The holiday season is fast approaching, and when it comes to gift-giving, people usually fall into one of two camps: those who delight in the hunt for the perfect present, and the rest of us. Buying for a design lover – notoriously tricky, given their knack for finding the most elegant solution to everything – can, in fact, be surprisingly rewarding.
Here, we present Wallpaper’s gift guide for the design-minded individual: a considered edit of beautiful objects that marry form and function with effortless ease. Skip the chaos of tinsel-clad shop floors and instead scroll serenely through our curation, a selection guaranteed to charm even the most discerning (or humbug) recipient.
After a little something? Browse our perfect stocking fillers.
The Wallpaper* gift guide for design lovers
Alessi
Pulcina Coffee Maker
Making a morning cup of coffee is a daily ritual. Why not elevate the experience? Alessi’s Pulcina Espresso Coffee Maker by architect Michele de Lucchi boasts an innovation that stops dispensing the drink at the right time, before the coffee gets a bitter aftertaste. A minimal, yet practical design which perfects a rich aromatic espresso.
Danese Milano
Timor desk calendar
Designed by Italian master Enzo Mari in 1967 for Danese Milano, the Timor perpetual calendar is a timeless example of functional design elevated to art. Its rotating display of date and day cards combines sculptural form with everyday utility, embodying Mari’s belief that beauty lies in simplicity. Crafted with precision and enduring style, it remains a modernist icon more than half a century after its creation.
Cassina’ s vase à fleurs échancré celebrates the avant-garde movement. Designed by Charlotte Perriand in the 1940s the vase boasts a timeless silhouette and intriguing composition in tune with the designer’s pioneering creativity, which injected a modern sensibility into daily life.
We are fans of Joe Colombo’s bold, colourful furniture and objects, embodying design’s most optimistic and functional spirit. The ‘KD28’ lamp was first launched in 1967, and this new iteration is faithful to the original form, updated with recycled materials and a shade finished with a treatment that contributes to creating a warm light. The colour choice will make the maximalists in the audience happy: Bordeaux, Woodland Green, Dove Grey, Orange, Petroleum, Mustard, Black and White, also featuring a textile-covered power cable to match.
TCS Studio
Milos Chess Set Terracotta
The Conran Shop’s wooden chess set is not only useful for its purpose, but its design acts as a beautiful object. Housed in a sleek wooden case, the Milos Chess Set comes in an earthy colour palette with each piece smoothly carved out. The attention to detail makes for the boardgame to be passed down and treasured through generations.
Carl Hansen & Son
Murano | Bora Glass
Carl Hansen & Son’s murano glasses are intricate works of art, with detail mimicking the intricacy of a stained glass window. Each crystal Bora glass is mouth-blown at Carlo Moretti and made in a limited number at the family-owned glassworks.
Make cocktail hour a regular occurrence with this rotating bar kit from Lorenzi Milano. Handcrafted from walnut wood, this rotating treasure chest comes with all the tools a bartender could need behind tempered glass, with an effortless push-and-pull system for easy reach. Complete with a glass shaker at the centre.
Made in Design
Pivotante Table lamp metal blue by Charlotte Perriand
Another piece by designer and architect Charlotte Perriand. The metal table lamp is a reissue of the original 1962 model. It boasts a metal lamp with a rotating lampshade, a simple design, yet ahead of its time. Fifty years later the simple lines have stayed the same and adapts to modern living, a timeless piece for any design or architecture fan.
IITTALA
Water Bottle 0,5l Walnut
Designed by Nao Tamura – winner of many design accolades including the Salone Satellite award – this Meno water bottle is the antithesis to the brightly-coloured adult sippy cups we wince at on the tube. Easy to carry and fill, the glass bottles are made of durable borosilicate glass. The walnut cap with the special dovetail detail gives the bottle a premium feel.
nothing
Nothing phone (3)
With new features and a fresh, premium design, the android smartphone Nothing phone (3) is a tech crowd-pleaser. Alongside smooth functionality, the phone was also created to look like a beautiful object to sit on a desk. Useful, practical, and design-led. Tick. Tick. Tick.
