The new Tivoli Audio Model Two Digital speaker is a bit of an anachronism within the growing category of app-only, minimalist modern streaming audio speakers. Its classic wood veneer cabinet, aluminum grill, and single operation control knob gently references a time when tabletop radios delivered playlists via AM or FM stations. But this is no throwback retro speaker either in form or function, it’s outfitted to stream wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and also styled with a timeless modernity.

Tivoli Audio Model Two Digital is the latest of brand’s Audio Art Generation line, and one openly marketed toward hospitality and the interior design industry, with the audio brand emphasizing the speaker’s new brushed aluminum grill with ionized finish and its decor friendly combinations that would undoubtedly look great in a range of interior styles. The speaker is also designed for either horizontal or vertical orientation, allowing it to get in where it fits in.

An interesting aside is the new all-metal grill design was influenced by the earlier days of the pandemic, when hygiene in public spaces and across surfaces became a concern.

Tivoli Audio’s design language has always emphasized the tactile, with their digital speakers and radios outfitted with a tactile control knob long associated with the Tivoli brand. The Model Two Digital is no exception, graced with a noticeably small knob responsible for power, selecting the input source, and adjusting the volume.

The Model Two Digital has also seen an upgrade in its audio prowess, rated as louder than its predecessor, powering a 3.5” full range driver and .75” tweeter with 20W output. The speaker supports AirPlay2 and Chromecast, with support for Spotify Connect, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal Connect, Deezer, Pandora, TuneIn, and more baked in. Wireless connectivity is delivered via Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi, but those who prefer kicking it old school can connect favorite audio components via 3.5mm auxiliary input.

Compared to the openly retro-modern style of Tivoli’s iconic Model One with its trio of dial controls, the Model Two Digital wears a more streamlined appearance that lands neither retro nor futuristic, but perhaps simply classically contemporary.

The Tivoli Model Two Digital is available for $449.99 in three color combinations – walnut/gold, white/silver, and black/black.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Our gift guide for the Outdoors Lover recognizes there are many ways a person can express their affinity for being outside. Maybe your holiday gift recipient loves to disconnect and rough it out in nature, camping and hiking. Or maybe they find pleasure in the toil of creating and tending to a backyard garden, or conversely someone who is skilled at keeping menagerie of houseplants alive with their green thumb. Perhaps they’re the type of person who simply loves entertaining outdoors, addicted to the al fresco lifestyle. They’re all in their own way lovers of the outdoors, and the gift ideas below were chosen to bring joy in similar multitude.

If Buckminster Fuller was ever to return reincarnated as a hypebeast with a penchant for adventuring in the great outdoors, he’d might very well be found camping inside one of these geodesic dome structure tents. The ingenious design saves weight and maximizes room using inflatable struts to create the tent’s supporting structure, with an inner tent embellished with a striking camouflage flame pattern. Not quite glamping, but definitely not your usual REI-outfitted adventure gear.

A terrarium is a great gift for the biophilic-spirited plant lover, gardener, or outdoor adventurer. Available with either a Carrara or concrete color base, the Biodome’s combination of enclosed clear top alongside its small vented opening works together to retain moisture and heat, and bring in light to create the ideal conditions for many tropical plants not only to grow, but thrive in an environment closer to their original habitat. These are a beautiful means of bringing the outdoors inside, especially during the colder months when warmth and greenery might be a distant memory.

Whether hosting a weekend brunch or evening supper in the backyard, adding a thoughtfully curated playlist to elevate the mood is the icing on the entertainer’s cake. We love our original Move wireless speaker not only for those social engagements, but also to bring outdoors while we’re busy gardening or working out. It’s integrated back handle makes it really easy to move around, inside or outdoors. Sonos’ recent version 2.0 upgrade delivers stereo audio performance that can get even louder (yet clear) than the original Move’s mono output, and also doubles battery life to an impressive 24 hours between charges, making it also a great car camping addition. But superficially, what do we like best? The new pleasing matte Olive color option designed to blend into the outdoors!

Being a houseplant parent requires providing all of the basic necessities a plant would need out in nature: water, soil, warmth, nutrients, and light. The latter can be the hardest to provide at optimal levels during the gloomier and colder months, making a grow light engineered to shine a full spectrum glow a necessity. In the past, grow lights were purely functional in design, and not something you’d want to keep out in the open. You can thank the houseplant boom during the pandemic for the emergence of home-friendly grow light designs like Soltech’s Grove, a LED light bar intended to shine its photosynthesis supportive rays from any surface, whether wall mounted or installed underneath a cabinet or shelf.

