The H-AA Slow Juicer is one appliance that’s pretty enough to keep on top of the counter. That’s because, in addition to a sleek, streamlined design, it’s now offered with a stunning rose gold finish. This flagship cold-pressing model can also be used to make ice cream.
Hurom
Juicero (juicero.com)
Yves Béhar’s studio Fuseproject helped develop the Wi-Fi-enabled Juicero, an easier-to-use — and not to mention an aesthetically chic — cold-press juicer that uses prepackaged pouches of fruit and vegetables. In essence, this method also eliminates the need for cleaning, one of the biggest deterrents for using other juicers. You do have to purchase the juice packs, however, which will cost you $5 to $8 a pop (subscriptions are available), but they’re loaded with ripe, raw, organic product that’s been triple-washed, chopped and sealed into the pouches on that day for ultimate freshness.
Juicero
Omega (omegajuicers.com)
Another handsome juicer on the market is the Cube300S Silver Juice Cube, which, as the name hints, is a cube-shaped countertop appliance with no extraneous parts. Instead, the parts are integrated into the cube like puzzle pieces. Detach them to serve as the pulp bowl, produce tray, juice container, funnel and cleaning tools. Then put it all back together to save space.
Omega
Sur la Table (surlatable.com)
Grow your own cooking herbs right on your kitchen countertop using the AeroGarden Harvest Touch. Available in copper, stainless steel or red colors, the unit is compact and grows herbs and plants up to five times faster than soil with its full-spectrum LED grow lights, mess-free seed pods and watering alerts. A user-friendly LCD allows for easy control.
Sur la Table
T-fal (via amazon.com and wayfair.com)
For kitchens that have exposed pot racks, consider adding some colorful cookware from T-fal. The brand came out with three retro-inspired prints for the underside of the Trés Chic frying pans, each of which measure 9.5 inches in diameter and boast T-fal’s nonstick interior with Thermo-Spot technology. The company has also launched ColorLuxe 12-Piece Sets of pots and pans in rich jewel tones.
T-fal
Totally Bamboo (totallybamboo.com)
We love the new bamboo cutting and serving board Tree of Life, which resembles a woodcut pattern. But look closer at the tree rings and discover that they’re actually 800 tiny laser-etched silhouettes of endangered or exotic animals.
Totally Bamboo
Yoshikawa (yoshikawajapan.com)
The Yukihira Saucepan boasts a beautiful hand-dimpled metal body that maximizes heating capacity and heat retention. Pour spouts on either side ensure a comfortable cooking experience no matter which hand the home chef uses.
Yoshikawa
PERSONAL ACCESSORIES AND APPAREL
Bambu (bambuhome.com)
Nifty and handy Travel Zip Pouches are simple bags for storing toiletries, makeup, knickknacks and even writing tools. Available in small or large sizes, they’re made with denim hemp, cork fabric or striped organic cotton.
Bambu
ChattyFeet (chattyfeet.com)
ChattyFeet socks are quirky and whimsical character socks that comein men’s, women’s or children’s sizes. Characters range from Feetasso (Picasso) and Albert Einstoe to the Toeminator Jr.
ChattyFeet
Cooper Hewitt (shop.cooperhewitt.org)
Clean-lined and practical, Maharam’s Amsterdam Bag is a simple hand tote made of waterproof waxed-cotton canvas with a saddle leather handle. It comes in black, fatigue or cobalt blue.
Cooper Hewitt
GoFish (bygofish.com)
A minimalist and hip textile folder pouch, Allyn can fit certain iPad models, writing tools, notepads and other necessities, all of which stay secured with the top zip. It comes in six sophisticated color palettes and with a detachable strap.
GoFish
Konzuk (konzukshop.com)
In addition to concrete jewelry, Konzuk also produces smart-looking shirt cuff links in geometric forms. Among them are the round KMC112 and bar-shaped KMC114 cuff links, both of which are constructed of stainless steel with inset concrete details.
Konzuk
Maria Castelli (mariacastelli.com)
Beautiful and minimalist, the Hudson Backpack sports a simple silhouette made of unlined high-end Italian shrunk leather. It can fit many laptop models along with other work necessities. An interior zippered pocket keeps valuables secure, while an exterior zippered pocket keeps frequent-use items easily accessible. Available in black.
