Unexpected Gifts for the Unapologetic Maximalist Who Has Everything

Unexpected Gifts for the Unapologetic Maximalist Who Has Everything

Indulge their magpie tendencies with these special treasures.
Text by

More is more, proclaims the maximalist—and you gotta admit, it’s hard to argue with that logic. Within the type you’ll find everyone from bon vivants waltzing through high society to curious collectors fascinated by ideas, culture, and the natural world. But whether they’re more interested in sampling fine wines or combing the beach for driftwood, the underlying principle is a love for texture, color, variation, and contrast.

Of course, the maximalist’s appetite for novelty and discovery makes them tricky to shop for. They seem to have seen and done it all. That’s why we’ve rounded up the following gifts that are sure to appeal to someone with a distinct style and worldview. From a ceramic dog with a delightfully quirky purpose to conversation-starting jewelry, these picks aim to surprise, enthrall, and intrigue.

PROBA Home Arrangment Pillow 02
PROBA Home Arrangment Pillow 02
Designed in Brooklyn, handmade in India; Hand-tufted, hand-dyed; New Zealand wool;  All natural cotton back; Does not come with pillow insert, only pillow cover; Can vary slightly in color & size due to being hand-made

Designer Alex Proba’s hand-tufted pillows are riotous compositions that beg to be touched. The studio makes lumbar pillows and pet beds, too, so feel free to browse the site and fall down a rabbit hole of bold abstraction.  


Coop Sigaretta Petrol Lighter in Red Tobacco
Coop Sigaretta Petrol Lighter in Red Tobacco
Petrol Lighter  Material: Brass, Steel and Cotton  Size: 85 x 9 x 9 mm  Made in Japan

This cheeky contraption masquerades as a cigarette, making it portable in a pack, or a piece of pop art next to a candle.

Campfire Pottery x Jenny Bravo Scalloped Plate
Campfire Pottery x Jenny Bravo Scalloped Plate
Our scalloped pieces are designed using a hand pinching technique, resulting in a very free-formed, fluid-looking ware, almost as if a flower has completely opened. The scalloped plates are small and sweet, and the size that we find to be missing from most serve ware collections.


Something tells us your loved one has a flair for entertaining. Surprise them with a set of handcrafted plates from the husband-and-wife team behind Portland, Maine’s Campfire Pottery. Designed in collaboration with Jenny Bravo and perfect for appetizers or desserts, this hard-to-find size encourages mixing and matching with an eclectic serveware set.


Memor Mosaic Shoe Charms
Memor Mosaic Shoe Charms
Designed in collaboration with LA based brand 323 , the Mosaic Shoe Charms playfully incorporate small fragments of glass, beads, and sea ephemera. Choose from black, white, and sand in a multi or neutral color way.


Never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d be pushing Jibbitz—and yet, here we are. Designed by Memor, whose mosaic vases and phone cases have gone viral on Instagram, in collaboration with LA brand 323, these charms incorporate glass, beads, and "sea ephemera" for a look that’s tide pool chic.

Eleonor Bostrom Sleepy Toast Rack Dog
Eleonor Bostrom Sleepy Toast Rack Dog
Dog Rack just for your toast! The dog is made out of paper porcelain covered with a transparent glaze, finished with hand painted details.


Boulder, Colorado- and Stockholm-based ceramicist Eleonor Boström makes a series of dogs with utterly unexpected uses that’ll spark a laugh from anyone with a pulse. Each one is more inventive than the next, making it hard to choose just one, but this toast stand is kind of genius.


Mortlach Speyside Single Malt Scotch 16 Year
Mortlach Speyside Single Malt Scotch 16 Year
For 70 years, Mortlach was the best kept secret in the world of whisky.

Does your loved one enjoy a tipple? Nestled in Scotland’s Speyside region, famous for its whisky distilleries, Mortlach was founded in 1823 and produces distinct, robust scotch thanks to its 2.81 distillation process, which we won’t get into here. All you need to know is that this spirit is heady: expect luscious, complex flavors including honey, gingerbread, tobacco, and dried fruit.


Hugo Kreit Pink Coral Claws Nail Ring
Hugo Kreit Pink Coral Claws Nail Ring
Handcrafted sculptural open aluminum ring in metallic pink. 


Paris-based designer Hugo Kreit makes techno-inspired jewelry that celebrates queer rave culture. This piece can be worn alone or over every nail for an electrifying look.


Karigran Essential SPF 30
Karigran Essential SPF 30
Your anti-aging superhero. This mineral sunscreen uses non-nano zinc oxide as an active barrier to shield the face from UVA rays which cause signs of aging, and UVB rays responsible for sunburn.


If you think sunscreen makes a boring gift, think again. This nourishing, oil-based formula from a women-owned brand has anti-aging powers that are crucial for any romp in the sun.


Thames & Hudson The New Naturalists
Thames & Hudson The New Naturalists
Twenty collectors open their homes to reveal the weird and wonderful world of natural objects

Let your loved one know they’re in good company with this compendium of maximalists who have turned their homes into living galleries for their treasured finds—think fossils, beach detritus, feathers, dried flowers.


Mociun Dessert Spill
Mociun Dessert Spill
Spills are fun faux food and drinks.

Don’t cry over spilled milk; do laugh over spilled fruit cocktail.


Curves Jigga What Half-Disc Floor Mat
Curves Jigga What Half-Disc Floor Mat
Bring iconic albums to your front door with our nylon welcome mat.  Made with rubber non-slip backing and die-cut centre.

The Toronto-based designer’s beloved CD rugs have gotten a space-saving chop, making them ideal for welcoming guests at the front door or warming toes in the bathroom. Wherever they go, though, they make a statement.

A Craft Workshop 

If you’re truly at a loss about what to get the person who has everything, go with the gift that keeps on giving: a new skill. Depending on what’s available in the area, sign your loved one up for a class that will excite and ignite them. Ikebana, rug tufting, screen printing, woodworking, glass blowing—the possibilities are endless.  

Looking for something else? Check out the rest of our holiday gift guides here.

We love the products we feature and hope you do, too. If you buy something through a link on the site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Jenny Xie
Dwell Contributor
Jenny Xie is the author of the novel Holding Pattern, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Honoree. She’s received fellowships from Bread Loaf, Yaddo, and MacDowell, among other organizations.

Published

Last Updated

Get the Shop Newsletter

Smart shopping for the design obsessed. Find what you love in our expertly curated selection of finely crafted home, office, travel, and lifestyle products.