Designers pick the best gifts: NYC creatives share their favorite finds
6sqft asked New York City designers, architects, and artists for their gift inspirations this holiday season–a selection of the stuff they’d love to give (or get). Below, you’ll find a collection of out-of-the-ordinary items chosen by a few of the city’s most talented creatives. We hope you’ll be inspired in your search for the perfect gift.
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Michele Varian, designer, owner, Michele Varian
A cozy and colorful wool blanket made by an English mill that has been weaving since 1837!
An equally colorful platter from another UK company.
Any of these darling baby alpaca dolls.
I would also love to be gifted tix to either or both dance performances that both look wildly fantastical. One is Alice by Momix at the Joyce Theater. The other is the Nutcracker Rouge–the debauched (burlesque) version–at Theatre XIV.
Sam Barzilay, Creative Director, Photoville
Photoville Ceramic Mug. A simple, well-made object with real personality. It is Photoville’s take on the classic NYC Greek deli cup, and it functions as both an everyday mug and a small piece of design-forward memorabilia that supports independent arts programming.
“Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers, 1840 to the Present” by Deborah Willis. An essential book. It is both rigorously researched and deeply readable, offering long-overdue historical context and visibility to generations of Black photographers. A meaningful gift for anyone engaged with photography, culture, or history.
“Birds of a Feather” by Claire Rosen. A beautifully produced monograph that blends portraiture, color, and conceptual storytelling. It is visually striking but also thoughtful, making it a strong gift for art lovers who appreciate work that is playful, smart, and meticulously crafted.
Austin Sakong, Design Director, FXCollaborative
Set and Swish. Who doesn’t love games? In my house, we have two card games that we’ve been playing forever. They’re perfect for flexing the visual/spatial parts of your brain, and extremely easy to learn—my two young daughters have played them their whole lives, and now roundly beat me in both.
Hastens Down Boots. Another family obsession. We call them ‘foot blankets’—they feel like warm, fluffy hugs, but for your feet. You feel a little goofy walking around with them on around the house, but trust me, they’re amazing.
Tickets for a live performance. Netflix is fine, but we’re in New York! Give tickets to go see Dudamel at the New York Philharmonic, or Bill and Ted—I mean, Godot—on Broadway, or Kavalier & Clay at the Metropolitan Opera, or a Mainstage performance by the Sands College of Performing Arts at Pace University (whose new theater, designed by FXCollaborative, is nearing completion)!
Give art! People think buying art is elitist and expensive, but it needn’t be. I find amazing deals at 14C Art Fair every year; it’s where I found Eunju Kang’s still life watercolors—which she sells as exquisite but extremely affordable prints from her booth at the Union Square Holiday Market.
Dorian Booth, Co-director, Almost Studio Architecture DPC
The Mini Vessel series, designed by Gaetano Pesce for his Fish Design collection, includes such strange, beautiful pieces. They appear to be made from solid, colored glass but are actually flexible and rubbery. Looking at it and touching it are two entirely different experiences. We often use them as flower vases, though they hold up as sculptural objects on their own.
Brooklyn Glass is our neighbor, and we’ve long had their one-day neon workshop as a bucket list item. It’s an amazing opportunity to get into an active, working neon shop and learn from professional neon producers. Beyond just the experience, at the end of the day, you get to take home a working light.
We love everything that Cold Picnic makes, but especially their rugs, like the Nosey flat weave rug from their Faces collection. Many of their collections take film references and translate them into beautiful geometric compositions. Their color palettes are also always amazing.
Christene Barberich, A Tiny Apt. writer, founder, advisor
Let’s be honest: Researching vintage things for all of you is WHERE I WANT TO BE. It’s strangely both peaceful and exhilarating to find cool things I think some of you will like, and even if you don’t, I feel lucky to have discovered whatever kooky thing seemed to strike my fancy and otherwise might have been forgotten.
This sticker book isn’t vintage, but John Derian‘s love for vintage nature illustrations elevates these flowers and critters above the usual sticker fare.
Big charms, basically inspired by this mini film recently released by Celine–like this vintage red courrèges gold keychain.
Deck the halls in Scandi style from the 1960s and ’70s with this vintage Danish magenta red, green and white honeycomb tissue garland.
How about a vintage collar or bib?
James and Karla Murray, architectural and interior photographers
Our books, “Great Bars of New York City: 30 of Manhattan’s Favorite Storied Drinking Establishments” and “Vinyl NYC: 33 1/3 of the Best Record Stores Across All Five Boroughs” are ideal gifts for anyone who loves New York City and its unique bars, taverns, pubs or vinyl record shops. Both books take you inside legendary locations, weaving together electric exteriors, intimate interiors, environmental portraits, and a wealth of visual details alongside thoughtful texts on proprietors.
