The Diana Mini JIYU, with lens cap.

Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.

The owners toured this home, which surrounds a mature tipu tipu tree, while visiting relatives for the day. The brick is original to the 1947 construction.

“A building can have far greater impact than the space it stands in.”—William Carpenter, architect and resident

Sliding doors by Quantum were made to look like the original panes that couldn't be saved, and they lead to a fire pit outside.

New zoning allowed for a zero-lot-line structure, but required a public storefront, which Carpenter uses as an art gallery.

Mini Lumio+ by Max Gunawan for Lumio, $125 at hellolumio.com An extra lightweight companion to the original Lumio, a literal book light created by architect Max Gunawan, the mini Lumio+ achieves the same spellbinding LED effect as its predecessor, while also providing a portable means to charge electronics.

The orange his-and-hers lamps in the bedroom came from Högner's sister's childhood bedroom. "My sister prefers new things," said Högner. "But my dad can't throw anything out.

80 years In 1934, Piero Boffi left his job with aircraft manufacturer Caproni and established Boffi, a kitchen and bathroom company dedicated to craft-like quality. Joe Colombo's 1963 Minikitchen, a large multi-functional trolley, remains one of Boffi's most popular products. Photo courtesy of Boffi.

See Arch restored the exterior fireplace wall and painted it a deep blue hue to match the repainted blue timber cladding.

The bath’s Kohler Purist fixtures and Frederick Weinberg animal figures sit on a Corian countertop

The Airstream Haus’s interior is minimalist, but comfortable, boasting a fully functional kitchen and queen-size bed that doubles as a couch.

"This is the Mini-Library in Baltic birch, it's really practical and the scale is good for kids." -Sophie Demenge

Bovee uses the small desk at the foot of the couple's bed for freelance writing projects.

For a subtler statement, the Mini Single sconce consists of a single drum style luminaire that hangs from a wall-mounted power feed. Throughout the collection, the LED luminaires are available in eleven different styles, so you’re sure to find the perfect configuration for your home.

The Kelleys furnished the cottage with help from Suzanne’s daughter Betsy Burbank of Betsy Burbank Interiors. Classic modernist icons, such as a Saarinen Womb chair for Knoll, a Herman Miller Eames lounge chair, and an Eileen Grey E1027 side table look at home alongside present-day pieces such as an Encore sofa (which handily folds down into a sleeping surface) from Room & Board and a Doka rug designed and produced by Stephanie Odegard. The Wohlert pendant lights from Louis Poulsen were designed by Vilhelm Wohlert in 1959, but grouped as such, they appear distinctly contemporary.

Mini Stacked by JDS Architects, from $99

The Airstream Haus, parked in Ojai, California. August says that when your dwelling is small, it’s important to make the most of outdoor space.

“I really believe buildings are part of a city as an organism.”—William Carpenter, architect and resident

A smaller version of a design classic, this lamp plays with contrasts: What looks like a cool block of ice heats up when the light is switched on. The Block Lamp has won numerous awards and is part of MoMA’s permanent collection.

“You go down a hall and turn left to go to bed, to block noise from the living room,” Jones says. “And each space in the house looks out onto something different, in all directions.” The bed is custom-made by Jones, which is covered with linens from Bespoke Design in Victoria, B.C. A black Tolomeo mini table lamp sits on the nightstand.

The Diana F+ KIRAMEKI.

Marc Newson: Mini Lockheed Lounge

This tactile case ($33.99) made of felt features a sleeve for an iPad Mini, as well as compartments for key accessories like headphones and chargers.

This year, skip the relentless rows of big-name toy stores and check out Dwell's selection of fun holiday gifts for the mini modernists on your list. Even for the pickiest kid, these unique finds are bound to be the talk of the playground.

The hands-down must have for the modern nursery is the Mini-e!! The Mini-e is a child sized replica sharing the same aesthetics as the classic Eames 1950s lounge chair and ottoman. For parents who want to keep the modern design of their home flowing through the nursery, this is for them. Photo from Little Nest

Yeehaw Mini Trees Letterpress Cards, set of 8, $20 Available at Etsy

Pleased with the pop-up they designed last summer, Frame approached i29 again this fall to construct a more long-term installation: a shop meant to evoke a 3-D walk through of an issue of their magazine.

Leroy tools around on his mini turbo tractor while munching on a gigantic cookie; his parents look on with envy.

Dump Truck by Green Toys, $20.

Fashion-tech designer Anouk Wipprecht’s white Spider Dress 2.0 was developed with Philip Wilck along the lines of a previous dress she made inspired by arachnids. The 3D-printed robotic garment with eight jointed arms (activated by sensors and Intel Edison chips with artificial bio-signal intelligence) protects the wearer. Depending on the wearer's mood—agitated or pleased—the arms of the dress spring upward to ward off intrusions.