50 Beautiful-Yet-Functional Gifts for the Home
This year, our home gift guide is packed with 50 finds that meld utility with style — from neon napkins for the whimsical dinner-party hostess to a minimalist wooden living-room swing for the design aficionado who’s young at heart. And they range in size (and price), from unique paper clips to brighten up the home-office desk to a high-tech fridge that brews the morning coffee for you. Find them all ahead.
*This article appears in the November 23, 2015 issue of New York Magazine.
Mid-Century Modern Pups A Shar-Pei and a Frank Gehry, a Welsh corgi and an Arne Jacobsen, and other unlikely (yet apt) duos show up in Cristina A...
Mid-Century Modern Pups A Shar-Pei and a Frank Gehry, a Welsh corgi and an Arne Jacobsen, and other unlikely (yet apt) duos show up in Cristina Amodeo’s book Dogs and Chairs: Designer Pairs.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Dual-Action Water Can Holds 7.5 liters of water, with one side offering a perforated pour, the other a heavier pour.
Photo: Klas Svensson/Mim ...
A Dual-Action Water Can Holds 7.5 liters of water, with one side offering a perforated pour, the other a heavier pour.
Photo: Klas Svensson/Mim bild ab
Adult School Supplies Nine New Form paper-clips to upgrade every file Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Cacti Coasters A set of six coasters stack up inside a terra-cotta pot — so it’s harder to forget where you put them when guests come over.
Phot...
Cacti Coasters A set of six coasters stack up inside a terra-cotta pot — so it’s harder to forget where you put them when guests come over.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Watermelon Poster A 25-by-39-inch reproduction of Herman Miller’s Summer Picnic August 20, 1971.
Photo: MoMA Store/© MoMA 2011
A Colombian Doormat Hand-woven by artisans in Santander, Colombia, using fique, a regional plant fiber.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Every Single Subway Sign The New York City Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual, now a coffee-table book, is the reason all subway imagery...
Every Single Subway Sign The New York City Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual, now a coffee-table book, is the reason all subway imagery has stayed nearly exactly the same since it was first imagined by Massimo Vignelli and Bob Noorda 45 years ago.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Day-Glo Napkins For the grown-up Merry Prankster, cotton napkins lined in neon.
Photo: ABC Carpet & Home
Patina Clock The designers at Cofield achieved the clock’s “languishing in a railyard” look by hand-applying a patina to brass.
Photo: Courtesy ...
Patina Clock The designers at Cofield achieved the clock’s “languishing in a railyard” look by hand-applying a patina to brass.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Drug-Lord Candle Give your local dealer (or Narcos-obsessed friend) a Santa Muerte candle, which cartel bosses light to ensure protection from ri...
Drug-Lord Candle Give your local dealer (or Narcos-obsessed friend) a Santa Muerte candle, which cartel bosses light to ensure protection from rival gangs.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Transformative Bowl Each copper-plated steel container can sit by the door to catch keys and spare change, or fold completely flat when empty.
...
A Transformative Bowl Each copper-plated steel container can sit by the door to catch keys and spare change, or fold completely flat when empty.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Bagel Art Everything, Hanna Liden’s massive Hudson River Park bagel installation that blew up Instagram over the summer, is now available in eigh...
Bagel Art Everything, Hanna Liden’s massive Hudson River Park bagel installation that blew up Instagram over the summer, is now available in eight-inch-tall tabletop form.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Two-in-One Jewelry Holder Slide rings over the polished brass middle, then lift it up to store bracelets in the base.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Better Sleep for Grown-ups Apparently the standard LED lightbulb you read with before bed suppresses melatonin. But the Good Night Biological LED...
Better Sleep for Grown-ups Apparently the standard LED lightbulb you read with before bed suppresses melatonin. But the Good Night Biological LED bulb, originally developed for NASA astronauts, is designed to filter out the blue-light waves that disrupt your circadian rhythm.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor/Oscar Hidalgo
A Geometric Throw This knit throw marks pattern-loving clothing designer Dusen Dusen’s recent foray into homewares.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendo...