Veselka’s “The Essential Ukrainian Dinner.“ This is a great meal kit gift for anyone who wants to give a taste of authentic Ukrainian soul food from the family-owned East Village diner, which has been in business since 1954. We particularly love their borscht and pierogis.
Tompkins Square Bagels, East Village Brunch for Six. Giving this brunch kit will bring a smile to everyone, as this family-owned bagel shop has what we consider the best bagels in NYC. The bagels are hand-rolled and boiled in small batches before being baked on old-school wooden planks using only the best ingredients.
Teddy McCarthy, Partner at Hart Howerton
Nix Paint Color Sensor. This is one of the best gifts I’ve given in recent years, especially for designers. You can scan almost any surface, wallpaper, tile, fabric, even plants, and it will generate a matching paint color. It’s a smart and efficient tool that helps bridge observation and specification, and it’s useful both in the studio and on site.
Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre: “The Ruins of Detroit.” An older book from 2010, but still one of the most compelling photographic documents of Detroit’s abandoned buildings. The images are striking and direct, capturing spaces that are both beautiful and devastating at the same time. The full-bleed cover alone makes it an eye-catcher, and it’s a book I still come back to.
Blackwing Pencils. The best pencil out there. Well-balanced, consistent, and reliable. I’ve both given and received the 12-pack and always keep them nearby. It’s a simple tool, but one that you’ll still use every day.
Bethany Gale, Interiors Design Director at Stonehill Taylor
Bocci 14p Lamp. I’ve fallen in love with this beautiful portable sphere lamp. Bocci transformed their iconic 14 fixture collection into a glowing, portable design that works perfectly as a shelf accent or a table lamp. It’s such a unique design that complements a range of styles and tastes.
Topdrawer Watercolor Set. Adding a little whimsy to the holiday season is always a great idea. This mini watercolor set from Topdrawer gives you a chance to slow down, relax, and express your creativity. The colors and textures have a magical quality, but they’re also refined—perfect for gifting or enjoying yourself!
The Frick Collection. The Frick is one of my favorite museums in New York, and its 2025 renovation is absolutely stunning. A membership is surprisingly affordable and comes with unlimited access plus special perks—a perfect gift for the art lover in your life!
Flamingo Estate Tablemates Set. A truly luxurious olive oil and balsamic vinegar set made from hand-harvested olives and grapes. They taste delicious, and the bottles look lovely in your kitchen too.
Claire Weisz of WXY architecture + urban design
Noguchi Museum Membership (plus Akari discount). Buy a membership and get a discount in their gift store, including Akari Light Sculptures.
Give a gift to a child you don’t know. McNally Jackson Books Holiday Book Drive collects books for the Brooklyn Book Bodega Wishlist. “Snowy Day” is top of the list and my favorite book to give to younger kids.
Tatter Library Indigo Mending Kit or Workshop. Treat someone to a kit or workshop from the Tatter Library in Gowanus.
Di Palo’s Fine Foods gift card or signature goods. Buy a gift card so they can experience the counter service and Lou’s suggestions for themselves, or buy their signature olive oil along with the best homemade mozzarella in the city.
Bonus Pick: Russ & Daughters Latke Platter (with Nova on the side). For Hanukkah especially, you can’t beat a Russ & Daughters latke platter with some Nova lox on the side.
Jordan Slocum and Barry Bordelon, aka the Brownstone Boys
Flatweave Bodega Rug from NuStory. Inspired by NYC’s classic coffee cup. The doormat size is a perfect housewarming gift.
1-year Enthusiast Membership for the Brooklyn Museum. Art all year long, who could ask for more! We love gifting memberships to places we adore.
OH MARY! Portrait Crewneck. For the theater kid at heart.
Jason Saft, founder of Staged To Sell Home
“May I Come In?: Discovering the World in Other People’s Houses“ by Wendy Goodman. It’s no secret that I love looking at homes. There is nothing quite like that peek into someone’s world to set off inspiration. One of my favorite books, which also makes a wonderful gift, is Wendy Goodman’s “May I Come In?” It gives a glimpse into over 70 homes where the passion and spirit come alive in the pages.
Sapin (Pine Tree), Extra-Large Candle from Diptyque. I may be Jewish, but I love Christmas, the traditions, foods, and especially the scents of a Frasier Fir pine tree in my home. Every December, I treat a few friends and myself to the large Sapin (or as I call it, the Diptyque Mega) to infuse my space with the scent of the holidays all Winter long. This candle lifts my spirits even in the darkest of winter days, when the sun and serotonin are low.
Bronze Cassette Tape by Nancy Pearce. I love giving gifts that have weight and meaning, both in a physical and metaphorical sense. I’m giving several friends artist Nancy Pearce’s solid bronze cassette tape. I love putting together playlists, and I miss the lost art of creating physical mix tapes. The bronze takes me back to my childhood with visions of baby shoes. I long to reintroduce obsolete objects from my youth.
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