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What to do when an uncomfortable lull sets in amongst a friendly/family gathering? Pull out the cards, of course. And, seeing as not everyone knows that complicated card game that everybody else and their aunt plays every Thursday, why not mix it up with a color card game called Spectrix? It’s a play on the card game Rummy, just extremely simplified- it’s based on groups of color matches and sequences. No need to read suits or numbers, so it’s appropriate for all ages. Just build strategic groups of color to play out your hand. Easy, right?
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Just how will you thank your friend or family member for a thoughtful deed or gift? Maybe you’ll write a handwritten note on this minimal stationery from Paper Chase Press and Everlane, and forever be known as the most polite and elegant person they know (we can all aspire, after all). This limited-edition includes Asterisk, Quotations, and Parentheses.
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A set of bright coasters with a cubist-inspired print is just one small way to combat the dreariness outside the door, for who could feel glum with such cheery patterns around? Wolfum brings us the Paloma Triangle Coaster Set and Trivet, all made of birch wood in the USA. Add it to your gift list possibility pronto- for that favorite coworker perhaps?
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Snow Peak’s wooden stacking mugs might not look like much, but if you’re out on a day trip, they’re a perfect pairing for a full carafe of hot tea or coffee. Hand-crafted in Japan, they’re lightweight, durable, and, in my opinion, a pleasure to hold. Consider adding them to your lunch, picnic, or campsite bag for a more tactile (and dignified?) drinking receptacle.
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Recycled quilts are great, but recycled quilts from Piet Hein Eek and Borre Akkersdijk are even better. They’re made of unused silk necktie fabrics, and were inspired by a visit to a former ties factory in Milan called the Spazio Rosanna Orlandi. All those silky fabrics with interesting patterns being reused to keep us warm? Yes, please. Smart, and sort of not surprising, considering Piet Hein Eek’s work in recycled wood. Each one is unique, so be prepared for a different version than the quilts pictured.
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No more mismatched serving vessels for your salt, pepper, and sugar. Tse & Tse offers up this set, each flask with its own stainless steel top to serve a specific function. The pepper flask has a pierced cone, the salt a small sprinkler, and the sugar flask tip incorporates a spoon. A soft plastic plug is located at the bottom for refills.
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A new design from the Lindsey Adelman Studio that’s available immediately? What!? Usually any design takes weeks to ship, but not this little Light Line designed by Mary Wallis. It utilizes a cold cathode tube to form a somewhat traditional table lamp shape and has a brushed brass base and dimmer switch. If you’re looking for a special lamp to add some edginess to your decor, this just might be it.
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Your excellent memory might recall us linking to the Ototo meets ECAL workshop, and, if your interest was piqued, you’ll be ecstatic to know the Ototo Musical Invention Kit is now available from the MoMA Store. Once it arrives on your doorstep, you’ll be able to make music from anything. Connect conductive objects to the keys and voilà! you’ll be an electronic sound maestro in no time- no coding or programming knowledge needed. Plants, forks, fruits, or whatever else you’ve got lying around becomes your orchestra. So fun I can hardly stand it.
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If you like a little whiskey now and then, maybe you’d be interested in this efficient method of keeping it chilled with less dilution than normal ice cubes. The Whiskey Wedge has a silicone mold that diagonally bisects the glass, letting you freeze the glass with one half ice. It’ll keep your whiskey cold, and you’ll have less clinkety-clanking of cubes as you finish your drink. The presentation is pretty interesting too, if you’re into impressing your guests.
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Let’s play a game. Which of these brass items is a trivet? A paper weight? What about a bottle opener? And the items below, which one is a candle stand? You might just want to add one of these Saikai Toki Objects to your desktop and/or favorite area of the home, as they’re small, useful and will add a semi-precious sheen to their surrounding space.
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I don’t know where you’re going to put one of these circular jute rugs by Ferm Living, but you’d better figure it out, because for $62, they’re a steal of a deal. And don’t ask why, because the patterns- triangles! dots! sticks!- should pretty much convince you, if not the size (it’ll fit anywhere) and the fact that’s it’s made from 100% jute. I’d say it could work well in your entryway, laundry room, or any other high traffic space (a kid’s room, perhaps?).
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If you’re always losing your keys, you might just need a NeoCover. It’s a standard light switch cover that has super-strong rare earth neodymium magnets inside, and that allows you to hang your keys, favorite pen, or even tools from it. Nickel-plated key rings come with it, and unless you have more than 27 keys, your collection will hang from the NeoCover with no problem. Installs on your existing light switch fixture- all you need is a screwdriver.
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A game that looks like a tabletop sculpture? Sure, why not? Logifaces is a set of 16 prisms, hand-poured from concrete. Each piece has different angles on its top, and your challenge is to place the prisms next to each other to form a continuous surface. Choose between marble white, basalt grey, or charcoal black; $60 gets you the early bird 16-piece set. Adding this to your gifts-to-give list is a no-brainer.
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Before you turn your eyes away from this steel wall clock from Norm Architects for Menu, take a look at the bold blue color option. Even if you already have enough clocks in your home, it’s hard to resist a blue so bright. With simple hands and a traditional round face, it would fit in effortlessly into any room, even more so if you go with a quieter color. The four color options were chosen for their connection to the Scandinavian climate.

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Excuse me while I geek out over this Bauhaus Typography mug- there’s also one for you Helvetica nerds, so keep your pants on. Even though some of us might already know the year of the design, the designer, and the type size, those details are printed upon the bone china mug so that everyone else may be educated as to two of the most popular typographies’ factoids. Would this make a great gift? Most certainly.
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