As the co-author of a book about mushroom hunting, it should be no surprise I’d be drawn to the spirited away silhouette of Gubi’s Agaricus bisporus (aka button mushroom) shaped rechargeable outdoor lamp. Designed by Bill Curry with frosted glass filtering its output, the dimmable 250 lumen LED light shines anywhere from 5 hours at full output all the way up to 40 hours at its most dim setting. In any case, the Obello’s atmospheric glow will make any outdoor corner feel more warmly inviting.

Cast and finished by hand, Los Angeles architect-designer Jerome Byron’s outdoor stools stand out from the crowd of typical staid outdoor furniture, appearing like the retro-futuristic remnants strewn throughout a Brutalist garden. The arch-shaped design is shaped from pigment-infused, glass-fiber reinforced concrete, resulting in an airy, yet significant sculptural presence – one arguably deserving a pair to invite conversation as much as quiet contemplation.

Pairing a plant with the right planter is on par to finding the ideal frame for a painting or photograph. And we think these tabletop terracotta planters will add a quiet architectural element and contrast that most lack, something akin to Ricardo Bofill’s repurposed cement factory La Fábrica and its tropical garden, but in miniature. Offered in five different hues (and additional sizes), the Vayu is made in a family-run facility powered by renewable energy in Vermont alongside a female-owned ceramic facility in Portugal.

Lily Clark has continued to examine the interaction between water and a multitude of stone surfaces at varying scales, inviting not only the flow and sound of water to awaken a meditative mood, but also in the exploration of its abilities to transform surfaces and colors – a process in display as water spills across a trio of circular cut stones embedded into Farallon’s carved path. Consider Farallon the larger sibling of the poetically soothing desktop Comb Fountain. Whether situated inside or outdoors, Clark’s fountain emotes a flow state suited to erode stress as water does to stone.

The Terra chair is an example of the changing and modernized landscape of outdoor furniture designed to appeal to backyards that are more Santa Monica than Nantucket in vibe. With a low and quietly minimalist aluminum frame, we think these chairs look particularly garden-friendly in Olive (also available in Putty or Charcoal). The chair’s fiber-fill and foam seat cushions are deep and supportive, covered in quick drying Sunbrella, making upkeep easy and durability guaranteed (5 year Sunbrella warranty and 3 year coverage for the frame, just in case you’re wondering). There’s also a sofa-sized version if you really want to piece together a living room outside.

We called the Oyster “the most chill outdoor cooler ever designed” after witnessing its impressive capabilities in keeping drinks and food cold for spans far longer than any tailgating party or picnic would ever require. The sleek extruded aluminum construction is also a perk, with a nifty design that allows opening the lid from both sides, and switching from a carrying handle to shoulder strap an easy 10-second process, tops. Gift an Oyster along with a craft beer subscription for your favorite outdoors enthusiast, and you’re likely to be remembered as the coolest gift giver ever.

By now you’ve likely read all about the benefits of composting, the process inviting microorganisms to chow down on kitchen and garden waste and convert that material into rich beneficial matter that can energize plant growth. But not everyone has the space for a full-size bin or tumbler, making the Reencle home composter an impressively stress-free and space-efficient option. Throw in anything from pizza crust, meat, and your usual salad bar leftovers – the machine accepts anywhere between 1.5 lbs to 2.2 lbs daily – and it silently “digests” everything into a near odorless compost material you can sift onto garden beds and planters to renew the cycle. It does all this with only a very modest amount of noise, vital for an appliance designed to operate openly out in the kitchen.

Follow along so you don’t miss any of our 2023 Gift Guides this year!

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Buster + Punch has a lot to celebrate! This year the brand celebrates its momentous 10th anniversary, and to mark the occasion, founder and creative director Massimo Buster Minale has unveiled his first ever chair, the Chopper. This design holds tremendous sentimental value, as the original version belongs to Massimo’s late father, Marcello Minale.

An influential designer in the 70s, Marcello crafted the brand identities for iconic fashion houses like Valentino, Armani, and Fendi, but his off-hours were spent working on custom motorbikes, a passion shared with his son that would eventually lead to the inception of Buster + Punch. The new edition of the Chopper pays homage to the initial design with updates that give it the Buster + Punch signature.

In the video below, Massimo sits down to talk to his brother, Marcello Minale, who continues to successfully operate global branding agency Minale Tattersfield, founded by their father in 1964. The brothers discuss their father’s original 1973 design and his legacy, as well as the updated Buster + Punch version of the Chopper Chair, and more.

