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And you thought the SSB-1 bookcase couldn’t get any better. Now it has, or rather it has spawned a new version. Behold, the SSB-2, made of powder-coated steel and shipped flat in four thin individual pieces. Slot them together for a sharp, streamlined bookcase to display your favorites. Available in Matte Black and Gloss White.
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Is it a science experiment? Is it a plant pot? Is it art? Hmm, can it be all three? Functional appendages like magnifying glasses and mirrors encourage you to interact with a plant on more intimate terms. Have you properly studied the underside of a leaf, or the color of a newly formed bud? The Phytophiler series by Dossofiorito is composed of hand-thrown terracotta pots and the aforementioned appendages, and, after you add in the plant, you’ll be ready to “reflect on the larger emotional connections that link us to the natural world.”
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An inkless planner? Yes, indeed, this monthly planner by South Korea based O-Check Design Graphics uses no ink; it’s pressed with an intaglio printing technique so that it stays environmentally friendly. A completely blank calendar page allows you to customize the weeks and months with your own handwriting and/or stamps, giving you an option to stay super minimal or go crazy with colors and hand drawn patterns.
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This paper knife is so sleek it’s scary. A solid black matte finish and a super sharp point make it look like it’s a futuristic weapon, and you’re welcome to pretend it’s such as long as you don’t engage in any role play- someone is bound to get hurt. Keep it on your desk, admire it for its sculptural shape, and use it safely, as intended, as a paper knife.
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It is all but de rigueur to have a proper pair of headphones on your head, whether at work or at home. And, let’s clarify, by ‘proper’ I mean premium leather, perhaps some steel components, an aluminum body, and maybe some 45mm neodymium drivers for high performance. Memory foam lambskin ear pads might also be nice, right? The MH40 has all that and more- take a look at Master & Dynamic for more specs.
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Think of this as a color field art piece that will keep you (or your giftee) warm. The handwoven mix of 100% ecological French merino wool shows color combination at a basic level: off-white, Yellow, Red, Green and Gray are woven to create a one larger rectangle of an earthy sort of yellow ochre. This one, the Sensation blanket, is my favorite, but there are others as well: Intuition, Feeling, and Thinking. Or, for a more pixelated mix, check out the Labyrinth. All by Zuzunaga.
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Stefan Boublil, the creative director of the apartment, is next to share his wish list of gifts to give/receive this holiday season. Thank you, Stefan, for taking the time to share. (If you’d like to share your list, just send us 5 to 10 links to items you want to give or get.)

Stefan’s own words:

I must confess I have been extra-naughty this year, what with all my coveting thy neighbor’s wife, restraining orders and whatnot. That is why I am expecting mostly compressed carbon this christmas, which doesn’t mean all my wishes should go to waste, so here they are, in the hope you may partake in the joy I am forbidden by court order to relish in :

1. First of all, somebody made new, old-style Mickey Mouse cartoons ($8.96) and no one told me? Shame on all of you!

2. Instead of merely crushing pepper like a common thug, this beautiful wooden mill laterally slices it, for increased flavor and something to talk about at dinner other than arguing, again, about what the plural of Focus is*: Molino Pfeffermühle Eichenholz, € 95.00

3. In researching new gear for my annual get-out-of-the-freezing-cold January trip, I looked far and wide for the best, distortion-free iPhone lenses available and Moment delivered, right on time: Moment Lens, $99.99

4. Good design is often a simple functional idea, executed with beauty. Such is a mere weighed knot in your iPhone cable, preventing its fall off your already crowded night table and subsequent cursing-at-the-gods you didn’t get AppleCare: Night Cable, $39.99

5. Living now only a few minutes from Modena, Italy, I went looking for the best Balsamic vinegar money could buy and I found the oldest producer in the world, founded in 1605 and, amazingly, available on Amazon for your convenience: Giuseppe Giusti Banda Rosa Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, $75.00

6. A trauma (see #4) you might do away with completely if you only used a dock of course: Spool Dock, $65.00

7. I want this life-size flasher Gremlin ($239.99) from Gremlins 2 because it is a life-size flasher Gremlin from Gremlins 2, don’t argue with me.

