The holiday season is just around the corner, which means it’s time to compile a list of gift ideas for your clients, colleagues, friends, and family. To ease your shopping experience, we asked seven architects and designers to share their best finds for the year. Here are their 15 recommendations.
Dampfwerk Pear Brandy by France 44 ($31.99)
Recommended by Julie Snow, FAIA, co-founder and design principal, Snow Kreilich Architects, Minneapolis
Made from hand-selected Bartlett pears, this German-style fruit brandy is made in a family distillery in St. Louis Park, Minn. “They produce outstanding spirits to be enjoyed in the company of friends and family,” Julie Snow says. The pears used to make this beautifully packaged brandy are first crushed and sent through a skin-on-fermentation process. Next, the company uses German copper pot stills to distill the sauce and mix it with water, creating a brandy that “has a profile that closely resembles a breeze blowing through an orchard of Bartlett pear trees: floral, fragrant, and delicate,” alleges its website. Produced with no added colors, flavors, or concentrates. france44.com
Courtesy Lenox
Danks Kobenstyle 2-quart Casserole by Lenox Corp. ($115)
Recommended by Pat Bosch, Assoc. AIA, design director and principal, Perkins + Will, Miami
“Timeless, versatile, indestructible”—that’s how Pat Bosch describes this enamel steel casserole. As part of the Danks Kobenstyle collection of cookeware, this 7.75″-diameter dish can hold 2 quarts of liquid and comes with a lid that doubles as a trivet. Finished with three coats of enamel and available in a variety of colors (chili red shown). Hand-washing recommended. lenox.com
Courtesy Heath Ceramics
Serving Platter by Heath Ceramics ($95)
Recommended by Lisa Iwamoto, co-founder, IwamotoScott Architecture, San Francisco
As part of Heath Ceramics’ Coupe collection, this circular, ceramic serving platter is designed and handcrafted in Sausalito, Calif. Measuring 13.25″ in diameter, this minimalist, timeless platter is “super durable and makes everything you put on it look tasty,” Lisa Iwamoto says. Microwave- and dishwasher-safe, and available in five colors (aqua shown). heathceramics.com
Courtesy Uno + Ichi
Pobrecito (Po’ Boy) Burnt Toast by Uno + Ichi ($46)
Recommended by Catherine Johnson, AIA, co-founder and principal, Design, Bitches, Los Angeles
Wheel-thrown in Los Angeles, this brown clay mug features a hand-drawn sad face in white “because most of us look like this before our morning coffee,” Catherine Johnson says. Po’ Boy cup measures 2.7″ tall by 4″ in diameter and can hold 10 fluid ounces. Offered with a hand-glazed blue finish on the interior and handle. Dishwasher- and microwave-safe. uno-ichi.com
Courtesy Snow Peak
Cutting Board Set L by Snow Peak ($55.95)
Recommended by Rebecca Rudolph, AIA, co-founder, Design, Bitches, Los Angeles
Made of birch wood with stainless steel hinges, this multifunctional box stores a full-sized, high-carbon, stainless steel chef’s knife and doubles as a cutting board. The 1.4″-thick board measures 14.2″ long and 9.2″ wide, and folds up to 14.2″ long, 4.6″ wide, and 2.8″ thick. “This is the perfect combo for space-minded adventurers—compact and functional with the attention to detail we admire,” Rebecca Rudolph says. Can be integrated into Snow Peak’s Iron Grill Table. snowpeak.com
Courtesy Blk Elk Media and Modus Studio
Modusbox by Modus Studio ($392)
Recommended by Chris Baribeau, AIA, principal architect, Modus Studio, Fayetteville, Ark.
Designed by Fayetteville, Ark.–based architecture firm Modus Studio, Modusbox is a minimalist portable grill and fire pit for people who want to enjoy the outdoors in style. “[It] is the perfect outdoor accoutrement,” Chris Baribeau says. “The simple form, clean lines, quality materials, and stellar functionality make grilling, griddling, and sitting around the fire pit a designed experience … whether in your backyard, by the river, or in the mountains.” Made of stainless steel, the Modusbox comes with two handles and a spatula, and is stored inside a wooden box that can be used as firewood for the first fire. The Modusbox lid can also function as a stand, table, griddle, rain shield, and firewood holder. Available through the Modus Things Etsy shop. modusstudio.com
Courtesy Snow Peak
IGT Slim by Snow Peak ($449.95)
Recommended by Rebecca Rudolph
A perfect addition to anyone’s camping gear collection, this “well-designed, multifunctional” table is made from natural teak wood panels and comes with a stainless steel frame and collapsible legs. The IGT Slim serves as a table and doubles as a cooktop when integrated with Snow Peak’s modular insert options, including stoves, work surfaces, or storage units, Rudolph says. Measures 16″ wide, 37″ long, and 16″ high. snowpeak.com
Courtesy Fujiei Corp.
