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Want a bottle opener that will last forever? Take stock of this stainless steel version. It’s got a rough tumbled finish that will take its fair share of abuse no matter how many bottles you open on a daily basis. The simplified form and industrial finish means no nonsense- no silly frilliness here, thank you very much.
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The next time you have a meal or appetizers outdoors, forego your regular dishes and dine on leaves! Silicone leaves, that is, so you’ll not be too Tarzan-ish. The leaves are made of flexible and durable food-safe silicone, and you’ll find that each one has a slightly different shape and shade of green.
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Come on, you knew there would be yet another tea kettle sometime soon. It’s sort of a favorite subject around here. This classic kettle is made of porcelain enamelware and features the requisite handle and spout (the ‘I’m a Little Teapot’ song should be playing in your head right about now…) and comes in the 5 semi-expected colors found in most kitchens.
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Now, don’t go thinking silhouettes on mugs are only for parents. We all know you have enough imagination to think of some pretty good options for silhouettes for friends and family (a dance move? pets? inappropriate hand gestures? etc.) and there’s no reason to not immortalize said silhouette on a mug. It’s the perfect gift that’ll seem uninspiring until they see the custom image- then it’ll be awesome. (‘oh, it’s a mug…how nice…OH-MY-GOD-it’s-a-mug-with-so-and-so-doing-the-ROBOT! HAhaha!’ etc.)
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This carafe set has been around a while, yet we all need reminding that there’s no need for trays when it comes to refreshments. Just stack the four bistro glass tumblers on the carafe’s neck to make transport easy from the kitchen to table. And, don’t stop at water- the updated (slightly shorter and wider) carafe available through the Royal VKB webshop is perfect for decanting and serving wine.
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So, without looking at the title, what do you think this is? A weapon? A tool? Perhaps both? It’s a small bottle opener, and one with a hexagonal opening and faceted polygonal silhouette at that. Designed by Bec Brittain (she has worked with Lindsey Adelman, who you’ve heard of by now, and has her own excellent lighting designs). For an extra $5, Ms. Brittain will add a monogram with up to 7 characters, including any combination of letters, numbers, a period, and a heart. Talk about an excellent gift for anyone with an appreciation of geometry- it’s a no brainer.
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What’s the big deal about large, spherical ice molds? Well, besides them looking cooler than a bunch of small cubes, they melt slower, meaning they’ll cool your drink without watering it down (as much as a bunch of small cubes). And, if you’re a little skeptical about how well the sphere holds up, I can personally attest after 2 weeks of festive imbibing (hic!) these Tovolo ice spheres have kept their shape well past the last drop of each and every drink I’ve had. They’re also stackable, leak-free, and won’t tip in the freezer.
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Flash sale sites are feeling a little old nowadays, but it’s nice to see there’s still a few tempting deals at wallet-pleasing prices. Gilt has a slight sale on the Chemex Coffeemaker along with 100 Prefolded Chemex Filter Squares. In my opinion, coffee from this thing actually tastes better than coffee from a machine, and it makes you feel a little like a chemist doing experiments with life-saving liquids (which, with coffee, may be the case in your household).

Available at Gilt Groupe, an invitation-based site, for a limited time.
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What to get the person who needs nothing? Well, if they like whiskey, and you’ve $200 to spend, you should get them something beautiful and mostly unnecessary, like this whisky decanter by Laurence Brabant. Its bubble chamber enables one to measure the perfect jigger of liquor and then dispense the liquor through the glass tube into one’s glass. It should also be mentioned that this could double as a vase when needed (and when the whiskey is gone).

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Modern tabletop accessories can often fall into the angular camp. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, it’s just that sometimes it’s nice to have more rounded, organic shapes to offset all the sharp corners we deal with on a daily basis. These stone-shaped salt and pepper holders look like real stones found at the waterside and one could assume their smooth surface would be nice to hold/use.

Designers: Chris Koens, Ramón Middelkoop of Invotis Orange

73 x 24 mm

Chances are that you can’t afford to buy the art of Louise Bourgeois, but if you’re a fan you sure can afford to pay $60 for a set of 4 place mats featuring designs from her fabric drawings. The intricate, geometric patterns are worthy of the wall, but we’ll take it where we can get it. There are coasters too (shown below) if you can believe it.
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Shall we switch to loose leaf tea? This Tea Egg certainly tempts us to, as its two-part design allows for easy cleaning. Some swear that loose tea makes for a better flavor and some say it’s better for the environment as it cuts down on packaging; both points merit consideration, for sure. The color options of the Tea Egg also sweeten the deal (though it looks like A+R only has rose and blue, and Normann Copenhagen’s site seems to be having some issues).

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Like your espressos but hate your machine? Or, like your espressos but can’t be bothered to buy a machine? Take a look at this stovetop espresso maker and see if it doesn’t tempt you with the idea of a DIY espresso-driven bliss each and every morning. There are four sizes available (2-cup, 4-cup, 6-cup and 10-cup, all measured in tiny espresso cups, mind you, not standard baking measures) and a special filter in the funnel can be flipped to make half the amount if you should so choose.

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Yeah, you remember these, don’t you? They’ve been featured here before (years ago) and therefore need a fresh post with a link that works. They’re glass bottles in the same shape as the familiar plastic bottle, thus drawing attention to consumerism and reinforcing the reuse/recycle ethos. But it’s made of glass, you say, and will break! Not necessarily, as the bottles are made from borosilicate glass (the same stuff your Pyrex measuring cup is made of).

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Hmm, these get a slight frown because of the fact they’re intended for one use only, but they would be excellent placemats for a party or special dinner where regular linens just won’t work. Blueprints of appropriate place settings can’t be ignored, after all, because of the technical aspect, so you’ll know everything will be in its proper place no matter who sets the table. Also available in kraft paper. And, should you want a cotton alternative, do be sure to take a look at these: Cheat Sheet Placemats from Donkey.
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