The SHARP List: Our 2023 Gift Guide for Design Lovers

There’s no time like the holidays. Spending time with loved ones, making the most of a bit of time off, enjoying comforting home cooking, maybe taking a little trip and, of course, running around trying to figure out which gifts will make people actually smile. With everything else happening during the holidays, it can be daunting to find the perfect gift, especially for the discerning — some might call them picky — people in your life. But don’t worry. From mid-century modern to modern minimalism, these selections help prove that you, too, have an eye for picking out the perfect piece.

Sunday’s Easy Edge Sideboard

Sunday's Sideboard
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The natural texture of wood never goes out of style; choose from three oak finishes to find the best colour for your space. Opting for rounded curves over angles, it combines timeless, rustic materials with a retro finish to take your space to the next level. ($1,880)

Flower Tower By Atelier Biagetti x Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton Atelier Biagetti Flower Tower
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A collaboration between architect and designer Alberto Biagetti, artist Laura Baldassari — aka Atelier Biagetti — and Louis Vuitton, this sculptural lamp is as much a functional light fixture as a decorative work of art. Inspired by desert cacti and sea-smoothed rocks, the Flower Tower’s organic shape contrasts with the rich golden-toned metal to introduce a gentle yet commanding ambience to any room. ($36,000)

Light House Co. Mitchell Ottoman


Light House Mitchell Design Style Guide
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With a tobacco tan finish, this sleek ottoman makes the case for leather in the living room. The earthy material pairs nicely with hardwood floors. Meanwhile, a shiny texture shows the warm brown leather in all its glory. ($482)

STICKY GLASS Off-White Deflated Ornament

Sticky Glass deflated ornament
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Sticky Glass has a reputation for charming, arthouse-style designs, and this cream-coloured ornament reminds us why. Tapering down to a rounded ivory tip, the glassy ornament puts an inspired spin on a classic holiday gift. ‘Deflated’ might be in the name, but its creative contour is decidedly cheerful. Come spring, hang it in the window for a year-round pop of whimsy. ($210 at SSENSE)

Light House Bodhi Ivory Rug

Light House Bodhi Ivory Rug
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No room is complete without a rug to tie it all together; opt for this linen-coloured piece to brighten up the space. It comes full range of shapes: from a hallway runners to larger, 9’3″ by 13′ foot size that covers the whole room. The cozy texture is warm and inviting, while the striped pattern maintains a stylish look. ($90 – $2,652)

Tensira x Goodee Square Cushion

Goodee x Tensira Square cushion
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You don’t have to redo your whole unit to refresh the space — sometimes, all you need is a new accent colour to make your couch feel brand new. This sustainably-sourced pillow is 100% handmade, from weaving and spinning down to its hand-dyed cotton. Enjoy the ink-blue palette, or opt for the brown and cream stripes. ($153)

Keith Haring Montreux Jazz Festival Print

Keith Haring Montreux Jazz Festival Print
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Keith Haring’s pop-art-adjacent style has an enduring appeal. Just this fall, the Art Gallery of Ontario opened a new exhibit, Art Is for Everybody, featuring vast, gallery-scale works from Haring. With a vibrant print, you can live out the message and enjoy his art on your walls. ($1,219 at 1st Dibs)

Johnstons of Elgin Box Check Throw

Johnstons Wool throw-Design
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These soft Scottish yarns bring the peaceful bliss of the Highlands straight to your home. The comforting lambswool comes in light grey and dark blue patterns; both styles throw a layer of sophistication atop your love seat or couch. ($450 at Harry Rosen)

Les Necessaires d’Hermes Folding Desk

Hermès Folding Desk
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In the age of work from home, keeping a clean working space is the key to productivity. Minimalism sounds nice on the surface, sure, but realistically, it’s left us wondering: “where do we put our stuff?” Hermès has the answer. With a folding desk, you can enjoy storage in the form of wooden rolling drawers and file organizers galore. The textured finish is all gravy: effortlessly elegant. ($101,000)

