When buying gifts for the home, let William Morris be your guide.
Applying the useful, or beautiful rule will guarantee success, although of course beauty is subjective, which is why we’re giving you an advantage with these thoughtstarters.
We’ve covered lovers of vintage style who favor analogue over digital, without forgetting the avant-garde futurist. There’s a gem for serious 20th-century design collectors and ideas for admirers of cutting-edge contemporary crafts. Color enthusiasts who embrace bold graphic design are catered for and those who prize the cachet of the one-of-a-kind or limited edition have options. Pragmatic aesthetes’ needs are met with items that serve a purpose, while still easy on the eye. And then there are the luxury staples every home needs, soft, luxurious textiles – a handsome throw for a chair or the end of the bed in the guest quarters – or games that unite friends and family.
And never underestimate the gift that facilitates romance, whether that’s the flattering glow of candlelight or the warmth of a roaring fire. Remember cosy can be chic; happy shopping.
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Modernism throw, Frette by Tara Bernerd
Globetrotting British designer Tara Bernerd was inspired by iconic architectural details of her favorite cities – Milan, London and New York – when creating her ‘Disrupting Architecture’ jacquard-woven wool and cashmere collection of throws and cushions for Italian heritage brand Frette. The Modernism Throw is 100 percent pure wool and finished with classic blanket-stitching, its undulating burgundy and tan geometric motif evocative of patterned marble flooring you might find beneath your friulanes in a Milanese villa. Gift a little dolce vita.
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Whispering Woods table alarm clock, Bäge & Söner
Give someone good reason to banish their iPhone from the bedroom with this handsome timepiece handcrafted in Stockholm from stainless steel, dark green calf leather and tempered mineral glass. This forest-toned clock is a fresh addition to the collection, but there is a spectrum of colors available. Every model retains the brand’s distinctive retro aesthetic, shaped by the vintage alarm clock that kept time on founder Lisen Bäge’s grandmother’s nightstand.
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Fumi Companion set and log holder, Eldvarm
For the person who has everything, bring some Scandinavian clarity to their hearth with the sculptural Fumi accessories. Designed by French designer Guillaume Delvigne for the fireplace-focused Swedish homeware brand Eldvarm (translation – warmth of the fire), the Terre colorway companion set combines rusty red powder-coated steel with oiled walnut and brass details. Inspired by the geometry of Japanese fan-shaped brushes, Delvigne’s aim was to display the tools “like artwork within a frame”. A gift guaranteed to transform fire-starting from chore into joyful ritual.
Price
$525 Fumi companion set; $575 Fumi log holder
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Volcano vase, Curio x Alissa Volchkova
Glorious studies in color, glass and imperfection, Paris-based artist and designer Alissa Vokchkova’s Volcano vases disrupt glass-blowing traditions with each vessel evolving from the same bowl-shaped mold into random, irregular shapes. Alumna of the Royal College of Art, her work pushes the limits of ceramics and glass to create truly original pieces. Why buy one, when a collection of three, or five, really amplifies their impact?
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Cooler F, Pietro Russo for Editions Milano
Conceived by Milan-based designer Pietro Russo, the Cooler harnesses marble’s inherent cooling qualities for the purpose of preserving the chilled temperature of wine or champagne. Infinitely more elegant than a wine bucket, it’s available in a variety of marbles, but the richly veined Red Levanto, would enhance any oenophile’s table. A sculptural masterpiece, deserving of shelfie status.
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Memories of a Garden tapestry – Iris 2025, Rademakers Gallery, Kiki van Eijk
Tapestries and wall hangings are experiencing a renaissance and antique verdure Aubussons aren’t the only option. For contemporary craft lovers, look no further than the Memories of a Garden series by renowned Dutch designer Kiki van Eijk, who has work in MoMa and the V&A among others. Hand-tufted textiles, experimental materials and a range of yarns – hemp, paper and mohair – conjure up vivid, naïve pastoral scenes bringing energy, texture and color to any room.
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Nudo ping pong table, Kelly Wearstler
Serve up a gift that brings everyone together; the ultimate ping-pong table to beat all others by the queen of glamorous, covetable design Kelly Wearstler. Created in collaboration with natural stone specialists Arca, this green onyx beauty deserves a room of its own. If that’s not an option, trade in your dinner table and let Nudo ace the double duty game. Plus, with Timothee Chalamet’s Marty Supreme out on Christmas Day, table tennis will be the game du jour.
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Pair of sterling silver candelabra, Jean Puiforcat via Phillips
Not a snip and likely to surpass the estimate, but these exquisite candelabra perfectly embody the pure geometrical style of Jean E Puiforcat – pioneer of Art Deco silversmithing, sculptor and consummate master craftsman. He was in charge of design at Puiforcat (now owned by Group Hermès) from 1920 to 1945 and these pieces, circa 1935, by the revered architect of silver are surely a heirloom investment.
Price
Design auction on December 13, 2025 in New York, estimate $20,000 – $30,000
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Another Kingdom backgammon set, Taras Yoom
A limited edition of 21, this futuristic confection hails from Yoomoota, a fictional cosmos spanning biomorphic furniture, paintings and collectibles, conceived by Bangkok-based creator Taras Yoom. Crafted from a mix of materials using a combination of 3D-printed photopolymer plastic, molding, sculpting, polymer casting, acrylic detailing and hand finishing, the set is embedded with an NFC chip which certifies provenance and ownership. A bespoke metal stand showcases the intriguing exterior, transforming the game into a contemporary objet d’art.
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Gaia candleholder, Gilles & Boissier
A timeless accessory in patinated bronze, celebrating the raw, organic beauty of nature – the ideal receptacle for a woody scented candle. Giles & Boissier are the husband-and-wife duo responsible for luxurious interiors for Moncler, Baccarat, Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental to name a few. This candleholder pairs well with the brand’s Forest plateau.
Price
€990 (approx. $1,148)
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Cushions, By Walid
If you’re hunting for that one-off gem, look no further than these cushions by Walid al Damirji, a treasure seeker extraordinaire. When a jacket he tailored for himself from 18th-century hemp linen garnered universal admiration, he realized there was a seductive romance to antique textiles worth celebrating and sharing. By Walid restores and remounts salvaged fabrics from 19th-century French tapestries to 17th-century Florentine silks, creating charming cushions with no two alike, that bring handcrafted vintage beauty to any room.
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Rebus rugs, India Mahdavi for CC-Tapis
Bring peace to your hallway or some love to a room with architect and designer India Mahdavi’s joyful contemporary hieroglyphic wool rugs, designed for Italian rug company CC-Tapis. Mahdavi is a true color maven (and creator of the Instagram-famous bubble-pink Gallery restaurant at Sketch, London) and here the striking ombre elements in the rugs are the result of a meticulous hand knotting process achieved by Nepalese artisans through an alternation of threads in varying saturations – particularly pretty in pink and very Mahdavi. It’s pop art for floors.
