Eye Spy: Gifting Memories

Reflecting on years of giving and getting gifts, we realize the presents we cherish most are linked to the memories we’ve made with them: the objects that have accrued meaning through their shimmery functionality; the pieces that feel special every time we pick them up and put them into use in our daily lives.

With such memory-making in mind, we offer our picks for presents with practical luminosity—gifts meant to be shared and treasured, together.

For winter cuddles

The coziness of alpaca cannot be understated; bundling beneath a baby alpaca throw dissolves the snap of subzero temps. The large cables gracing this handknit throw—from Alicia Adams Alpaca—elevate snuggling into a luxurious experience. Based from a family-run alpaca farm in the Hudson Valley of New York, Adams works with artisans in South America to transform the supple spun wool into functional pieces of fiber art. The warm ivory hue—true to the tone of the fleece itself—complements any interior palette. Stoke memories of enveloped happiness.

For elegant organizing

Communal spaces can quickly become chaotic if not organized with care. To ensure such rooms retain their collective camaraderie, consider gifting the person most bothered by such clutter a set of nesting trays. Doubling as showpiece and storage, these trays from Spain make organizing an elegant act. Sol x Luna specializes in fine leather goods, each piece a testament to subtle luxury, a mission epitomized by these trays, their rectangular silhouettes wrapped in leather and finished with hand-stitched seams. We love propping them on coffee tables and ottomans as catch-alls. Such special storage makes searching for the remote a thing of the past.

For family meals

Make every family meal a devotional act by setting the table with special accessories. Ever inspired by the historic grace of Astier de Villate ceramics, we love how these tripod candlesticks evoke the elegance of trees and encourage the dimming of overhead lights. Based in a workshop in Bastille (once home to Napoleon’s silversmith), the French atelier specializes in a technique passed down from father to son: drawing upon 17th and 18th century forms, Benoît Astier coats black terracotta in a milky glaze, an artisanal process that amplifies the character of the clay and lends a hallowed tone to the sculpted silhouettes. Meals become memorable in flickering candlelight.

For important thresholds

We feel the transition from outside to inside, wide world into home, marks an important threshold worthy of design consideration. To encourage a pause between society and family, we propose placing a cozy bench beside the door as an invitation for momentary reflection, for supported unburdening of stuff and feelings accumulated over the course of the day. As part of our Signature 22 custom collection of furniture, the Ferrin Bench from Verellen makes flopping down to deboot/reboot fun—thanks to the nubby texture of its upholstery and the ground vibe of its chunky carved legs. Shed cares in the comfort of home.