For further inspiration, here’s a look at last year’s selections…

Sundays Embrace Lounge Chair

Sundays Embrace Lounge Chair
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Sundays Company calls this a “hug in chair form.” Take one look at it, and it’s not hard to see why. With its curved form and soft, textured fabric upholstery, this is one of the most beautiful — and luxuriously comfortable — chairs on the market. ($950)

Herman Miller x Logitech Vantum Gaming Chair

Herman Miller x Logitech Vantum Gaming Chair
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On the other end of the comfort spectrum is this gaming chair from Herman Miller and Logitech — less like a hug than an exhilarating embrace. Get into the gaming zone like never before and find new levels of ergonomic repose with this state-of-the-art design. ($1245)

Post Design Steamer Lounge Chair

Post Design Steamer Lounge Chair
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There’s something special about gifting something that’s not new. And that’s doubly true with this Thomas Lamb-designed Steamer Lounge Chair courtesy of Post Design, purveyors of fine, researched mid-century modern furniture. The Steamer Lounge Chair poses interesting questions, by fashioning relaxed seating from a hard material in beautiful maple wood. The result is stunning, visually, and it has stood up after four decades — both physically and aesthetically. Gifting vintage is an ethical choice, to be sure, but it also presents a story to accompany the physical gift. ($1695)

Parachute Alpaca Boucle Throw

Parachute Alpaca Boucle Throw
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Yes, you read that right. This throw is made of superfine alpaca wool. If you haven’t felt that level of sumptuous comfort, prepare to have your mind blown. Lightweight and ultra-fluffy, it’s the perfect accompaniment to any sofa and the showpiece of a living room. ($329)

Flexform Any Day Ottoman

flexform any day ottoman
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Furniture designers with an immediately recognizable aesthetic are growing scarce these days, but the work of Christophe Pillet remains easy to pick out of a crowd. Whether it’s this Ottoman, or any of his current collection for Flexform, Pillet’s work walks a delicate line of minimalism without losing any sense of character or charm. (€913)

Goodee x Ezcaray Matisse Throw

Goodee x Ezcaray Matisse Throw
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Ezcaray, a family-run textile house acclaimed for their high-quality craftsmanship, are better at weaving now than ever before. This Matisse throw, with eye-popping colours worthy of an art gallery, has been hand-washed, hand-dyed, and hand-woven using the best-quality materials. ($325)

Niez Tissue Box by Michael Verheyden, Avenue Road

Niez Tissue Box by Michael Verheyden, Avenue Road
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A luxury tissue box? Yes, but no ordinary luxury tissue box — it comes courtesy of the mind of Belgian designer Michael Verheyden, revered for his ability to elevate the mundane to the level of high art. The ideal centerpiece of any room, this is truly the gift for the man who has everything. ($400)

Haws Rowley Ripple Watering Can

Haws Rowley Ripple Watering Can
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The past couple of years were a time of serious interior gardening for many of us, with houseplants seeming to take over the urban world. No houseplant setup is complete without a beautiful watering can — and this one, with a curved spout and removable non-drip brass rose, is about as sophisticated as they come, functioning to help you keep those plants thriving while looking great as home decor as well. ($129)

Earl of Wood Desk by Kartell

Earl of Wood Desk by Kartell 2021 design gift guide
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Philippe Starck has had one of the most prolific careers in recent design history. Channel his productivity by working through your to-do list while seated at his latest masterpiece: a gently curved wooden surface set on chrome-plated legs. The upward lip at the back helps keep your field of vision focused on the task at hand, while the downward lip at the front offers somewhere to rest your wrists as you type. ($1,620)

Alumina Table Lamp by Tala

Alumina Table Lamp by TALA 2021 design gift guide in post
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We love the high-impact hit of geometry this Alumina Lamp brings to a desk or nightstand. It’s designed for life on the go and can be used embellish any old table or as a wall sconce — the possibilities are endless. ($220)