8. Under a crisp white shirt in daytime and all by itself at night is how I imagine my perfect birthday going in the company of my wife and Sophie Hines’ Intersect Elastic Harness ($28.00).

9. If you read this blog, you are a person of discerning taste and probably have a good pair of speakers in your home so don’t bother with those crappy underpowered bluetooth ones just to stream from your phone, instead, connect what you already have: ROCKI, $49.00

10. And finally, four years ago, while still in NYC and in order not to go insane, I peeked within the layers of my time so far experienced and attempted to analyze what I saw. In doing so, I dug up a process to question everything, a method for sanity which I have named The Considered Life. This year, I published. So if you will allow this bit of self-promotion as my last wish, here it is, for your consideration:

For iOS: The Considered Life
For Kindle: The Considered Life

* Foci

If you want to score major points with someone who likes tea, you can’t do much better than gifting this teapot by Heath Ceramics. Originally designed in the 1940s to work with their dinnerware, the teapot has a copper handle wrapped in leather and is microwave, dishwasher and oven safe. Consider adding a couple of Large Modern Cups to complete the set.
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What is this magical, mysterious thing? It looks infinitely more special than something that keeps a writing implement sharpened, but that’s the whole idea- you can leave it out on your desk without offending anyone’s eyes. Machined from a solid block of metal, it easily doubles as a paperweight. Do be sure to consider the Penpo Desk Organizer ($88) as well, as they’d make an excellent pairing on your desktop.
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Here’s another shared wish list, this time from Jennifer Moore- Library Clerk, Maker, and Sustainable Style Blogger at recover girl. Thanks Jennifer! (If you’d like to share your list, just send us 5 to 10 links to items you want to give or get.)
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It’s a Nut Hammer. It’s a pretty smart idea: a removable silicone ball holds the nut in place- just strike the hammer against a flat surface and the cast-iron head will take care of the rest. The silicone keeps flying shards at bay and minimizes the mess usually associated with cracking nuts. It’d be an excellent holiday gift.
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I know, I know, you’re in full gift-getting mode and have little interest in improving your home’s seating options, but just take a moment to look at this daybed. Its simple ash frame nods to Nordic construction while the thin ribbing of the seat cushion adds a big dose of modernism. The size would easily fit in a hallway, conversation area, or bedroom and its quiet sophistication is friendly rather than intimidating. Designed by Anita Johansen, the day bed is available in a Dark Black with black leather or a lighter, natural ash with grey wool.
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There’s no shortage of wallets, yet to find the perfect wallet is still a goal for many. Soffio’s Card Wallet is quite simple- just a leather pocket really- and has a handy thumb spot to easily retrieve your cards and cash. Also, be sure to take a look at their iPhone skins (one shown below) as well, as they’d be a great option for keeping your essential cards with you on the go.
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Remember Lee Broom’s Crystal bulb? Well, take that idea a step further and you’ve got his Decanterlights in all their fine hand-cut, lead crystal glory. Originally devised from vintage decanters, these replicas will make a lovely sort of statement above a bar or dining table. Pick between the Bell, Square and Tulip shapes, or mix several for a bigger statement.
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You’re such a snob for wanting the black version of the Soma Water Filter, but that’s okay because a) aesthetics do matter when it comes to the discerning design enthusiast, and b) $15 of each sale will go straight to the nonprofit Charity:Water organization which supports access to clean, uncontaminated water for people in developing nations.

Soma’s filter and carafe are made of a biodegradable filter (made of coconut shell carbon, layers of silk, and plant-based plastic) and pharmaceutical-grade glass and together they’ll filter up to 40 gallons of tap water. Subscribe to get new filters delivered to your door every 2 months. Oh, and you’ll get some special black gift surprise too- like a black Stelton chef’s knife or a black Salt Surf surfboard. Sounds like an all-around good deal.
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