Carl Auböck
Hand Brass Bottle Opener
The whimsical open-hand silhouette of this brass bottle opener is typical of the Auböck family workshop, founded by Carl Auböck more than a century ago. His son Carl II designed it in the 1950s and successive generations still manufacture it by hand at the original Vienna atelier.
Christofle
Perspectives 5-light Chrome Aluminium Candelabra
For Christofle, designer Mathias Kiss’ candelabra is a visual masterpiece which allows the user to alter its composition. The six combinable pieces invite creativity and individuality, whereby the owner can build their own sculptural centrepieces to suit personal spaces. Its chrome exterior also adds an element of surprise as it reflects its surroundings.
Vitra: the Anatomy of a Design Company
Written by Deyan Sudjic, Vitra: The Anatomy of a Design Company, tells the story of the three generations behind Vitra. Driven by a sense of cultural and social mission, Vitra has had a major influence on every aspect of contemporary design, from architecture to graphics, photography, product design, and the landscape. Spanning more than 450 pages and over 400 illustrations, this substantial volume covers Vitra’s working relationship with designers, the rich architectural heritage of the Vitra Campus, with buildings by Tadao Ando, Herzog & de Meuron, and Alvaro Siza. It provides an essential account of contemporary design history
Transparent
Brutalist Speaker
Transparent, the Swedish Audio brand’s speaker, is an audio ode to the UK’s most loved, and hated, brutalist architecture of the 1950s and 1960s. Its sculptural, abstract form is made from 70% post-consumer recycled aluminium, and available in black or white, with optimal acoustical properties
Serax
Vase S Concrete Broquaine
Another ode to brutalism, this Serax concrete vase is part of the ‘Vases’ collection by Patrick Paris, a self-educated designer. Paris has an adoration for concrete and its properties – material which is so heavy, cold and austere, yet he believes is also very delicate. The designer likes to create pieces which don’t reveal their purpose on first glance.
Artek
Artek x Marimekko Stool 60 Seireeni
Alvar Aalto’s 1933 Stool 60 is a design classic. Earlier this year as Artek, Alvar Aalto’s storied furniture company, turned 90, it united with Finnish printmaking powerhouse Marimekko to add a patterned spin to three of Aalto’s pioneering designs, including Stool 60 which got a pattern overhaul with Maija Isola’s Seireeni’s 1964 Siren pattern.
AIAIAI
Tracks in Blood Orange
This year has seen a lot of ‘looking back to inspire the future’, as people are leaning towards simplifying and reducing their online lives. Tracks Blood Orange is designed by artist and producer Dev Hynes. The focus is on simple lines and a classic shape, while the sound quality includes detailed notes and a tight bass.
Forks Plus
Square Handle 5 Piece Set
This is a perfect example of an unusual gift which you wouldn’t buy for yourself, yet use every single day. The Forks Plus square handle set is a matrimony of soft-line brutalism which meets casual bistro flair. It is a fun way to inject design into simple daily rituals.
Alessi
Mattina Porcelain Butter Dish
In the fridge or on the table, turn buttering toast into a design moment with this striking porcelain Alessi butter dish.
Nothing shows you care like making someone a cup of tea, and Feldspar’s striped teapot offers the perfect pour for any hot drink, (it happily pours four cups). Made from fine bone china, with hand drawn stripes in cobalt, each piece is never the same. The stripes are inspired by the grain in wood. The surface of the teapot shows the marks from the makers, adding delicate and personal detailing.
Gohar World
Sadaf Plate, Dinner
Gohar World’s first line of fine dinnerware is a playful example of bringing whimsy and wonder to tablescaping. The plate, which has dainty bow detailing, is inspired by a shell’s deep lines and curves shaped by the ocean tides.
This Valextra wash bag is perfect for those on the go. With two main compartments and a central zip section, store beauty products or cables with ease. Made from the brand’s signature Millepunte calf skin, this is a sturdy purchase that will withstand countless adventures.