WATCH:



Recognizing the Chopper’s significance as one of the first stackable lounge chairs available back then, Massimo retained that quality in the new version but upgraded the materials. The Chopper now features a wider gauge steel frame with a modern black chrome finish, giving the chair extra durability and a monochromatic appearance. The seat and backrest, originally made of rattan, have been swapped out with thick, full-grain leather in black. In the way that the leather seat of a motorcycle contours the shape of the engine block, the Chopper gently supports the user in their relaxed, lounging position. Leaving no detail – however small – behind, Massimo punctuated the chair’s overall black appearance with solid brass logo caps, solidifying the mark of a Buster + Punch production.

Comfort and efficiency have also improved in the new Chopper Chair. Accounting for different preferences of comfort, Massimo added straps on the seat to allow the user to adjust as needed. The chair, shipped as a flat-packed item, now saves over 75% of the packaging and airspace.

For Massimo, the introduction of the Chopper lounge chair marks a full circle moment for Buster + Punch, one that we felt needed additional context to fully honor the chair’s origin. Below, we chat with Massimo who takes us on a trip down memory lane and also shares what’s next for the brand:

What are your earliest memories of your father as a designer and creator?

Hanging out after school at his offices in Putney, as my eldest brother and mum were also designers.

Are there any traits or patterns that your father has passed down to you?

Simplicity in design. Before my Dad came along, graphic design was very descriptive but he reinvented the genre by stripping it back to the single most important message and, as a result, was responsible for bringing logos into fashion houses rather than full brand names. We try to emulate that at B+P to avoid confusing people with too many messages.

Why did you select the Chopper as Buster + Punch’s inaugural chair?

It’s sitting in my family house since I was born. Every twist and turn of my life has spent in this chair and for some time we’ve wanted to bring it back. It felt this was the time, coinciding with our anniversary and the 70s silhouette being so strong. What makes chairs like this special is how they place an emphasis on the construction and the frame rather than big puffy cushions that cover up a multitude of sins.

Where do you see the newly updated Chopper existing?

This is the lounge chair that gives that contrast to your puffy upholstered sofa. But also the one you’d have in your lobby. It’s one that looks as good as it feels – it’s the one you have next to the sofa that draws all the attention.

Are there any plans to update the Chopper in the future?

We’re looking into releasing new covers, as the charm of this new design is that you can remove and switch out the covers. But we always wanted this limited run first edition to be the black-on-black, which felt like the perfect colorway.

Congratulations on the decade anniversary! What do you hope to do with Buster + Punch for the next ten years?

Remain original, meaningful, and innovative. We’ll try to stay analogue and tactile but continue to explore ways to meld technology with tradition to shape new chapters and ideas.

Massimo Buster Minale

To shop the Chopper Chair, visit busterandpunch.com.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

If you’re one of the millions affected by SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, you’re probably already readying yourself for the change in sunlight as summer’s long days slowly diminish into memory. Many people affected by the condition rely upon light therapy to ease the effects. While SAD lights have been proven effective, many of these lights designed for treating the seasonally induced depression aren’t exactly the most pleasing to keep around the house out in the open. Many resemble plasticky luminous tablets rather than a traditional lamp. SKYVIEW’s pair of sunlight simulating lamps aim to boost mood without requiring that degree of compromise.

BIOS, the company behind each of the SKYVIEW lights, identifies as a biology-first lighting company that designs their products in accordance to well-documented scientific research aligning our body’s physical and mental state in relation to our exposure to natural sunlight throughout the day. They also set out to design lamps that feel/look like part of the home, lighting you can use throughout the year by the bedside, at the desk, or your favorite reading corner.

You may be wondering, “What’s the difference between these lights and countless high lumen, blue light options already available?” SKYVIEW adds automatic brightness and light temperature adjustments throughout the day, glowing a proprietary quality of illumination at comfortable brightness levels that won’t blast your retinas into awakened submission that changes incrementally in accordance to the time/light outside.

Both lamps are also designed to deliver this optimal wavelength of light at a height simulating sunlight shining from above the horizon, styled with a contemporary aesthetic sensibility that appears more like a normal modern lamp rather than a light treatment tool.

With SKYVIEW, this diverse spectrum is displayed as a pleasing gradient, the “blue sky” wavelength that our bodies have evolved to respond to positively.

Additionally, SKYVIEW differs because the light each lamp puts out isn’t merely bright, but replicates the diverse spectrum of natural light. Daylight isn’t composed of a single color, but all of them (this explains why we can see so many different colors at their best in natural sunlight).

