Holiday Gift Guide 2018: For the Designophile

Interesting and elevated home and decor gifts for those with style in mind.

On a Plinth

Menu’s Monuments magazine holder ($700) elevates the oft-overlooked print stand into a display object while keeping back issues and favourite books in order. vanspecial.com; guildhallhome.com; hutk.ca

Stack It Up

On the outside, it’s a covetable tube design; on the inside, this two-piece stacking planter ($114) has a separate saucer in the bottom ceramic ring for keeping succulents happy. nouvellenouvelle.com

Total Eclipse of the Heart

The holidays are all about sparkle and shine, so give the gift of light this year. The handcrafted concrete Beton Eclipse lamp ($185) from Edmonton’s Ryspot will become an instant conversation starter thanks to its unique shape and brutalist design. ryspot.design

High Volume

With its minimal styling and vibrant colours like goldfish orange and plant green (shown), the Stammen bluetooth speaker by Urbanears ($338) brings new style to the speaker scene. nordstrom.com

Divine Ornament

Make it a relaxing and rejuvenating holiday season for the ones you love with this luxurious marble and brass Libertine fragrance incense altar ($220). Elegantly appointed with soft curved lines, it is designed to hold both cone- and stick-style incense. libertine-fragrance.com

Designer Pick – Jamie Deck, Shift Interiors, Vancouver

“Everyone needs a salt and pepper shaker, so why not have ones that are well designed? I love them, and often give them to our clients to enjoy after we have completed a home. Why? They look great, never get stuck and are easy to use, clean and refill. Plus, they come in lots of trendy colours.” Menu Bottle Grinders, $90, dwr.com

Note Perfect

A heady combination of white amber and vetiver finished with musk, black currant, sandalwood and vanilla, Iván Meade’s Apapacho Ce candle ($48) is as beautifully realized as the Victoria designer’s interiors, fabrics and lifestyle goods. switzercultcreative.com

Snake Charmer

You get the best of both worlds with the Peyote reversible throw ($415). But you’ve got a decision to make: do you hang it on the wall to admire the design, or wrap it around you because it’s 100-pecent baby alpaca wool? providehome.com

The Gift of Sleep

Launched earlier this year, Vancouver-based Last Light Collection produces all-linen bedding (full sets from $660; duvet covers from $298) made from flax spun in Italy and woven in Portugal. The colours—navy, sun-bleached white and driftwood grey—are inspired by the West Coast. lastlightcollection.com

Now You See It

Masquerading as an objet d’art, the Secret ($64), produced for Lexon by product designer Marc Venot, acts as a safe for whatever you want to store, be it money, valuables or simply your favourite candy. Right-side-up it appears to be a water-filled vessel, but flip it over and all will be revealed. robertsweep.com

Cup of Joy

Every Pen Pot ($52) from Copenhagen-based Studio Arhoj is hand-dipped and glazed, supplying a vibrant home for pens, pencils and paintbrushes alike. Pots measure about four inches in diameter and are available in a dozen colourways. thefjordstore.com

Paper Roses

Available in a variety of colours, patterns and sizes, Octaveo’s paper vases (small, $25; large, $32) at Dade Art and Design Lab make a novel hostess gift. Take any container, fill halfway with water, slip the paper vase overtop and add flowers. dadeartanddesignlab.com

Designer Pick -Elena Del Bucchia – Elena Del Bucchia Design, Calgary“For the kids or kids at heart! Seletti is one of my favourite brands, as they know how to add the right amount of whimsical twist to their products. These submarine bathroom sets are so fun and kids love playing with them. They are magnetic and kids don’t seem to mind washing their hands or brushing their teeth around a colourful submarine that holds all kinds of treasures.” Submarino, $98, dadeloft.com