Maria Castelli
Memobottle (memobottle.com)
Quite possibly the best-looking drinking-water bottle, Memobottle is a flat, flask-like vessel that’s easier to carry by hand or stash — whether in a handbag or backpack — or pop into a back pocket. The bottle playfully comes in A5 or A6 sizes, corresponding with the international paper sizes. They’re made from BPA-free Cradle to Cradle certified plastic.
Memobottle
MoMA (store.moma.org)
We love Issey Miyake’s tote bags, among them the Bao Bao Issey Miyake Prism, which comes in white, black or metallic (the latter of which is pricier), and the much more affordable Star Pleats Bag, which comes in blue.
MoMA
MUJI (muji.us)
This Japanese brand offers cutting-edge style, but always at affordable or reasonable prices. A couple handy items we like right now include the Welder Raincoat Freecut Clear and Reclaimed Wool Tote Bag, which features a black, white and gray herringbone pattern.
MUJI
Otaat (otaat.com)
The box-shaped Topher Backpack is made with luxurious Italian cowhide in navy, black, ivy or rust colors with contrast detailing along the zipper. But if you’re on a tighter budget, Otaat also offers small leather goods including the Flap wallet and cardholder series, which come in classic colors but also flashy ones like silver or rose gold.
Otaat
Still House (stillhousenyc.com)
The Hexagonal Pouch is laser-etched with a concentric triangle pattern, adding to the play on geometry. This leather wristlet is available in brown, black or copper.
Still House
Sukeno (sukenosocks.com)
Sushi, anyone? This brand’s funky Sushi Socks resemble the Japanese food staples when folded or rolled up. Open them up and voilà: They look just like colorful striped socks. Sukeno has also come out with some quirky Donut Socks that are sweet on keeping your toes warm.
Sukeno
Sword & Plough (swordandplough.com)
This accessories brand has a unique backstory: Founded by active-duty US Army officer Emily Núñez Cavness, the company is a socially conscious brand that works with domestic manufacturers who employ veterans. On top of that, it donates 10 percent of all profits back to veteran organizations. Sword & Plough makes modern and on-trend bags, wallets, pouches, glass cases, caps, dog bandanas and even a longboard. Two of our favorite women’s bags are the Grey Wool Handbag with black leather handles and Mini Zip Top Tote Bag, which comes in blue, khaki green or camo colorways.
Sword & Plough
Teeser (teeser.it)
#JustBreathe is a capsule collection of t-shirts that were created in collaboration with nine artists for a cause: A portion of the proceeds from each sale benefits the Pediatric Hospital St. Damien in Haiti, providing medical oxygen for young ICU patients.
Teeser
Ten Thousand Villages (tenthousandvillages.com)
OK, the Socks in a Box Collection isn’t exactly cheap, but the $45 price tag gets you three pairs of organic cotton socks handcrafted by Conscious Step, which, in turn, partners with nonprofit organizations around the world to support various causes.
Ten Thousand Villages
Young Architect Gear (youngarchitectgear.com)
Represent! Pick up one of the many architecture-themed tote bags, which range from a portrait of the famous Frank Gehry flip-off to a clash of famous arches.
Young Architect Gear
AtelierSuburban (via etsy.com)
This Romanian modern furniture maker created a sweet cat hideaway with a tongue-in-cheek name — Cat-a-Combe. This cave-like house is shaped not unlike a Hershey’s kiss and made from cedar-plywood layers. It includes a snoozing cushion. A floor version and suspended swing model are both available.
AtelierSuburban
B&G Martin (bandgmartin.com/shop)
Mix and match a modern wood or wire dog bed base with a mattress top covered in micro-suede, faux leather, outdoor fabric, designer fabric or custom textile.
B&G Martin
Bad Marlon (marlonshop.com)
This Korean brand has really upped the ante in designer dog products, from cable-knit sweaters and bath bars to doghouses and even the playpens. The indoor/outdoor doghouses include the pitched-roof Deauville S and Larvik houses, which are constructed of black-finished steel and plywood. Meanwhile, the Oshu house is a white powder-coated steel shelter cut with a modern geometric perforation pattern. Finally, we also love the Marron Bed, which features a thick-felt shell that recalls the shape of a chestnut (or “marron” in French).
Bad Marlon
Black Velvet (blackvelvetpets.com)
Juno is a sleek cat litter enclosure or pet hideaway well-suited to cats or small dogs. Made of humidity-proofed birch plywood, with a lacquer finish, the piece easily fits into most modern interiors and comes in two sizes.
