Holiday Gift Guide

For the Design Scholar

Contributing Blogger Tiffany Chu: If your second home is the library and your first home the studio desk, there's probably an academic cornucopia of design supplies that you've been yearning for all semester. For those of us who've been toiling away for final reviews and have only begun thinking about the holidays, here are some picks for your fellow design scholars.

Acme Ruler 4-Function Pen

Price: $38.50
More Info: acmestudio.com

A mature evolution from the 4-color BIC pen that dominated my high school notebooks, ACME Studio's 'World's Thinnest' 4-Function Pen is a black ball point, orange highlighter, 0.7 lead pencil, and PDA stylus all-in-one. This particular model is also a ruler.

Want Organic for J.Crew Kansai Computer Case

Available at: J.Crew
Price: $285.00
More Info: jcrew.com

A very refined covering for a student's most prized possession, the laptop. Crafted with Turkish cotton and Norwegian leather and classy even as a stand-alone, this 15" case also boasts flat pockets (for business cards) and an interior sleeve (for the iPhone that I do not have).

Mymiyel Marble Pushpins

Designed by: Mymiyel
Price: £3.00
More Info: mymiyel.com

Pin-up space and pushpins: two very hot commodities in studio. You'll know exactly what's yours with these unique marble pieces that feature small bits of the London Underground.

Stainless Steel French Press

Designed by: Planetary Design
Price: $27.99
More Info: planetarydesign.us

For the sleep-deprived student who is constantly on the run, nothing can awaken the senses better than a French press that conveniently doubles into a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Birkhauser Basics Series

Available at: Birkhauser
Price: $60.00
More Info: ribabookshops.com

Straightforward, diagrammatic, and enjoyable to read (adjectives rarely associated with building technology texts), the Birkhauser Basics Series is an excellent resource for the more technical aspects of architecture. Covering topics such as Masonry, Roof Construction, Materiality, Room Conditioning, and more, these thin, unpretentious volumes have been a lifesaver for many students.

MÜNCHEN USB Bracelet

Available at: Birkhauser
Price: $385.00
More Info: dijitalfix.com

Every design student knows that one should always be armed with a USB stick. Since I always seem to forget mine, the nerdy pocket of my heart leapt with joy when I saw this beautiful leather piece. Although perhaps a bit of a student splurge, this fancy schmancy 4GB-capacity bracelet is a step up from the typical rubber ones that the techie students often sport. Tonia Welter also makes elegant USB necklaces, keychains, and cufflinks.

101 Things I Learned Architecture School book

101 Things I Learned in Architecture School by Matthew Frederick

Price: $9.07
More Info: amazon.com

The second I touched its chipboard cover, I knew I would love this book. With advice from "Value drawings (shade and shadow) convey emotions better than line drawings" to "Architects are late bloomers", this tome condenses years of architectural education into 101 pithy snippets of wisdom.

The Non-Planner Datebook

Designed by: Keri Smith
Available at: Little Otsu Publishing
Price: $16.00
More Info: shop.littleotsu.com

My Google-calendar wielding Type A friends constantly heckle me for remaining loyal to planners with real (gasp) pages. For the free spirit, I would recommend Little Otsu's Non-Planner Datebook, complete with 'Day of Indecision' sheets and calendar lines definitely drawn without a straight-edge.

Punctuation Page Markers

Made by: Bobs Your Uncle
Price: $10.00
More Info: bobsyouruncle.com

Inject a little personal voice into your study books with these singsongy post-its. (Interesting tidbit: 'Bob's Your Uncle' is a common British expression roughly meaning "and there you have it!")

The Urban Gridded Notebook

Designed by: Walking Chair Design Studio
Price: €20.00
More Info: walking-things.com

For a little variety on your Moleskine-laden desk, why not inspire your sketches with a light city pattern background? Highlighted previously on Dwell, this is the perfect present for the wanderlusting design student with or without a thesis travel grant.