One of the minds behind SKYVIEW is the near aptly-named Robert Soler, the company’s co-founder and EVP/Research and Technology. Soler’s resume includes efforts aiding NASA to develop lighting system onboard the International Space Station to help astronauts maintain healthy circadian rhythms while orbiting weeks in space. He has also worked with Olympic and professional sports teams to mitigate the effects of jet lag.

Using the app, the lights can also fill-in for the typically intrusive wail of an alarm clock, easing the body into a state of awakening incrementally.

SKYVIEW offers two models with similar specifications: 1,302 lumens of LED powered brightness, die-cast aluminum base, 80 color rendering index score (the measurement of how accurately color is rendered in relation to the output of light), each with an estimated 50,000 hours lifespan.

Mixing in warmer colors versus glowing singularly bright-blue light helps both the mind and body awaken during the day. A relaxing and warm amber spectrum during the evening hours aids in readying the body for sleep.

The difference between the two options? The $949 SKYVIEW 2 PRO is taller (20.7-inches versus 11.6-inches) and also includes a handblown glass globe rather than the lighter weight diffused polycarbonate globe featured on the $449 SKYVIEW 2 model. That’s not cheap by any means, but considering either lamp is every bit a health medical tool as they are personalizable lighting solution, it could mean the difference between feeling good daily or counting the days toward spring and summer in misery.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Blush, bright, or dusty rose. Prior to it being co-opted by my millennial peers I gave into the allure of pink long ago – even when it wasn’t in vogue for men to admit. While I accepted the awesome responsibility of moving the needle on that issue, there wasn’t a great variety of goods or designers embracing the hue until the last decade. If you or someone you know has been brave enough to bear the burden of enjoying it, I encourage you to think pink this holiday season when gifting.

Deco enough to pay homage to one of the most iconic architectural periods in recent history but contemporary enough to complement a modern home, the Brooklyn Candle Holder is an elegant piece for any tabletop or crystal collector. Its hand-cut, layered wings can catch some rays to create visual effects from those that are dazzling to simply marking the passage of time depending on its relation to source light. It’s exemplary collectible design.

Swarovski partnered with the esteemed porcelain manufacturer Rosenthal in an exclusive collaboration to marry this signature octagon pattern with utility for more tabletop play. The vase delightfully subverts expectations from the crystal brand while serving as more than just a collectible item. It’s an exceptional gift for those who appreciate historical references as it takes inspiration from the Wiener Werkstätte art scene – an amalgam of craft, architecture, and graphic design.

Particularly beautiful in the Calcutta finish, its materiality elevates this dish from trinket tray to architectural experience as the namesake of L’abbaye du Thoronet. The austere arches mimic those of the abbey with contemporary flair while inviting users to commune with the home. It is crafted in Porto, Portugal, living a storied life from its inception.

Chic meets utilitarian with this tool set packaged in an iconic pink box. Home fragrance is an investment and burning rituals should include candle care to preserve those purchases. Comprising an oval tray, wick trimmer, snuffer, and wick dipper, this collection enhances user experience as it invites a slowness otherwise rushed through while on a scent journey. It’s all about the “slow burn.”

Despite my aspirations or delusions of grandeur, sometimes the most meaningful gifts are those that are handmade and whose purchase can support slower craft. Aptly described as “slender” and “sexy,” these high balls in pink and amber are perfect for those with an appreciation for presentation when crafting libations. Handmade meets hydration for the holidays.

Oops!… They did it again. Without missing a beat the Danish maker of audio and home entertainment equipment fashions an even more elegant model of their Beosound Level Portable WiFi Speaker with the Atelier Edition in Lilac Twilight. While the product, exclusive for online purchase, is enamoring, the most impressive feature is its Cradle to Cradle™ certification. Inherently designed to be the gift that keeps on giving, its technology and construction allows for “future-proofing” with features like hardware that can easily be serviced.

I’m a staunch believer that art and books are equally important elements to invest in as is any other home furnishing. The soft geometries and modest colors reprinted with archival giclée on a sturdy stock make a fine art composition for the home. Understated in its elegance, this spatial composition still draws the eye to it and makes a great conversation piece when hung on the right wall.

The beguiling orbs and metallic L-shaped brass base plates that comprise Jonathan Adler’s Globo Bookends are inspired by big, bold cocktail rings. Available in several jewel tones, these functional objects provide just enough theater for an otherwise minimal bookshelf and enchant passers by to get lost in their imagination, or perhaps, a book.

This portable and rechargeable table luminary comprises two rounded elements, a body and a knob, and made of blown glass with a bell jar shape plucked from a fairy tale. It allows for personal customization but I recommend Flamingo – a pink model whose finish and candy hue make it saccharine sweet. The dim-to-warm functionality of its light source allows users to connect and play building on its elements of whimsy.

