Gift Guide: Home is Where the Heart is

In her book Home Is Where the Heart Is, designer Ilse Crawford writes “In a rapidly changing world and with increasingly difficult and stressful lives, what we all need is a sanctuary where we can feel comforted, tranquil, and content”. With the premise that “the more virtual our world becomes, the more we need the physical” she asserts “We need the functionality of the technological age but we want a sense of humanity, of home, a space that speaks to us both rationally and emotionally. We want to be modern but we want to be human too.” We couldn’t agree more! Here is a selection of beautiful, high-quality, locally crafted goods to love up any home.

Left: Len Carella creates one-of-a-kind and site-specific installation art and sculpture in stoneware, porcelain, leather, glass, cork and textile and small batch functional ware in stoneware and porcelain for home and restaurant use. Vessel no. 03 is made of stoneware with leather accents and measures 20” high x 15” diameter.

Right: The Openwork Orb Vessel by Lynne Meade is part of the Pierced Collection. Inspired by midcentury modern design, it’s made of wheel thrown and hand pierced stoneware with a satin glaze. Small holes are created when the clay is still wet and then each hole is painstakingly enlarged and smoothed when the clay is bone dry. The interplay of light and shadow, color and form complement any urban, contemporary, or transitional space. Lovely as an accent piece or stunning as a centerpiece with a candle inside.

Left: The Focal Task Light, designed by Oakland’s Prowl Studio, is made by Gantri of sustainable plant polymers using 3D printing technology. Inspired by the clinical lights of dentists and tattoo artists, it’s part of a collection of lighting pieces designed for creative projects and creative spaces. As the name suggests, these lights are focal points. When pointed down, the light focuses on the work below and when pointed up, it becomes an ambient beacon within the home. Focal Task Light is an ideal partner for worktables, giving users a targeted light source as they dive into projects like sketching or making jewelry.

Right: From Habitat Horticulture, Gromeo is a mini living wall system designed to bring the outdoors into any space. It has a low maintenance self-watering system and is made of 100% recycled and sustainable materials. Comes in a choice of ten plant palettes, two sizes, and two frame options.

Left: Susan McKinney’s of SKINNY creations in clay and glass embody the meeting point of art, design, and craft. Her Signature Collection of woven ceramics is available in four colors. Beautiful on its own as a small sculpture, as a vessel for a floral display, or with a candle as a lantern.

Right: Founded in 2019 by Indian designers Utharaa L Zacharias and Palaash Chaudhary, soft-geometry is a collaborative design studio creating collectible objects around a central theme of softness. Their work intersects texture, transparency, and color, with slow hand-worked techniques, imperfection, and intricate craft. Zacharias and Chaudhary often reference these ideas from the rich visual culture and handcrafts of their hometowns in India and derive opportunities to bridge traditional and modern ways of making and seeing. Gola Candles are hand cast and available sets of 1, 2 or 4 in four colors options.

Left: The heated Helios Chair by Galanter & Jones is smooth like a warm river stone in the sun and warms your entire body with its efficient and comfortable design. Imagine relaxing in a hot tub without getting wet. Now picture the Helios on your deck, in your garden, on a rooftop, or après-ski. Available in five surface colors and three frame colors.

Right: From Manos by Concreteworks, Luz is a fire feature designed for both interior and exterior environments. Its compact size means you don’t need a ton of space to enjoy sitting by the fire. A textural trio of materials – rock, concrete, and steel – speak to its essential nature. Rolled lava rocks are dispersed in the basin around the burner. Luz comes with an EcoSmart AB3 Bioethanol burner kit and stainless-steel mounting collar.

Left: The porcelain Blue/Black & White Vessel by Lisa Fleming Ceramics is glazed in Crystalline White Matte with a rim of Manganese that has melted and run-in firing to create a very dramatic and beautiful combination. The glaze has areas of satin and matte, small speckles, sparkles, and hints of deep blue around the dark rim with depth, movement, and lots of character. The foot is small and gives the piece a feeling of floating lightly on a surface.

Right: Founded by artist and maker Moriah Okun, MOkun creates rope baskets, planters, trays, sculptural vessels and more. Each piece is coiled and stitched by Moriah on a sewing machine using rope, thread and various other cords and natural fibers. The resulting forms are flexible and sturdy, playful and sophisticated, sculptural, and functional. Denim + Seafoam Buckets are limited edition dyed rope baskets made from blocks of denim and sea foam cotton cord with shades of blue and green thread.

Left: From Yvonne Mouser, the Five-Count Guitar Stand is modern and minimal furniture piece made to elevate and protect your collection of acoustic and electric guitars. The clean lines and solid wood design fit into any number of interiors from living spaces to music studios. Constructed in solid white oak with matte finish and nonslip cushioning at contact points.

Right: The DeHaro Backless Counter Stool from Fyrn is available in counter or bar height, and is customizable in a choice of five woods, and four finishes of their patented Stemn hardware system. Leather seat upgrade available.

Left: Union Square from Phoenix Day Lighting is a LED rechargeable lantern. Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, it has dimmer controls and a built-in rechargeable battery with charging station.

Right: Designed to live as a family of objects, Eos Table Lamps from Model No. share form, scale, and create playful negative spaces that are compelling when arranged as a group or as independent lamps. 3D printed with sustainable plant polymers on a sustainably sourced and hand-finished hardwoods. Eos has a natural translucency and opacity that create a stunning visual on its surface as it spreads a soft, even light. Available in six unique styles, in a choice of three colors and hardwoods.

Left: The Basket Bed by Faunamade is durable, natural, and loved by dogs and cats alike. Its custom alternative-down cushion has a softly supportive fill. It rests in a handmade, Fair Trade Certified jute basket that’s firm but pliable and perfectly sized to make pets feel “tucked in.” Shown in Dark Gray Linen, it’s available in a choice of fabric options.

Right: Handmade from genuine retired fire hose salvaged from US fire departments,
Fire Hose Mats from Oxgut Hose Co. are super durable and come in three sizes in a variety of color combinations.

Image at top of page: Mariposa Standard Chairs and Long Table (bench) by Fyrn.

Check out our other Gift Guides:

Kitchen & Tabletop
Apparel & Accessories
Food & Beverage

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