A Geometric Throw This knit throw marks pattern-loving clothing designer Dusen Dusen’s recent foray into homewares.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Pillow Pour La Piscine Your snowbird aunt can tote this terry-cloth pillow with her beach Birkin.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Folding Saw For woodworkers living in small apartments, this folds into one long stick and comes with Swedish-made blades.
Photo: Courtesy of ...
A Folding Saw For woodworkers living in small apartments, this folds into one long stick and comes with Swedish-made blades.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Disco Potty A motion-activated lamp that clips on to the edge of a toilet. It can be set to one of eight different neon hues.
Photo: Courtesy of...
Disco Potty A motion-activated lamp that clips on to the edge of a toilet. It can be set to one of eight different neon hues.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Living-Room Swing A minimalist solid-wood chair-swing, meant to hang from the ceiling, by Polish designer Iwona Kosicka.
Photo: Courtesy of th...
A Living-Room Swing A minimalist solid-wood chair-swing, meant to hang from the ceiling, by Polish designer Iwona Kosicka.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Handsome Humidifier Dyson made 643 prototypes before settling on this model. It uses ultraviolet light to kill waterborne bacteria, so you breath...
Handsome Humidifier Dyson made 643 prototypes before settling on this model. It uses ultraviolet light to kill waterborne bacteria, so you breathe in only healthy mist.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Beautiful Broom Sure, it works just fine sweeping the floor, but the Baffi by GamFratesi also looks lovely hanging on the wall.
Photo: 3iMac
A Minimalist Watering Can Crafted from stoneware by Haydron; the narrow spout is perfect for moistening delicate succulents.
Photo: Courtesy of ...
A Minimalist Watering Can Crafted from stoneware by Haydron; the narrow spout is perfect for moistening delicate succulents.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Trio of Candy Dishes Designed by Oswald Haerdtl for the Austrian glassware line Lobmeyr, these mouth-blown crystal orbs were first made for the...
A Trio of Candy Dishes Designed by Oswald Haerdtl for the Austrian glassware line Lobmeyr, these mouth-blown crystal orbs were first made for the Éxposition des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 1925. Photo: Bobby Doherty
A Bigfoot Footstool A cozy ottoman made of ultrasoft acrylic fur.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Teacup Game Like Jenga, but cuter.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
An Austrian Candlestick Made from one piece of bent polished brass at the Werkstätte Carl Auböck. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Denim Ojami Cushions Wrapped with handmade Japanese Washi paper that’s so delicate traces of the wood pulp are still visible.
Photo: Courtesy of...
Denim Ojami Cushions Wrapped with handmade Japanese Washi paper that’s so delicate traces of the wood pulp are still visible.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Marble Mirror She’ll feel like Monica Vitti when applying eyeliner with this ’50s-Italian-style mirror, from Studiopepe.
Photo: Courtesy of th...
A Marble Mirror She’ll feel like Monica Vitti when applying eyeliner with this ’50s-Italian-style mirror, from Studiopepe.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Hand-Carved White-Onyx Bowl Wrapped Furoshiki style — a traditional Japanese cloth-folding technique — in vintage Made in the USA bandannas dat...
A Hand-Carved White-Onyx Bowl Wrapped Furoshiki style — a traditional Japanese cloth-folding technique — in vintage Made in the USA bandannas dating as far back as the 1920s.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
An Andover Chair The most obnoxious thing to have if you’re an alum — but an amazing thing to have if you aren’t.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Furry Butterfly Chair It’s inspired by the original 1930s design, but what your teen will appreciate is the luxurious faux-fur slipcover.
Phot...
A Furry Butterfly Chair It’s inspired by the original 1930s design, but what your teen will appreciate is the luxurious faux-fur slipcover.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Fancy Trashcan Your gum wrapper would be so lucky as to end up in this Bottega Veneta wastepaper basket.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Pink Velvet Sofa The ultimate cozy luxury, from British furniture-maker George Sherlock. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Country Quilt An antique velvet-and-floral patchwork blanket from vintage-textile purveyor Sharktooth.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Kerri Strug Accent Vintage gymnastics equipment as décor is a thing. Display this ’60s pommel horse in the hallway, and have visitors dr...