Creative genius, production prowess, and a command of color conspire to bring you the Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair. A collaboration between Herman Miller and HAY, this artifact is made of 100% recycled plastic in six new colors inspired by archival designs from the famed industrial designers and architects. Laura Guido-Clark, the former Creative Director of Materials Innovation at Herman Miller and founder of Love Good Color, gives my Powder Pink pick her seal of approval.

Follow along so you don’t miss any of our 2023 Gift Guides this year!

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

With professional degrees in architecture and journalism, Joseph has a desire to make living beautifully accessible. His work seeks to enrich the lives of others with visual communication and storytelling through design. A regular contributor to titles under the SANDOW Design Group, including Luxe and Metropolis, Joseph serves the Design Milk team as their Managing Editor. When not practicing, he teaches visual communication, theory, and design. The New York-based writer has also contributed to exhibitions hosted by the AIA New York’s Center for Architecture and Architectural Digest, and recently published essays and collage illustrations with Proseterity, a literary publication.

The former Schellens Fabriek in Eindhoven became Something.bigger for Dutch Design Week 2023 – a creative hub for designers, artists, and makers as residents and host to Nothing Happens If Nothing Happens by the digital and physical design platform Isola. The exhibition showcased innovative biomaterials, circular products, and collectible design pieces.

The German designer behind the limewood and bouclette Big Marshmallow (Ottoman), Paul Ketz, claims that it suits any environment “from throne room to lounge area” and that the segmented shapes are like “a fountain of youth that seems to float gently around.” We’re not quite sure about any of that, but it does look super comfy and it certainly makes a statement!

In case you didn’t spot the visual reference or the clue in the name, Paperclip by Esmee Gruson was in fact inspired by the ubiquitous paperclip, “enlarged and deformed into a new absurd reality,” with the intention of questioning comfort, functionality, and the boxes into which we place things.

Deze Beams (“these beams”) originated from a collaboration between Plastiek Breda and Soeps Creative Collective. At their simplest, they are sustainably manufactured, recycled plastic beams with holes in them – together they can be used as a modular system to make almost anything, from seating to sleeping pods. “Together we build a creative ecosystem without limits to sustainable thinking and action,” says the team. “These are easy to use, encourage reuse, and therefore reduce the purchase of new materials and/or products.”

MESA is a side table handmade from 100% natural and biodegradable eucalyptus bark by the Portuguese multi-disciplinary design practice DUBLO Studio. Eucalyptus bark falls naturally from the tree and can be collected from the ground and, at the end of its life, the stool can be returned to the earth as compost. “This conceptual work is intended to show a field of application for plant materials in less complex products,” says the studio. “Properties of the material are lightness and stability and a long lifecycle, as it is reusable.”

As unlikely as it might sound, Groove by Rotterdam-based Cousins Design unites image making, improvisational music making, and ceramic production. “Using music I have composed and recorded, or images I have created (chiefly, analog photographs), I sought a way to express these as topographical ‘landscapes,’” says designer Wilem Cousins. “Using digital fabrication techniques, particularly 3D modeling and computer numerical control (‘CNC’) milling, I create plaster molds derived from these landscapes allowing me to transfer these detailed textures into the clay body.”

Paris-based designer Raphaël Pontais’ favorite material is metal – not the most comfortable choice for a chair, so he has paired brushed stainless steel with fabric and foam to create the Rooly pouf. The duality of materials and snug fit of the two pieces results in an oddly satisfying form.

Senimo is a carpenter and a designer who creates limited editions of collectible furniture, inspired by curved forms and using recycled materials. The Sharpei Stool is handmade in a small series from reclaimed or reused wood, wooden fibers bound with resin into medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and lacquer for the orange glossy finish.

X4 by Rotterdam-based Studio Verbaan is part of an ongoing series formed with a 3D-printed foundation that is then veneered by hand. “Attention is given to every detail, texture, and contour, imparting a unique and artistic character,” say co-founders Solange Frankort and Jordi Verbaan. “This artisanal process infuses a human touch into the technology, making the sculpture a masterpiece that reflects both advanced technology and human craftsmanship.”

RE-Puzzle is a space-saving furniture concept by Ukranian designer Solmazprimavera crafted from recycled materials. The modular system is made entirely from post-consumer materials like plastics, metals, fabrics, and OSB (oriented strand board) and is fully customizable to fit any space.