Black Velvet
FamousOTO (via wayfair.com)
For the hipster cat, there’s Brooklyn Cat House, a simple cardboard box with Brooklyn neighborhood–inspired artwork ranging from G train subway steps to an industrial building brick façade. Cats can enter through the cheeky “loading dock” opening.
FamousOTO
Howlpot (howlpot.com)
Another brand proving that Koreans adore their pets and good design, Howlpot makes a conical pet bed reminiscent of a Japanese crepe. Called Howly, it comes in beige, light blue, peach or stone gray with a simple removable cushion.
Howlpot
Katris (katriscat.com)
Tetris meets cat scratcher meets furniture in Katris. These modular cardboard pieces come in floor-stacking blocks to create cat trees, wall-mountable blocks for cat shelves and open-bracket Lynks that function as basic scratch lounges. You can even use stacked blocks as informal coffee tables or book storage.
Katris
Katt3 (katt3.com)
Build the perfect playpen or fortress for your cat(s) with Katt3’s modular cubes. You can purchase single cubes or a starter kit and continue to add onto it. The company offers a multitude of accessories — from dangling toys to cardboard or sisal scratch pads — to outfit the finished structure.
Katt3
M3LD (m3ld.com)
Pet food and water bowls need not stick out like sore thumbs in the home. This studio’s Heavy Pet Dish boasts an attractive modern aesthetic with its raised platform in burnished brass, raw steel, white or matte black. Three sizes and heights are available, and the bowls are heavy-duty stainless steel. Rubber feet keep the feeders from sliding around.
M3LD
Monster Factory (themonsterfactoryusa.com)
A change from the hard-shell or Sherpa-style pet carrier, the VW Campervan Pet Carrier is emblazoned with a retro Volkswagen graphic in blue to let your small pet “travel” in style.
Monster Factory
Poopy Cat (poopycat.com)
The Landmarks collection recreates world-famous structures in cardboard for both your and your cat’s delight. There’s the Taj Mahal and Kremlin, and even the Egyptian Sphynx. Not happy with the outcome of this year’s presidential election? No problem. All your White House are belong to cats.
Poopy Cat
Areaware (areaware.com)
Inspired by Buckminster Fuller and Shoji Sadao’s Dymaxion Projection, designer Brendan Ravenhill teamed up with the Buckminster Fuller Institute to create the Dymaxion Folding Globe. This fun, folding paper and magnet icosahedron comes in three colorways. Each measures 3.25 by 3 by 3.75 inches.
Areaware
Atelier-D (via etsy.com)
This design studio has revamped the traditional Domino with modern graphics laser-etched onto walnut or maple wood pieces. Each domino is hand-sanded smoothed and oiled with an eco finish. There are 28 tiles to each set, packaged in a simple fabric drawstring bag with a leather label.
Atelier-D
D-torso (d-torsoshop.com)
Animals and Animals Zodiac are slotted and precut cardboard kits for building your own creature models. A sampling of the animals available includes cats, turtles, penguins, pigs, rhinos, reindeer and dinosaurs.
D-torso
Kengo Kuma & Associates (via more-trees-design-en.stores.jp)
Who knew that celebrated architect Kengo Kuma does toys, too? His Tsumiki building blocks are simple, wooden inverted Vs with notched bottoms that help one stack them. Three sets are available: seven, 13 or 22 pieces.
Kengo Kuma
Love Hultèn (lovehulten.com)
Pixel Vision is a small walnut box that conceals a retro portable gaming system and LCD screen for playing a range of game emulations based on the original titles from Atari, Nintendo and Sega systems. It comes with a USB charging cable, soft case, manual, 8GB Nano USB flash drive and two games to start.
Love Hultèn
SFMOMA (museumstore.sfmoma.org)
Get your children into design early with this dollhouse gone modern. The MiO Dollhouse Playset features wooden shapes that can be reconfigured into houses, forts, sailboats and whatever else the kids imagine. The set includes 41 pieces including the structural pieces, a hopscotch plank, reversible tree and garden blocks, a blanket and pillow, beanbag people with hand-painted wooden heads and a drawstring bag for storage.
SFMOMA
The Grommet (thegrommet.com)
Tech-savvy kids or adults who are kids at heart can develop and design their own retro 8-bit-style video games with Bloxel. This innovative kit includes a game board with color-coded blocks for composing environments, characters and actions. With the help of mobile devices with cameras and the Bloxel app, the games come to life and can be played right on a tablet.