A Kerri Strug Accent Vintage gymnastics equipment as décor is a thing. Display this ’60s pommel horse in the hallway, and have visitors drape their coats over it. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Tropical Lamp A little bit of Miami for the living room, the Palmyra lamp is made from brass, steel, and handblown glass by Brooklyn-based...
A Tropical Lamp A little bit of Miami for the living room, the Palmyra lamp is made from brass, steel, and handblown glass by Brooklyn-based studio Moving Mountains. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Post-Dorm Beanbag Chair This furry lounger from luxury sheepskin purveyors Parker Wool comes in four neutral shades, marking what seems like th...
A Post-Dorm Beanbag Chair This furry lounger from luxury sheepskin purveyors Parker Wool comes in four neutral shades, marking what seems like the first sophisticated beanbag chair ever to be produced.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Cool Coop Cabin porn for the chickens — with separate levels so they can be arranged by pecking order — from designer Frederik Roijé. Ph...
A Cool Coop Cabin porn for the chickens — with separate levels so they can be arranged by pecking order — from designer Frederik Roijé. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Backyard Bubble Grow tomatoes and sleep under the stars in this easy-to-install clear geodesic dome, made of PVC and polyester.
Photo: Courtes...
A Backyard Bubble Grow tomatoes and sleep under the stars in this easy-to-install clear geodesic dome, made of PVC and polyester.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Switchdriver An innovative drill-meets-driver with a revolving two-headed chuck that instantly switches between drilling and screwdriving witho...
A Switchdriver An innovative drill-meets-driver with a revolving two-headed chuck that instantly switches between drilling and screwdriving without a change of bits.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Baby Utrecht Chair For the kid who wears Gucci and drinks kale smoothies just like her parents: a mini-replica of the 1935 design by Gerrit Rie...
A Baby Utrecht Chair For the kid who wears Gucci and drinks kale smoothies just like her parents: a mini-replica of the 1935 design by Gerrit Rietveld.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Coffee-Making Fridge A first: The GE Cafe series French Door Refrigerator comes with a built-in Keurig machine (it’s not for the coffee snob, b...
A Coffee-Making Fridge A first: The GE Cafe series French Door Refrigerator comes with a built-in Keurig machine (it’s not for the coffee snob, but it sure is convenient).
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Yogi-isms The beloved Yankees catcher who died in September signed this 1964 Ballantine beer ad.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Floating Forest This polished-brass cone suspends a single seed over water at just the right level to watch it germinate without any soil.
Pho...
A Floating Forest This polished-brass cone suspends a single seed over water at just the right level to watch it germinate without any soil.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
An Anti-Social Chair Made from ecofriendly wool felt, the Hush chair provides a cozy escape when it’s all just too much.
Photo: Courtesy of the ...
An Anti-Social Chair Made from ecofriendly wool felt, the Hush chair provides a cozy escape when it’s all just too much.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Constructivist's Playground From London design duo Isabel + Helen, a colorful geometric swing set that pays homage to early-20th-century Russia...
A Constructivist's Playground From London design duo Isabel + Helen, a colorful geometric swing set that pays homage to early-20th-century Russian designers like Alexander Rodchenko and El Lissitzky.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Collage Art Abstract painter (and Arthur Miller’s fiancée during the last years of his life) Agnes Barley creates delicate, nature-inspire...
Collage Art Abstract painter (and Arthur Miller’s fiancée during the last years of his life) Agnes Barley creates delicate, nature-inspired collages from painted paper cutouts; this one’s called Untitled Collage (Birds & Spores). Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Muppet Chair Nylon weed-whacker wire is woven through the metal base of artist Joel D’Orazio’s Nina Chair.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Japanese Toilet Toto’s latest, the Carlyle II 1G toilet with C100 washlet, has a built-in air-purifying system and an adjustable “rear cleanse”...
A Japanese Toilet Toto’s latest, the Carlyle II 1G toilet with C100 washlet, has a built-in air-purifying system and an adjustable “rear cleanse”.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Three-in-One Screwdriver This solid-brass-and-nickel-coated tool includes a Phillips blade and two straight-blade screwdriver heads, all of which...
Three-in-One Screwdriver This solid-brass-and-nickel-coated tool includes a Phillips blade and two straight-blade screwdriver heads, all of which nest together and fit in your pocket.
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
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