NychairX Rocking Chair by Takashi Nii, Placewares ($720)
Recommended by Catherine Johnson
Designed by late Japanese designer Takashi Nii in 1970, this rocking chair was inspired by Japanese living style. Its minimalist, ergonomic design offers a comfortable elbow rest and a removable, angled backrest entirely made of durable Kurashiki sailcloth. The foldable NychairX is light, compact, and “easily transitions from [indoor] to outdoor,” Johnson says. Combine this chair with the NychairX Ottoman ($360), which can also be used as a stool. placewares.com
Courtesy Lostine
Tara Bronze Hooks by Lostine ($110)
Recommended by Alan Ricks, AIA, founding principal and chief design officer, MASS Design Group, Boston
Designed by Philadelphia-based home furnishing company Lostine, these organic-shaped hooks were first made in ceramic and then cast in bronze in a local foundry, “resulting in simple, elegant forms that leave a trace of the maker and the process in their final form,” Alan Ricks says. Available in small (5″ wide and 4.5″ tall), medium (5″ wide and 5.5″ tall), and large (5.75″ wide and 9.25″ tall). lostine.com
Courtesy MAD Studio
Wool Cloud Scarf by MAD Studio ($58)
Recommended by Julie Snow
Designed by MAD design studio co-founders Martha McQuade and Dan Clark, the Wool Cloud scarf takes its name from its soft, puffy texture. This wool knit scarf is kettle-dyed by hand in small batches in Minneapolis, using water-based dyes. “Low impact materials and methods are used whenever possible,” Snow says. Measuring 48″ wide by 72″ long, the scarf has raw edges and is available in 18 colors (fog shown). scarf-shop.com
Courtesy Dior
Ambre Nuit 8.5 ounces by Dior ($320)
Recommended by Pat Bosch
The “profound lasting fragrance” of this Dior best seller is a combination of amber and Turkish rose, Bosch says. Created by perfumer François Demachy, the Ambre Nuit comes in a 8.5-ounce “minimalist bottle,” Bosch adds. Mix and match it with Dior’s Ambre Nuit Candle ($85) or Body Cream ($110). dior.com
Courtesy Askov Finlayson
The North Hat by Askov Finlayson ($34)
Recommended by Julie Snow
With a mission to reduce environmental impact of mass production, Minneapolis-based fashion brand Askov Finlayson has made these hats from recycled yarn. “Climate change threatens our winters here in the North, but our friends and neighbors at Askov Finlayson have started a movement to ‘Keep the North Cold,’ ” Snow says. “Their Give 110% business model is designed to create a net positive through a system of climate accountability.” Available in seven colorways (slate/natural shown). askovfinlayson.com
Courtesy Blackwing
Blackwing Volume 16.2 by Blackwing ($24.95)
Recommended by Julie Snow
Made in Japan, this minimalist pencil is a tribute to late British mathematician, writer, and visionary Ada Lovelace. Featuring a matte-white cedar casing and a black aluminum ferrule, Blackwing’s design was inspired by the simplistic look of the early personal computers. Each pencil features Lovelace’s initials in a white binary pattern, a dust-free eraser, and Japanese graphite. “Just the best pencil,” Snow says. Comes in a pack of 12. blackwing602.com
Courtesy Lostine
Bloak Ladders by Lostine (from $550)
Recommended by Alan Ricks
Perfect for displaying blankets, towels, scarves, magazines, or dry herbs, Lostine’s Bloak collection of decorative ladders was inspired by ladders used in orchards for picking fruits. Narrowing toward the apex, each ladder is handmade from solid white oak and has been dipped in an oxide to create a darkened base. “[It is] the unique blend of something modern that [has] retained a sense of being handmade,” Ricks says. Combine them with Lostine’s Galvanized Bins ($35), Carter Hooks ($90), or Ludlow Leather Hooks ($120) to turn the ladders into functional storage solutions. The ladders are offered in three sizes. lostine.com
Emily Hooper
Hip Hop Architecture Camp Donation (one-time or recurring)
Recommended by Catherine Johnson
“We’re fans of … programs that are interested in mixing artistic disciplines [and] making architecture more accessible to a broader audience,” Johnson says. Organized by Detroit-based Urban Arts Collective and founded by Madison, Wis.–based designer Michael Ford, Assoc. AIA, the Hip Hop Architecture Camp is a one-week-long, intensive workshop to teach underrepresented youth about architecture, urban planning, place making, design, and economic development through “the lens of hip-hop culture,” according to the program’s website. The average cost for one student to attend the camp is $250. hiphoparchitecture.com
For more ideas, check out our Editor’s Choice Gift Guide for Designers 2018, 2017 Gift Guide: The Architect’s Wish List, 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Architects and Designers, and The 2015 Architect-Approved Gift Guide.