The Grommet
The Timber Toy Company (thetimbertoycompany.com.au)
Based in Australia, this company offers a variety of Australian Animals 3D Puzzles that range from a koala in a tree to kangaroos and wombats.
The Timber Toy Company
Tinkering Labs (tinkeringlabs.com)
A sort of edutainment toy, the Electric Motors Catalyst allows kids to build various projects that use an electric motor, from a drawing machine and a motorized egg beater to a toy car. Do we spot an engineer-in-training?
Tinkering Labs
Wintercroft (wintercroft.com)
We’re enamored with low-poly crafts (ask me about the paper Halloween paper masks I’ve been making the last few years) from this designer. Purchasing a design gives you access to an instant PDF download, which you then print over multiple pages on a standard home printer. Cut out the pieces, fold along lines as instructed and attach matching numbers to enjoy your finished project.
Wintercroft
Alessi (store.alessi.com)
Architect Sir David Chipperfield designed Tonale, a table setting line defined by a clean, minimal aesthetic much like Chipperfield’s architectural works. It consists of ceramic plates, bowls, beakers, vessels, serving plates and vases in a wide range of sophisticated, muted colors and glass carafes and beakers.
Alessi
Bambu (bambuhome.com)
The Cedar Wood Hex Tray from Bambu comes in a variety of sizes as well as elongated versions that make for truly elegant yet warm serving platters. Each is crafted from wood planks that have been recycled from 70-year-old Chinese houses and finished with food-safe oil.
Bambu
Bungalo (bungalohome.com)
This Brooklyn-based design studio playfully borrows the form of a fuel jerry can for its Ceramic Water Jerry Can. The pitchers are available in white, sage or light gray.
Bungalo
Fitz and Floyd (via bethbathandbeyond.com)
The Daphne 5-Piece Whiskey Decanter Set adds a bit of holiday sparkle with its dappled metallic detailing on the bottom. The small version comes in gold, while the large set comes in silver and sports a rounded shape.
Fitz and Floyd
Incipit (incipitlab.com)
Designed by Ilaria Innocenti, the Belle cake stand is a beautiful, sculptural piece made of varnished ash wood and topped with a brass-plated steel cloche cover. Three sizes are available in natural oak, green or gray.
Incipit
Inno.Park Design Studio H.K. (innopark.hk/en)
The Fish Cup is really a cup-and-coaster set (two of each) that works magic: When the beverage inside the cup is 68 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and placed on the coaster, a koi fish appears on the coaster surface. (The fish silhouette is actually on the bottom of the cup, and heat activates the color-shifting process of the coaster.)
Inno.Park Design Studio H.K.
MeAConcrete (via etsy.com)
Texas Etsy maker MeAConcrete crafts a variety of gorgeous hexagonal concrete (natural, gray and even black tinted) coasters with color tipping. Looking for more luxe? They also craft hex coasters out of marble.
MeAConcrete
MoMA (store.moma.org)
Optic Table Tile Coasters sport black and white line graphics that, when grouped, form isometric cube patterns. The six pieces are made of beech wood with cork bottoms.
MoMA
OTHR (othr.com)
Designed by Felicia Ferrone, the Lilium Carafe & Cup Set features a clever stacked design that saves space in the cupboard while also making it easier to transport from kitchen to table. The limited-edition pieces are 3D-printed porcelain.
OTHR
Simon Pearce (simonpearce.com)
The wooden molds used in 16th-century glassblowing inspired the glass-and-wood combinations in the elegant Ludlow Collection. The glass carafes, decanters, tumblers, hurricanes, ice buckets and snack bowls all have a place in a fitted sustainably sourced wood base or tray.
Simon Pearce
Stillfried Wien (stillfried.com)
Oswald Haerdtl’s 1925-designed Candy Dish, produced by Viennese glassware company Lobmeyr, is delicate and delightful with its slim stem and robust spherical form. The mouth-blown lead-free crystal pieces come in four sizes. Fill them or just display them as decorative objects.
Stillfried Wien
Takenaka (takenaka-global.com/products)
The Bento Box Rectangle is a practical — and stylish — way to take your lunch to go. These rounded-corner boxes offer two stacked tiers, are BPA- and lead-free, microwaveable and dishwasher-safe and come with a securing band. The boxes come in 15 colors ranging from pistachio green to lavender. Get the matching Chopsticks and Bento Box Bag to complete the look.
Takenaka
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