Flow Trolley by Muuto

Flow Trolley by MUUTO 2021 design gift guide in post
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We all know that storage space is key — and most apartments are lacking it. Stay organized and stay sleek with this three layer Flow Trolley. It seems that the secret to a clutter-free desk is some slick Scandinavian office storage. ($960)

Misto Mirror by UMBRA

Misto Mirror by UMBRA 2021 design gift guide in post
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After much careful reflection, we’ve decided that every space needs this mirror’s subtle copper gradient and slim oval shape. Who knew something so sleek could be just the decorative touch your walls were in need of. ($140)

Wilkes Modular Sofa Group Chair by Herman Miller

Wilkes Modular Sofa Group Chair by Herman Miller 2021 design gift guide in post
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Back in its ’70s heyday, this seat was dubbed the “Chiclet” for its capsule-like forms. Five decades later, it’s now been reissued in a host of groovy colours and ready to give life to duller spaces. ($2,870)

Gio Ponti Book by TASCHEN

Gio Ponti Book by TASCHEN 2021 design gift guide in post
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Still dreaming of owning a Gio Ponti coffee table? Study up on the storied Italian architect with this coffee table book in the meantime. It’ll be worth the wait. ($350)

Tapestry Pillow 39 by VISO

Tapestry Pillow 39 by Viso 2021 design gift guide in post
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Based on anecdotal evidence, cocktail party guests seated next to this lively cushion engage in 100 per cent more interesting conversation than those sat next to boring greige textiles. ($150)

Up Step Stool by FERM LIVING

Up Step Stool by FERM LIVING 2021 design gift guide in post
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There’s always one jar of tomatoes that’s just out of reach and although risking your life climbing on the counter, or grabbing one of your fancy decorative chairs seem like viable options, investing in a trendy Step Stool is a lot better — and safer. ($255)

RAIN Area Rug by Mark Krebs

Rain Area Rug by Mark Krebs 2021 design gift guide in post
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Featuring a simple yet intriguing striped pattern, this 6′ × 9’ textile is handwoven in northern India. Now, it makes the perfect addition to your wooden floor which was looking a little lonely. ($630)

Stoppage Vessels by Mercury Bureau

STOPPAGE VESSELS BY MERCURY BUREAU 2012 design gift guide in post
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Toronto designer Shane Krepakevich made these limited-edition, locally produced, hand-blown glass vessels by constantly reworking the shape of a single steel mould. He finished them off with a cut and polished lip. ($590)

Block Chanukiah by Via Maris

Block Chanukiah by VIA MARIS 2021 design gift guide in post
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Celebrate the holidays the right way with this modern Block Chanukiah by Via Maris — the modernist New York City-based Judaica brand. With a storage compartment that has room for 44 candles, the Festival of Lights has gotten a lot more stylish and also practical. Suddenly, Judaica can be the hippest thing you own. ($250)

Bespoke Quilt Package by Fogo Island Workshops

Bespoke Quilt Package by Fogo Island Workshops 2021 design gift guide in post
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Give the gift of comfort this holiday season with Fogo Island Workshops’ custom quilt package to create the coziest quilt throw. There’s no better way to tell someone you love them. And if you don’t exactly know someone’s style, it’s the perfect way to give them creative control. ($1,500)

Penny by Wilkinson & Rivera

Penny by Wilkinson & Rivera 2021 design gift guide in post
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The Penny Stool from East London-based duo Wilkinson & Rivera is just one of the partners’ creations in a collection of functional and youthful pieces. This funky stool made with locally sourced wood will liven up any space. ($620 USD)

Laurel by De La Espada

Laurel by De La Espada 2021 design gift guide in post
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This sculptural side table is ready to draw attention to normally overlooked areas. Composed of two geometric shapes — a cone and a cylinder — that intersect to offer two equally functional and unique surfaces for plants, loose change, candles, coasters, and more decor. ($3,040)

Bingo by EQ3

Bingo by EQ3 2021 design gift guide in post
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The Bingo stool is as fun as its name — and although it’s short, small, and has three legs, it’s extremely durable and stout and can be used as a stool or an eccentric side table. ($250)