We’re never ones to complain about shopping at Livingetc, and the holidays give us an extra excuse to scour the best brands and boutiques for design-driven gifts. There’s no shortage of tasteful products on the market, but this season we’re also leaning into that sweet spot between taste and theater: beautiful objects that make our eyes light up and make us say wow.
What’s new this year? There’s been a flurry of nostalgic items with a touch of kitsch (especially trompe l'oeil effects, like a jelly-shaped lighter) as well as common objects (from cocktail jiggers to candlesticks) with a stylish twist, making them all the more giftable. Our gift guide includes everyday essentials products (like game-changing glassware that’s virtually unbreakable) as well as playful purchases (like a Bloody Mary cocktail glass with a celery-shaped swizzle stick) guaranteed to lift spirits.
From design-led decor to future-forward tech, we’ve curated a batch of stylish gifts for every design enthusiast on your list.
It’s a statement. It’s a splurge. But these eye-catching and Parisian-made speakers are now available stateside for the first time, only through the gift-savvy MoMA Design Store — they’re loud in all the right ways.
Something I’ve noticed in a lot of glassware lately: a little wobble. Similar to the hand-made look of ceramics, the uneven rim on this sweet hand-blown salt cellar makes it all the more endearing.
Dare we put more leopard print on this list? We dare. These linen cocktail napkins, with those playful squiggly edges, look rad in Schumacher’s iconic 70s pattern, now totally refreshed in green.
Hotel gift shops are underrated spots for holiday shopping. From a boutique in Houston, this cone-shaped cachimba wood box — crowned by an angelite gemstone with calming properties — is both chic and chakrah-forward.
Whimsy goes well on a dining table, and this Maltese-made jug will make dinner guests chuckle: it makes a gurgling sound as you pour everyone a glass of water.
Balmuda always knocks it out of the park with stylish electric kettles. The elegant arched handle on this particular kettle is equal parts traditional and contemporary — the best of both worlds.
The Swedish rug maker never misses a step. Its all-new home decor line includes a jacquard leopard-print pillow, a lovely gift for a range of personal styles (designers often say the print is basically a neutral).
If someone in your life could use a little edge, try a hint of chrome. This sculptural object brings the cool metals trend home — in just the right dose (and an even better price).
This clever collab, four years in the making, brings Farrow & Ball’s cult-favorite colors to modernized antique designs. Mail or upload pretty much anything, and they’ll frame it.
Old dogs, long dogs, little dogs — every pooch deserves TLC (hence the rise of pet-driven interior design). These customizable pet steps (say yes to stripes and checks) will get your pooch to their favorite perch safely in style.
I swoon for bold contrasts — and the glossy fuchsia and bordeaux in this Campbell-Rey collab will shine on anyone's coffee table. Plus, lacquer is one of the biggest interior design trends for 2026, if you ask us.
Know someone whose home has an all-white palette? Introduce them to texture. This lamp’s lovely white finish was inspired by Santorini’s cliffside homes, and the mushroom dome adds extra visual interest.
After years of oatmeal minimalism, kitsch is back. This tabletop lighter sparks joy — it's a nostalgic gift for a bar-cart aficionado, a friend with a bad habit, or someone who just loves a laugh.
These frames from Sarah Sherman Smith’s latest collection were quickly backordered, and for good reason: they’re doing something different than regular old rectangular frames. Makes them all the more special for gifting.
Even the most basic mixology jigger has an eye-catching silhouette, but this little stocking stuffer adds a touch of midcentury charm to any home bar with its mix of stainless steel and walnut finish.
Maybe we’re biased, but a year-long subscription to Livingetc would look rather smart in this stylish magazine rack. Curved brass and olive green leather — what’s not to love?
Malachite: there’s a fascination with the precious stone coursing through design lately, and these dessert plates are a real treat — not to mention a conversation starter — for the discerning host.
Midcentury modern’s hold on interior design never ceases to amaze me, and this new book by Dominic Bradbury celebrates its icons. Your vintage-loving friend (and most everyone else) will love it. Judging by the cover, it's a real page-turner.
I use my SodaStream every single day, but I haven’t gifted a single one because their plasticky designs are usually… meh. This shiny collaboration with designer Naoto Fukasawa, however, is just missing the gift wrap.
For the city dweller in your life, this slim toaster oven won’t crowd their cramped kitchen counters. Plus, its soft neutral color takes white toast up a whole notch.