You will want to start planning new year travel in order to use the Rimowa Check in L suitcase. In a light glossy blue, the suitcase features the German luggage brand’s iconic ridged shell, which is sleek and robust. It was in 1950 that Rimowa introduced the distinctive groove to its suitcases, a design which stands the test of time.
Tekla Fabrics
Tekla Fabrics Le Corbusier Mohair Blanket – Bleu
Established in Copenhagen in 2017, the textile homeware brand draws inspiration from architecture and design, including the likes of John Pawson, Donald Judd, Le Corbusier and Agnes Martin. This mohair blanket is made using the shades from Les Couleurs from Le Corbusier’s Architectural Polychromy. Made in Spain, the blanket is tactile, and finished with handmade tassels, a perfect addition to a living or bedroom.
Wallpaper* x Rolex
The definitive history of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust
This lavishly produced book combines new and original photography with historical images from the official Rolex archives to tell the full story of classic and hugely influential timepiece, the Oyster Perpetual Datejust. Published by Wallpaper* and written by watch expert Nicholas Foulkes, this finely crafted 224-page hardback traces the evolution of the beloved Datejust across its 80-year history – from a vision in Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf’s mind, to its status as the ultimate symbol of achievement, found on the wrists of the world’s leading athletes and artists. An essential acquisition for any watch aficionado, Oyster Perpetual Datejust – A Watch that Made History is the first officially sanctioned account of one of the world’s most influential watches.
Puiforcat
Dinner Service by Donald Judd
Made by American artist Donald Judd in the 1980s this eight-piece dinner set in sterling silver adds an architectural element to dinnerware. His sketches were left behind in draft form. Now, in partnership with the Judd Foundation, Puiforcat has created the eight-piece table service. An array of cylindrical shapes form a series of bowls, plates and cups.
reMarkable
Paper Pro move
This smaller note-taking device is a scaled down version of the cult e-ink writing device. Head into the new year feeling organised, with the reMarkable digital notebook which combines convenience with an analogue feel.
Assouline Library Culture Lounge Scented Candle (260g) | One Size
Assouline’s home fragrance collection distills the spirit of the world’s most inspiring libraries into scent. Created in collaboration with master perfumers, designers, and artisans, each fragrance conjures the quiet allure of literary spaces – the aroma of leather-bound volumes, aged wood, crisp paper, and a trace of smoky tobacco.
Charlotte Chesnais
Biseau hoop earrings
The Biseau hoop earrings in 925 silver covered with 18 carat gold (Vermeil 5 microns) are the perfect jewellery box staple for casual day-to-day wear, while offering quiet sophistication when heading into the evening. Chenais views jewellery as sculpture, exploring the pure forms of lines and curves, which play and wrap around the body.
Epson
Lifestudio Pop Ef-61r Rose Quartz, Portable Smart Projector
With the rise of large cinema-esque flat screen televisions, projectors were almost a thing of the past, especially when it comes to building your own home cinema experience. But here enters Epsom’s projector, designed for seamless big-screen entertainment— anytime, anywhere.
From the Aram store the Boby trolley is a fun storage unit which was originally designed to suit the needs of an architect or designer. It was initially created by Joe Colombo in 1970, and has three sections and five drawers, and can easily adapt to a home.
Trust Danish brand Hay to make an umbrella as cool as this. This minimalist offering is made from 100% recycled materials and is the perfect way to take on a rainy day. Also available in clear and magenta.
Ready to Hang
Big Squeeze mirror
Ready to hang make mirrors inspired by the relaxed nature of the Mediterranean. The new sculptural mirrors by the New York furniture company are inspired by the sea, in particular the waters around Spanish islands. Big Squeeze, along with other mirrors in the collection was inspired by ready-to-wear fashion, imagining furniture as an extension of personal style – here, the mirrors are imaged almost as garments for the home.
Architect Tadao Ando is known for his minimalist design, with a heavy focus on the interplay between light and geometry. Now, he has translated this into a watch. Inspired by green apples that the 1995 Pritzker often places outside his buildings, it captures Ando’s architectural style, with playful fun from bright green colour.
