8 Designers and Architects Reveal Their Ideal Gifts For the Season

Whether it’s a present they’ve given, received, or would love to unwrap, these selections are great for design-savvy folks.

Cover photo courtesy of Schoolhouse

Apurva Pande of CHA:COL

From the architect: 

I’ve carried it to sketch all around the world, pairing it with my trusty Muji sketchbooks. I always have mine within reach in studio. The pen's size and weight allows you shorter, more ‘weighty’ strokes for writing and drawing. It's refreshing compared to other tools that force us to speed through these tasks. The ink flows flawlessly through a variety of easily changeable nibs, and the compact refills make replacing ink very clean and fuss-free.

Mandy Cheng of Mandy Cheng Design

From the designer:

For close friends or family, I love gifting bedding or bath linens. Typically speaking, once someone has their designated sets of bedding and towels, it’s rare to think about replacing them until it’s absolutely necessary because quality sets can be pricey. Parachute Home has great bedding sets (I love their Washed Sateen collection) as well as towel bundles (the Starter Bathroom Bundle is a gift I would love to receive).

If you need a more low-key gift for a holiday party or co-worker, consider a stylish potted plant. Find a nice planter from your favorite nursery or store (Potted in Atwater Village happens to be my local favorite), and pair it with a sturdy plant, like a snake plant (Sansevieria), Peace Lily, or Pothos. You’re contributing to cleaner air within their home, introducing good design, and likely replacing an existing plant that called it quits several months prior!

Lanette Rizzo of Allied Maker

From the designer: I’m obsessed with this watch as a gift for [my husband and Allied Maker founder] Ryden because it beautifully displays brass, walnut, and leather. Kin to our fixtures which also use the same materials and is also made with an attention to craftsmanship.

Ashley Longnecker of Tiny Shiny Home

From the designer:

I am obsessed with most things from At West End. We have their cast iron bird hooks in our Airstream, and I’d love to have their cactus hooks! I love things that are both functional and adorable, and the cactus hooks and the bird hooks check all the right boxes.

Lindsey Branca of Branca & Co.

From the designer:

I absolutely love the ceramics line from Gjusta Goods, and am planning on giving a few of their grain and yogurt bowls to a friend of mine whom loves to cook. There are so many great ceramics lines today, but what I particularly love about the Gjusta Goods is the weightiness of the pieces, the earthen tones, and the handmade nature of each piece. The Gjusta Goods ceramics are a great gift because there are so many pieces, each with their own little inconsistencies; so when you put together your own set, it feels really personalized. As an added bonus, all of the Gjusta Goods pieces are dishwasher safe!

My dream gift this Christmas would be a set of Pierre Jeanneret easy chairs. What I particularly love about the Jeanneret easy chairs is how seamlessly they fit into any interior design scheme, which is important when buying an investment piece. I also enjoy having a mix of vintage and new pieces in every home we design, and the Jeanneret chairs would lend a much needed masculine counterbalance to some of the more feminine, softer pieces we own.

Maziar Behrooz of MB Architecture

From the architect:

Keeping it in the affordable bracket, currently I love this buckle/tool designed by a friend of mine for Sog. It comes attached to a belt buckle and you can snap it off and use it as a multi-tool. Great for carrying a tool and having it super accessible at all times, without taking extra space, and its stylish.

And I always like Milwaukee measuring tapes, especially the long ones. They let you extend the tape pretty far without needing support; and they make the coolest swish sound when retracted.

Kate Davison, Visual Strategist

From the designer:

One of my favorite gifts I have ever received is my Schoolhouse Plaid Picnic Blanket from my sister. It’s perfect for year-round picnics, and the bottom is waterproof, so theres no limit to where you can dine. Plus, the straps and handles make it so easy to roll up when you are on-the-go. The mustard tartan is a perfect backdrop for beautiful, Insta-friendly photos too! So all-in-all, it’s a perfect gift for those that love a dinner with a view.

Frederick Tang of Frederick Tang Architecture

From the architect:

I would love a new sleep shirt. I know pajamas seem like an old dad kind of present...but I'm obsessed with this brand, Desmond & Dempsey, and especially this pair. The colors feel playful but sophisticated. And the cut doesn't scream "bedtime"—in fact, I would wear this out to a summer block party.