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How about some traditional Polish motifs for your table this winter? Monika Lubkowska-Jonas (of British design house LSA International) was inspired by the traditional folk craft of paper-cutting, and as you can see, the handmade glasses look like they’d brighten up your libations in no time. Available in a set of 4; choose between several different colors.
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Hmm, an AudioBulb. It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a light bulb that has a speaker in it. It’s an LED light bulb, of course, so it’ll last for years (as it should be if you’re shelling out a Franklin for it). Music plays wirelessly from your iPod/iPhone/auxiliary input source and installation is simple. Twist in the AudioBulb in a lamp or a light socket and then connect your device to the standalone base. You can have up to 8 bulbs and 2 different zones. Sounds like a pretty good idea, doesn’t it?
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The next installment of gift ideas is from Tyler Goodro of Plastolux. He finds all manner of modern interiors to inspire, and his site is on my oft-visited list.

Here are Tyler’s picks:

If I had to make a list of “want” or “want to give” it would be easier to go with “want”, what a scrooge I am! The large items are on my DREAM list and the smaller items are more of a reality.

1. Napoleon Dynamite (Oil Painting) by Dave Sharp, £370. For the Pièce de résistance this amazing painting of none other than Napoleon Dynamite. I love art, especially pop art, one of a kind, and obscure. I am sure my wife would not let me put it anywhere other than my den, so that is proudly where I would display this character.

2. Flip Clock – Time Talks, £299.00. With my background being in Graphic Design I am a sucker for objects that have some killer typography involved.

3. Large Ash Wood Cutting Board, $32.00. This would look amazing sitting on my white quartz countertops but then would I have to actually cook?

4. Bosse Miniatures designed by Walter Bosse, $45.00. These little solid brass sculptures would look really great in a grouping, odd numbers of course.

5. Polder sofa in Anthracite designed by Hella Jongerius, $8,505.00. We are in desperate need of a new sofa, our old Ikea sofa has been beat on way too long. The Polder Sofa is one of my dream pieces. I love the geometric “block like” design.

6. Provide Made / Arrows Cushion Aubergine, $180.00 – $220.00. I recently just discover these amazing geometrically patterned cushions. I can’t think of a better accent cushion for my new Polder sofa.

7. Countour, Illustration by Simon C Page, $20.00 – $80.00. I really like the work of Illustrator Simon C Page and the print titled “Contour” is one of my favorites.

8. The Pig Bank by Harry Allen, $220.00. This has always been on my list but I have yet to pull the trigger. It would have to be in Chrome.

9. Chieftains Chair designed by Finn Juhl, produced by Onecollection, $13,900.00. Hey, I did say some items were on my DREAM list. This chair so killer in so many ways. I really could use a nice lounge chair like this for my den, Heck while we are at it, let’s make it a pair!

10. WAVE bedspread in Burnt Orange with Orange stitch by Wallter, $580.00. We recently moved into a new house and our master bedroom really needs a “pick me up”, and this textural beauty would be perfect.

Thanks Tyler!

To see more on Tyler, visit Plastolux.

Somehow a puzzle is the perfect past time during holiday family gatherings. Get this puzzle for the person who loves their vinyl, and watch them exclaim over titles that should (or should not) be in their collection. Or you could just get it as a history lesson for kids that have never seen a record collection… “So, back in the day, they used to have these flat vinyl disks that music was stored on…”
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If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace that works, you might be in need of a wood basket. This one is super simple and made of coated iron, so it’ll be sturdy enough for cords of wood, year after year. Designed by Thomas Bernstrand.

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Our next installment of gift ideas is from Rena Tom, the founder of Rare Device (such a nice shop) and all around know-it-all (in a very good way) when it comes to running creative businesses.

She has picked 5 brights and 5 neutrals to share with you today:

1. Strikey by Objeti, $39.95 (i love the red one)

2. Danish Modern Chalet Birdhouse by Burd-Haus, $69

3. Geometric Shapes poster by Honey & Bloom, $25

4. Flake 2 earrings by Molly M Designs, $46

5. 7.5 Lbs of Wrench by Iacoli & Mcallister, $475

6. smtwtfs 02 by The Last Attempt at Greatness, $80

7. Sparkle Hunt Cushion by Satsuki Shibuya, $75

8. Shaving Cup ($141) and Brush, $95 by SRF

9. Hand-carved White Porcelain Twig by Roberta Polfus, $50

10. Little Faceted necklace by Miki & Nora, $50

Thanks for sharing your gift ideas Rena!

For more on Rena, check out renatom.net.

This is just about the perfect holiday decoration, mostly because it’s not an in-your-face sort of thing, and it would give off a nice glow. If I had to choose between spending $85 on a nice paper lantern that looked like a snowflake and one free horrible singing Santa, I’d shell out $85 so fast that you’d think (insert idiom here*). There’s also a Star Lantern, shown below.

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Here’s a great choice for shelving, especially in small spaces. This piece designed by Finnish Eeva Lithovius only takes up space when open; when closed, it lays flat against the wall. Whether you choose just one or several grouped together, you’ll have a home for transitory books and magazines and, of course, more options with your own space.

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What’s better than a nice glass of wine? One that’s been opened up and allowed to breathe. Yeah, that’s right, I’m admitting it, I aerate my wine. If you’re not already smirking at my inane talk regarding a subject I know little about, you might be interested to know that this decanter is designed for aerating wine, and pairs nicely with any of iittala’s wine glasses, if you have them.
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Our fifth gift guide is by Jaime Derringer from Design Milk, one of the most popular online design magazines around.

Here are her top picks for gifts to get this year:

1. Eames pen from ACME, $59.00 and up

2. This print by Mike Monteiro: Untitled (May the bridges I burn light the way.), $50

3. Necklace No. Ultra, $260.00

4. A blanket from Norwegian shop Funkle.

5. Aluminum Ampersand, $225.00

6. Owl umbrella stand, $135.00

7. Alessi Daytimer watch, $124.00

8. A scarf from Scarf Shop, $15.00- $80.00

9. Wooden blocks for my baby, $36.00

10. FFerrone Revolution Glassware, $67.00 and up

Thanks Jaime for sharing your list!

For more on Jaime, visit Design Milk.

Furni has a few new versions of their Alba Me clock, and they just might tempt you to change out your existing alarm. Why, you ask? Well, how about some felt covering a sleek little black box? Or, a nice grey concrete shell with a grey metal grill? Watch the video for a quick visual on the Alba Me clock, and then check out the versions to see for yourself.
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I’ve caught the holiday bug, obviously, as snowflakes and reindeers seem entirely appropriate purchases. This coir* rug is on sale from $29, and if you’re wanting to spruce up your entryway with a little modern holiday something, this is the way to do it.
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Inspired by Oiva Toikka’s Kastehelmi (Dewdrop) collection, this dinnerware set is intended for holiday use, yet I think it would work just fine throughout the year. The red and grey colors are festive, sure, yet the dot pattern isn’t so “holiday” that you’d look strange using it in May or June.
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Web developers, embrace your occupation wholeheartedly this holiday season with these letterpress cards. There’s several to choose from and all allow you to express your message in the familiar PHP code.

Shown above: Egg Nog Arrays Greeting Cards (Set of 4), $14.00
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This small flat lens (called a Fresnel Lens) magnifies up to 2.5, making it ideal for tiny print. Now, you might not need a magnifier every day, but perhaps you’d like to stop smoking? Or know someone who would? You could take a page from the designer’s book by using the magnifier to light a smoke, which would cut down on the habit significantly if you live in a cloudy climate… or if you are just an impatient sort of person.
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