Dutch Circular Design describes itself as “a young Dutch design brand with a mission” and that mission is to raise awareness of the value of reusing materials. WasteCraft is part of their effort to do exactly that through such pieces as side tables in which the waste they are made from (in this case, bottle tops) is left deliberately visible in the end product. “Because this is the only way people can see, and therefore believe, that the circular economy is already happening,” they explain. “For us, this is more than just a style, it is a deeply felt mission to create a better world together.”

Weld Stool Recycled is a collaboration between Studio Joris de Groot and Gogo Plastics, demonstrating their research into applications for the latter’s recycled panels, and specifically, whether the panels would be both strong enough and flexible enough to be used for Studio Joris de Groot’s Weld Stool – the answer, after much testing and experimentation – is yes!

Photography by Katie Treggiden.

Katie Treggiden is a purpose-driven journalist, author and, podcaster championing a circular approach to design – because Planet Earth needs better stories. She is also the founder and director of Making Design Circular, a program and membership community for designer-makers who want to join the circular economy. With 20 years’ experience in the creative industries, she regularly contributes to publications such as The Guardian, Crafts Magazine and Monocle24 – as well as being Editor at Large for Design Milk. She is currently exploring the question ‘can craft save the world?’ through an emerging body of work that includes her fifth book, Wasted: When Trash Becomes Treasure (Ludion, 2020), and a podcast, Circular with Katie Treggiden.

The holiday season can get a little crazy, so when it’s time to unwind after the parties are over, your loved ones can use your present to do just that. From a cool brass metal egg to a squiggle brush, a wellness kit to a serotonin-inducing face mist, here are 15 ways to help your gift recipient relax into the end of the year.

These fidget toys are irresistible to play with. They’re malleable, kind of like kinetic sand, and work as a relief tool for stress and anxiety. You can smash them, stack them, pull them apart into individual strings and then wrap them into shapes. The ways to play are endless, all the while calming your nerves and quieting your mind.

Your favorite yogi loves getting into a good flow, but probably not the cumbersome task of rolling their mats so that it’s portable. Enter, the Stakt mat, which folds up easily and doubles as a block for additional support. It doesn’t unravel like a traditional mat so you don’t need any bands to tie it close, and its rectangular shape makes it easy to stow away (and stay put) in the car until your next workout.

It’s hard to find someone who wouldn’t love a gift set from Flamingo Estate, the Los Angeles-based lifestyle brand that has garnered a cult-following for creating wellness products with an epicurean flair. This luxury box is inspired by all the smells and tastes found at the Estate, like sage, lavender, and rosemary from the garden and wildflower honey from a past winter harvest. Consisting of a hand soap, body wash, candle, jar of honey, and bottle of EVOO, The Garden Tour Set will help nourish the body both inside and out.

Help a loved one find stillness in their day with a Thinking Egg, a solid, tactile object that you hold in your palm while meditating. Available in various materials, including jade, brass metal, and crystal quartz, it doubles as an object of peculiarity on a shelf.

Puzzles help keep your mind engaged and active and we love that Jessica Poundstone collaborated with Galison on this beautiful set. There are 7 puzzles, each 70 pieces, that feature Jessica’s soothing Color Cloud artworks, so whether your giftee ends up framing the final product or disassembling it for the next use, these puzzles can be enjoyed for years to come.

This set helps carve out a moment of peace for your tea lover and includes 10 pyramid-shaped tea bags (they stand up right in your mug with a bendable stem for a delightful presentation), a custom mug created in collaboration with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, and a tea tray to place used tea bags.

Known for his impeccable taste in sensorial goods and design, designer Jeremiah Brent curated a gift set of all his favorite things for his Los Angeles lifestyle shop, Atrio. Inside, you’ll find a gorgeous ceramic cup, a tin of tea, a body scrub, a milk bath blend, a hair styling serum, a signature candle, and a matchbox – in sum, a perfect kit that replicates a luxury spa experience.

Made from redwood, this scalp massager can be used on your scalp, neck, and shoulders to work out those knots and provide a relaxing stimuli when you’re stressed. Add this to a stocking stuffer for someone who enjoys practicing self-care!

Nails need love too! This at-home nail care kit includes a cuticle oil to condition the skin around the nail bed, a vegan leather case, and The Polisher, a glass and mineral blend object that shines up nails without any actual nail polish by gently buffing the nail to a shine. It’s low maintenance yet effective for healthy nails.

It may look like you’ve just given your friend a torture device, but rest assured (no pun intended), this aesthetically pleasing acupressure mat will help them melt their stresses away. The mat and pillow relieve muscle tension and stiffness – so much that your friend might even find themselves falling asleep because they are so relaxed.

