The Best Home Goods to Give (and Get) as Gifts for the Holidays
As the Covid-19 pandemic wears on and we’re all stuck staring at the same four walls most days, there’s been a significant uptick in people getting into interior design and researching DIY home renovation. The desire to make the space in which you’re spending 99 percent of your day more visually appealing and comfortable is valid. And home suppliers, including Home Depot, Target, and HomeGoods, are reporting huge earnings since fall hit. Customers who might otherwise be spending their disposable income on, say, vacations, are instead tuning up their apartments and houses, preparing to hunker down for the winter ahead in a space that feels cozy and cheerful. We at W are no different—and with the holidays coming up, it’s the perfect time to give (and get) some artful and chic items to spruce up your living room, kitchen, bedroom or bathroom. Browse a list of our favorite things—whether functional, purely decorative, or both—below.
I find stemware overly fussy for everyday use. Who needs all that pomp and circumstance if you’re just drinking wine on your couch? I love to use cheerful tumblers instead, like these from the iconic New York design store Coming Soon—the mix of colors and the unexpected striped rim give them a Murano vibe at a fraction of the price. Give a set to your friend who just moved, along with a cute bottle of Pét-Nat. —Andrea Whittle
Over the past decade, hand soap companies have certainly found time to think of the graphic design of their packaging. Perhaps more than we really needed them to. Unfortunately, you can’t say the same for hand sanitizer companies. In the earlier part of the year we were just happy to have it, and didn’t care what it looked like. As time goes on, we still want to make sure it’s readily available in our homes, but not at the expense of sticking something that looks like an off-brand hair gel tube on a credenza. Artist Magda Archer’s recent collaboration with Marc Jacobs was Harry Styles-approved, and her take on hand gel offers a more pleasing label worthy of public display…and with a social distancing-relevant motto. —Kyle Munzenrieder
Sincerely Tommy co-owner Kai Avent-deLeon makes furniture when she’s not running the Bed-Stuy fashion concept store and café. Her dining chairs, each painted by hand, possess singular charm, and make for a stand-alone statement piece if you purchase just one. —Maxine Wally
Yowie, a Philadelphia-based boutique owned by Shannon Maldonado, has tons of cute accoutrements for any apartment, but this funky vase from Los Objetos Decorativos comes in cheerful colors such as cornflower blue and (a personal favorite) lime green, making it the perfect statement centerpiece for any coffee or dining room table. While you’re browsing, consider picking up some stocking stuffers, like this mini durian puzzle. —Tilden Bissell
Ever since working from home, my posture has worsened. If you don’t have a proper office chair, there’s not much you can do to make your back feel good when you alternate between working at the kitchen table and the couch, and now that the threat of a second lockdown is imminent, visiting a chiropractor or a massage therapist safely might also be out of the question. I’ve been craving the unique sensation of deep pressure into the tissue in my shoulders and back thanks to my awkward work setup and the Theragun, while not the most chic appliance to look at, appears like it may be the only thing to get the job done. — Brooke Marine
Like just about everyone, I’ve been cooking a lot more during the pandemic, experimenting with whatever tools have been available in the Airbnbs and friends’ houses I’ve mostly been living out of since June. Now that I’ve perfected a variety of roast chicken recipes, my own apartment’s sad array of post-college non-stick pots and pans feels decidedly lacking. I’ll be sharing the link to this elegant blue Dutch oven with whichever family member asks what I want for Christmas first. (And it’s on sale! Very rare!) —AW
For the most part, my home is pretty classic—so I like to incorporate the occasional oddity to keep visitors on their toes. This L’Objet x Haas Brothers bowl is the perfect thing to do just that. I like to fill it with licorice, an equally odd choice for a party snack. —Jenna Wojciechowski
Completedworks’s vases strike the perfect balance of beautiful and a bit unexpected, the jolie laide of home goods. They’re the perfect gift for that elegant, intellectual friend whom you never know how to shop for, and will fit seamlessly into the most curated of homes. —Christina Holevas
Since moving into a new apartment with very tall ceilings and very white walls, I’ve been constantly yelling about adding color! and levels! to my space. I’ve never felt the need for plant holders, columns, or stools to diversify the furniture and decor height as much as I have recently. I love these recycled box stools—they are perfect for seating options when (and if) we can have friends over indoors again, and they’re lovely for placing plants, sculptures, and other decor. I came this close to purchasing a mirrored column; I’m happy I found this one instead. —Oona Wally
This is a custom pillow made from corn-colored British corduroy with hand-drawn logos and motifs. What I love most about giving this pillow as a gift is that they are customizable at no additional cost. —JW
Not on the usual list of home good suspects: an outdoor patio heater is this year’s saving grace. —JW
The Roman artist Coralla Maiuri’s handmade porcelain pieces are the perfect combination of kooky and traditional, with elegant gold details balanced out by playful splatters of color. This sweet little jewel of a fruit bowl would look just as good in your aunt’s old-fashioned dining room as it would in your best friend’s super-modern kitchen. Imagine it filled with fresh strawberries and cream—heaven! —AW
I often find prints to be nice gifts because they aren’t something many of my friends and family go out of the way to buy for themselves. Plus, they’re a great way to support your favorite artists. This linocut series by Brighton-based illustrator Sophy Hollington is a particular favorite. —TB
Not a newcomer to the game, this candle has been around—and reminds me of sitting with my dad in his bathroom getting ready in the mornings for work when I was a kid. What’s more holiday than nostalgia? —OW
Reflections Copenhagen, a Denmark-based mirror and glass shop, crafts the most visually appealing home goods: book ends, vases, keepsake boxes, and this tray included. Its multicolored, kaleidoscopic angles have put me in a trance: yes, I need this $700 platter. No, I cannot tell you why. —MW
