Vox’s gift guide for design enthusiasts

Make a big impact with a gift that looks beautiful long after it’s unwrapped.

Story bookcase designed by Afteroom

Give the bookworm in your life the gift of organization with this Spain-style vertical bookshelf from Design Within Reach. The modern design fits neatly into most spaces and is sure to please book lovers looking for a stylish makeover. With multiple heights and ample shelving, there’s room for all of your literary favorites. (Design Within Reach, from $225)

—Lindsey Botts, editorial coordinator

Poster from L’Affichiste

Every time I move into a new apartment, I have high hopes for how I’m going to zhuzh up the place. Those hopes are quickly dashed after a few internet searches prove that I can’t afford anything I actually want. That’s why I was so delighted to IRL stumble upon the Montreal vintage poster shop L’Affichiste last spring. Their pieces are compelling and affordable, and span a variety of eras and themes. You can find early-20th-century German tobacco advertisements, 1980s Olympics posters, and Soviet propaganda prints, all in the same place. Their online shop is easy to navigate and can separate prints by theme, price, or year. My favorite part is that you pay in Canadian dollars, so when the US dollar is really strong, it feels like you’re getting a bit of discount. (L’Affichiste, starting at $25)

—Aditi Shrikant, reporter, The Goods

The Graphic Continuum Match It Game

This is a fun, fast-paced game for data visualization fans. The deck is beautifully designed, and it comes with a glossary that provides an entertaining way to expand graphic literacy and explore different visualization options for data. (PolicyViz, $15)

—Javier Zarracina, Graphics Editor, Vox

Kehinde Wiley Dacia Carter II plate

Artware Editions is one of my favorite places to buy gifts (also, stuff for myself!). They sell “functional objects by visual artists,” which means you can get Kehinde Wiley plates, Louise Bourgeois placemats, an Ai Weiwei handkerchief, a Cindy Sherman pool float — there’s so much, and a lot of it is really well-priced. Can’t afford a Yoshimoto Nara original? Get a skate deck, or even just a box of creepy-cute bandages. (Artware, $99)

—Julia Rubin, editor, The Goods

Embr Wave personal air conditioner

This watch both looks cool and actually is cool: a wearable that can warm you up and cool you down. I found the warming function very effective, especially when you wait for the bus out in the cold or when that chilly draft in the office aimed directly at your desk gets to you. The cooling function is less effective, but it still feels good, like applying an ice cube to your inner wrist on a hot day. (Embr Labs, $299)

—Kavya Sukumar, news apps developer

Ombré drinking glasses

Despite coveting many colorful drinking glasses over the years, I still haven’t worked up the courage to buy some for myself. I’m afraid I’ll drop them, and the idea of breaking something so pretty fills me will all kinds of preemptive sadness. It seems like a waste of money. Interestingly, I think these ombré glasses — in pink and orange, and blue and green, at $10 a pop — would make a fantastic gift. Imagine how much more enjoyable drinking water would be! How uplifting! The recipient will be too pleased to engage with the depressing possibility of accidentally smashing them. (Coming Soon New York, $10)

—Eliza Brooke, contributor

Phone cases from Robin Eisenberg

Dauntingly cool and coolly daunting, Los Angeles-based illustrator Robin Eisenberg specializes in neon and the surreal: vampires flossing before a big night out, gal pals road-tripping with a pair of skeletons in the back seat, three-eyed aliens who love bubble tea, purple-haired moon women dreaming of Earth, and so on. She sells her stuff as prints and as phone cases, and I request the one that features a girl lounging in outer space in tube socks next to her pet wolf — who is pink! I welcome you to re-outfit someone’s phone with something freaky this holiday season, or consider flirting with this “Send Nudes” print. I found her on Instagram, obviously, but I think that’s fine, and we should be grateful for the algorithm, in moderation. (Society 6, $36)

—Kaitlyn Tiffany, reporter, The Goods

Indigenous Roots silk scarf

Los Angeles-based fashion designer Bethany Yellowtail marries high-end looks with her Crow and Northern Cheyenne heritage. This striking collaboration with the artist Ernesto Yerena Montejano grabs your eye, and a portion of the proceeds from the scarf will be donated to the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. (B.Yellowtail, $165)

—Michelle Garcia, senior editor, identities

Art from Martha Oakes

I do not actually own anything from Martha Oakes — yet! — but I follow her Instagram account religiously. The San Francisco-based artist specializes in abstract works inspired by nature that are also perfectly modern. She produces paintings and textiles with colors and lines that calm the soul. If you can’t find time to forest-bathe, you can look at a Martha Oakes painting. It’s basically the same. She offers a range of prints and original works at various price points, which I also love. (Martha Oakes, Prints from $35)

—Blair Hickman, director of audience

A gift card to 20x200

Many people think cool, unique art is out of their reach — but it’s not. Whenever people ask me where to buy affordable art, I immediately direct them to 20x200. This online store is the perfect haven for those looking for unique art to decorate their home on a budget. The site’s slogan is “art for everyone,” and it’s true: Pieces start at just $24 for an 8x8 print, and increase from there for larger sizes. The store works with hundreds of independent artists and curates themed collections that guarantee you’ll find something for everyone here, no matter their taste. (20x200)

—Nisha Chittal, engagement editor

Rad and Hungry vintage office supplies

Rad and Hungry tracks down vintage office supplies from all over the world — like these vintage inkwells from Albania. It’s an ideal gift for the offbeat office supplies and stationery lover. I got the STMNT subscription for my birthday and I love it. It came in a beautiful package with personalized, handwritten notes. ($69 per month)

—Kavya Sukumar

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