Founder of CAP Beauty, Kerrilynn Pamer, has been curating wellness and beauty products for years, ever since she received a celiac diagnosis and needed to switch to cleaner, high quality ingredients. When it was time to create her own line, she took no shortcuts. Her latest product, the Serotoner, is a mist toner that soothes and calms the skin using ingredients like shrubs, succulents, flowers, and cacti. The most notable ingredient is griffonia which contains a natural precursor to, you guessed it, serotonin, the happy hormone. Mist it on your face and body to refresh and awaken the skin.

There’s never been anything sexy about toiletry bottles until now – except they’re not bottles but Capsules, magnetic pods that click together and feature caps that you can customize depending on what you want to carry in them. Gift to a parent to upgrade their boring pill box or to the jetsetter who has a 9-step skincare routine they must do every night.

Give someone 62 ways to take care of them this season with this smorgasbord of self-care remedies. The patches allow the body to steadily absorb the efficacious ingredients to help with daily struggles like sleep, hot flashes, focus, and more.

A literal chill pill, these fizzy adult bath bombs help you unwind at the end of a long day. Made with cannabis seed oil and jojoba oil, they make you feel much more relaxed than an average warm bath while conditioning your skin too.

This kit consisting of a hand-blown glass incense burner and two boxes of incense will help establish an ambience conducive for clearing the mind and centering one’s self – a must have for all of the chaos that comes with the holidays.

Follow along so you don’t miss any of our 2023 Gift Guides this year!

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

Dominik Ilichman and Adam Hofman recognized the need for a sanctuary that could free people from the daily barrage of notifications, the hum of digital noise, and the incessant urge to check our phones. In response, they crafted a modern cabin where the noise of the outside world disappears, and a sense of tranquility takes over in the Czech Republic’s Lípa nad Dřevnicí. The place is the Hytta cabin, a modern oasis designed to help you find uninterrupted time for creativity, reflection, and relaxation.

At its core, Hytta is a celebration of Scandinavian minimalism. The philosophy? Minimalism fosters maximum focus and creativity. Inside, every element serves a purpose, eliminating any potential distractions. Yet, they’ve ensured that the modern comforts are still present, so you can work, think, and relax without compromise.

The Hytta cabin sits on a south-facing slope next to a pine forest, a deliberate move that shields it from the disturbances of civilization. The design, inspired by a former hunting cabin, creates a blend of rustic charm and modern innovation.

The ground floor includes an open living area with an integrated kitchen, a foyer, a bathroom, a utility room, and an outdoor bathroom for a direct connection to nature. The cabin’s high gable roof in the main living space provides ample room to explore one’s creativity. The bedroom, with a large window facing east, allows witness to the morning sun from the comforts of bed.

Hytta is heated primarily by a cast-iron, wood-burning stove with underfloor heating adding backup to ensure the cabin is always cozy and comfortable.

Two cozy nooks, one accessible from the bedroom and a second one above the main living area, offer additional sleeping areas, making Hytta perfect for accommodating up to six people. A large oak dining table doubles as a workspace, and technical facilities, like a computer monitor, are seamlessly integrated into storage cabinets. High-speed internet ensures connection when needed, and biodynamic lighting promotes healthy sleep by avoiding the emission of disruptive blue light after dark.

The walls and ceiling are clad in spruce offering a warm, cozy backdrop to the black accents and neutral furnishings.

A bent sheet metal staircase in the kitchen is suspended by cables as it rises to the main bedroom.

A short walk away from the cabin, a modern Finnish sauna with a cold immersion tub awaits. The structure, with its deep charred-timber clad facade, almost blends with the surrounding nature. The sauna offers a perfect spot to unwind while taking in the unobstructed views of the forest. The relaxation area, shower, and sauna are thoughtfully designed to provide a serene escape outside the cabin.

Adam Hofman and Dominik Ilichman

Want to escape your own hectic world for a bit? Luckily, the Hytta cabin is available to rent. More information here.

Photography by Studio Flusser and Julius Filip.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

It’s been a big year for Muller Van Severen, and it’s not even December yet. The Belgian design studio founded by Fien Muller and Hannes Van Severen was recently named Designers of the Year 2023 by Maison&Objet, for a “decade of innovation that shook up the codes of interior design.” In addition to their recent collaboration with valerie_objects, the duo is also presenting their new Arcs Trolley and Arcs Mirror for Danish brand HAY.

Like HAY, Muller Van Severen is known for having a playful and colorful approach to their design process. The new pieces are an expansion of Muller Van Severen’s current Arcs collection with HAY, which includes a lampshade, vase, and candleholder. Similarly, the trolleys and mirrors have simple, streamlined forms but have a unique edge – literally. Both are lined with a scalloped border that creates reflections of full circles when viewed at the right perspective.