These bottle openers stand upright and are pretty enough to keep on the counter (the colorful pieces are interchangeable, too). There are three in this set — stocking stuffers for your three closest drinking buddies.
Colorfully tinted glassware is all the rage right now — and for those who like to party, these squat and hand-made coupes are worth celebrating. Subtle, stackable, affordable, durable… and did we mention adorable?
As our style editor noted earlier this year, bamboo decor is back (at least in minimalist forms), which will make any photos of loved ones rather trendy in this sleek, gold-plated frame.
We’ve reached peak, gift-worthy board game status (it feels like every designer has debuted a stylish backgammon set over the past year). This limited edition, inspired by 1960s Italian geometric patterns, stands out in all the right ways.
This new Bloody Mary glass — with a chic celery swizzle stick — will make any brunch sparkle, but other cocktail-specific glasses are also on the table from this brand (espresso martinis, margaritas, and more). Cheers to that.
Raise the level with this wall-mounted catchall. Its tubular, wavy shape has crests for hanging a bag but also troughs where they can toss their keys — some might call that groovy.
It's pricy, but the fluted details on this glass soap bottle makes it a keeper; it’s easily refillable (shh!) once they run out of soap, and before that happens, the tomato scent injects peak summer into long winters.
I can vouch for this espresso maker — I have it in stainless steel — but I'm envious of the Almond Nougat color, made just for Crate & Barrel. For such a large appliance, the neutral tone will bring a quiet, luxurious look to anyone’s kitchen counter.
We’ve seen more interior designers creating meditation spaces, but for those who lack the space for a designated room, this bouclé set can tuck into a corner without — building a temple inside your home.
This collaboration between Marni and Serax is something of a mainstay on the design scene. I keep spotting it in various colors at all hippest gift shops in town, and this soft blue is a real hoot. (Get it?)
There are more technical corkscrews out there — but are they cute? Spotted at Shoppe Object, this back-to-basics design is colorful, playful, and totally giftable. Sometimes, simple is best.
The brand was built on reengineering common objects that are usually made poorly. These colorful scissors cut and feel better than whatever’s hiding in their junk drawer — and cool enough to stay out on their desk.
The original mushroom table lamp costs over a grand, but this new metal riff, with a similar silhouette and deep colors (green is a standout) makes for a bold gift that won’t break the bank.
“Dogs on things” is a trend I’m speaking into existence (I’ve seen it across fashion and home goods alike). This blanket, with a check border and illustrations of hound-dogs, is great for any canine lovers on your list.
For the person in your life who's more playful than formal, this simple candelabra, with its wavy metal design, is all they need to up the ambience (no white tablecloth necessary).
Stripes are timeless, as are robes for holiday gifts. This linen robe, with its butter-yellow stripes, will look just as good hanging on the door as it will on whoever receives it.
The once-dated look of dark wood is making a comeback, and this lamp doubles down. Perfectly matching its wooden base, the design swaps linen for a unique burl wood shade. It’s dark, but it'll add a whole lot of warmth to anyone’s home.
From a Danish company, of course, this portable fireplace is perfect for those without a proper chimney, and the midcentury-esque stand turns it into a stylish focal point.
A limited edition set, designed for the fashion brand’s 50th anniversary, the currently on-trend sour chartreuse tone of this splatterware by that American-Dutch artist Sterling Ruby might just be a collectible set 50 years from now.
If Little Greene’s color of the year is any indication, purples are about to have their moment. The new ‘plum’ colorway of this beloved, gift-worthy waffle towel is a lovely way to bring it home.
I've had my eye on the basketweave trend after seeing this stunning leather pouf at Artemest this year. It costs four figures (one can dream!), but this suede pouf alternative is expensive-looking and still on-trend — a luxe gift for less.
Know someone who can't keep a plant alive? Buy them dried flowers and plop them into this shapely rattan vase, guaranteed to liven up their home (with little to no effort on their part).
Unpopular opinion: tall vases on the dining table can sometimes obstruct good conversation. The fact that this ochre-toned cone basket arranges flowers horizontally makes it a real conversation piece.
For the friend who needs to hydrate more, the Japanese brand — known for its minimalist tableware — debuted a fabric line that includes this soft, surprisingly chic water bottle sling. They’ll drink it up.
Once you've sorted out your gifts, it's time to make sure your Christmas decorating ideas are just as stylish — luckily, we've got plenty of them, too.