The Arcs Trolley is available in two sizes (Low and High) and four different colors (Sea Green, Eggshell, Dark Blue, and Auburn Red). The Arcs Mirror is available as a round or three different rectangular sizes in a range of finishes including Red, Green, Burgundy, and Mirror.

For more information on the new Arcs Trolley or Arcs Mirror, visit hay.com.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

When I look around my home and take inventory of the items that make me happy, I find that my favorite objects have one commonality – they are either things that have an inherent beauty to them or they make the mundane moments seem noteworthy. Often times, it’s a combination of both. Below, I curated a list of 10 gift ideas that I hope will also bring joy to your gift recipient’s life by elevating everyday moments.

Glassware has become one of my love languages and Juliska was really the brand that started it for me. The relationships we share with the objects we hold dear are very personal but for me, beautiful glassware with really special details – like the “prunt” droplets on this set – help my intention to pause and notice the little things, even when I’m just sipping a glass of water. So essential in this day and age where we always seem to go, go, go. If you know someone who also likes to romanticize their everyday routines, this set is made for them.

This sculptural vase is what air would look like in glass form; its name is Latin for air or vapor. Designed by Gabriel Tan for Audo Copenhagen, the vase makes even just a few poetic stems look like a still life painting. It’s a perfect gift for your friend who notices beauty anywhere they go.

“Enjoys collecting cocktail napkins” was not on my bingo card and yet, here we are. I don’t know exactly why they spark so much joy for me, but they do! It’s just another layer of adding beauty to everyday life. I love the pastel color pairings and golden embroidery on this particular set. It would make a fun little gift for your friend who loves throwing parties and throwing them often.

Another case for charming glassware – this time for the wine lovers! The fun part about this gift is you can pick out all six pieces. Curate a rainbow of colors, do half and half, or choose just one color. The possibilities are endless and sure to delight your recipient whichever way you decide.

I’ve been a long time fan of Skagerak and now they’ve joined forces with one of our favorite Danish design brands, Fritz Hansen! While I tend to love matching sets, this is one case where I vouch for getting one of each (teak and oak) to upgrade your common salt and pepper grinders.

To understand why these Faba bags, named after everyone’s favorite broad bean, are so special, you’ll need to check out Lindquist’s Instagram Story highlights. Each one is painstakingly made by hand and each step – using a sewing machine to make each stitch, puncturing the lock cut-out, smoothing and finishing the edges, adding the final (and highly satisfying) quick release pull snap, and more – is done by an actual human who really puts a ton of love into each bag. Gifting one of these is really like gifting a work of art.

I know, shelves aren’t a typical holiday gift but if someone really special to you has a unique collection, whether it be ceramic cups, little tchotchkes from around the world, or miniature chair models, these Sætter shelves would be a beautiful way to recognize that love for collecting and display it.

These days, I enjoy the slow release of caffeine via the bright and grassy taste of matcha over coffee. I’ve perfected my personal drink (a latte, made with a splash of Minor Figures oat milk and a homemade cascara simple syrup) but trying new brands and cultivars of matcha leaves room for fun and exploration, which is how I think most tea drinkers feel! If you know one, this set has everything they need, including a bamboo whisk (made by a Japanese company led by a 25th generation whisk maker), a blown glass whisk stand, an artisan-made sifter, a measuring spoon, and a tin of single cultivar Gokou matcha from Uji, Japan.

I thought I was done collecting luggage when I bought my Away sets, but then I had kids and traveling became my equivalent of a marathon race. Not only do you have more to pack but you also have to consider toddlers in transit: sometimes cooperative, other times unwilling to walk another step through security. This MiaMily carry on is game-changing because it’s designed with a backrest that easily flips up to convert your luggage into a ride-along for kids! A seat belt keeps them secured and an integrated hook is handy for those travel backpacks full of games and snacks. Don’t have kids? The suitcase can support adults up to ~220 lbs, providing you a seat away from those crowded rows while you wait for your plane. Putting the “fun” in “functional,” MiaMily would be a great gift for travelers young and old.

I professed my love for Ossa in an earlier Take 5 but also think this would be such a fun gift for friends or coworkers, especially since these phone chains start at $35! Ossa is making phone accessories cool again but in a more elevated way, with real baroque pearls or jade beads. There’s a style for everyone, whether your recipient prefers chunky metal, punchy fruits, or minimalist black.

Follow along so you don’t miss any of our 2023 Gift Guides this year!

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.