5 Home Pros Share Their Favorite Holiday Gifts
Checking off your holiday shopping list just got easier, thanks to these home design pros’ stylish go-to present picks
When the holiday season rolls around, home design pros’ well-trained eye for all things stylish comes in handy. We asked four architects and an interior designer on Houzz what design-friendly gifts they like to give to friends, family and clients. Here are a few of their favorites to inspire you and your shopping this season.
1. Rebecca Riden, senior architect
NSPJ Architects
Prairie Village, Kansas
Her go-to gifts: For architect Rebecca Riden, keeping holiday gifts unique and personal makes them all the more meaningful. “I like to give gifts that are used every day,” Riden says. She recommends seeking out local artisans and vendors for creative finds like pretty mugs, artistic tea towels and ceramic pieces. And if all else fails, opt for something delicious and artfully shaped. “For friends who don’t need any more ‘stuff,’ locally made chocolate is always well received!” Riden says.
NSPJ Architects
Prairie Village, Kansas
Her go-to gifts: For architect Rebecca Riden, keeping holiday gifts unique and personal makes them all the more meaningful. “I like to give gifts that are used every day,” Riden says. She recommends seeking out local artisans and vendors for creative finds like pretty mugs, artistic tea towels and ceramic pieces. And if all else fails, opt for something delicious and artfully shaped. “For friends who don’t need any more ‘stuff,’ locally made chocolate is always well received!” Riden says.
2. Erick Mikiten, principal architect
Mikiten Architecture
Berkeley, California
His go-to gifts: The aesthetics of a cool birdhouse appeal to architect Erick Mikiten. He says the little habitats not only offer shelter to feathered friends, but they can also spruce up backyards with a dose of color and personality. Mikiten recommends the bright modern plywood houses from Five Ply Design, but several brands offer twists on the traditional birdhouse.
Shop birdhouses on Houzz
Mikiten Architecture
Berkeley, California
His go-to gifts: The aesthetics of a cool birdhouse appeal to architect Erick Mikiten. He says the little habitats not only offer shelter to feathered friends, but they can also spruce up backyards with a dose of color and personality. Mikiten recommends the bright modern plywood houses from Five Ply Design, but several brands offer twists on the traditional birdhouse.
Shop birdhouses on Houzz
Another item Mikiten likes to give is something everyone can use: a good notebook. To make the gift even more thoughtful, he suggests customizing. “There’s nothing like a personalized gift,” he says. “For artistic friends and family, I like to get copies of their photos or drawings and have a blank book printed with the image on the cover. One I did of my young son’s watercolor became a treasured sketchbook.”
Browse notepads and stationery
Browse notepads and stationery
Elegant tile or ceramic pieces elevate a space. Mikiten swears by the wide selection and enduring appeal of Heath Ceramics.
“I love things that straddle the lines between modern and classic, or between slick and rustic,” Mikiten says. “Whether it’s a little bread and butter plate for $18 or a full dinnerware set, you can spend what you want and know you’re giving something timeless.”
“I love things that straddle the lines between modern and classic, or between slick and rustic,” Mikiten says. “Whether it’s a little bread and butter plate for $18 or a full dinnerware set, you can spend what you want and know you’re giving something timeless.”
3. Jay Corder, principal architect
Jay Corder
Austin, Texas
His go-to gifts: Jay Corder says he’s found success with gifts that celebrate form and function. A gift card to a reliable framing service or a sleek protective case for a phone or computer never fails to impress.
Jay Corder
Austin, Texas
His go-to gifts: Jay Corder says he’s found success with gifts that celebrate form and function. A gift card to a reliable framing service or a sleek protective case for a phone or computer never fails to impress.
For the holidays, Corder says he’s gotten rave reviews after giving friends and family seasonal decor with an emphasis on bold design.
“A unique take on your standard Nativity set is a great Christmas gift,” he says. “There are several interesting options available, so you can tailor your selection to the recipient for a really personal touch.”
Shop for Nativity sets
“A unique take on your standard Nativity set is a great Christmas gift,” he says. “There are several interesting options available, so you can tailor your selection to the recipient for a really personal touch.”
Shop for Nativity sets
4. Julie Holmes, principal designer
Visbeen Architects
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Her go-to gifts: Coffee table books aren’t just fun to flip through, they also add a decorative element to a room. Julie Holmes of Visbeen Architects suggests that giftees make the most of the glossy volumes by stacking them to create a side table or adding a short stack to a shelf or ottoman for more distinct levels and interest in a space.
Visbeen Architects
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Her go-to gifts: Coffee table books aren’t just fun to flip through, they also add a decorative element to a room. Julie Holmes of Visbeen Architects suggests that giftees make the most of the glossy volumes by stacking them to create a side table or adding a short stack to a shelf or ottoman for more distinct levels and interest in a space.
5. Doug VanderHorn, principal architect
Douglas VanderHorn Architects
Greenwich, Connecticut
His go-to gifts: As an architect, Doug VanderHorn tries to incorporate his passion and work into gifts he gives clients, such as bottles of wine in house-shaped boxes, ornaments painted with images of clients’ homes or framed renderings of past projects.
But you don’t have to be a home design professional to follow his lead. A personalized gift that honors a friend or family member’s beloved home could be the perfect, thoughtful addition to it.
Tell us: What design-centric gifts have you loved giving or getting? Share your stories in the Comments.
More on Houzz
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Douglas VanderHorn Architects
Greenwich, Connecticut
His go-to gifts: As an architect, Doug VanderHorn tries to incorporate his passion and work into gifts he gives clients, such as bottles of wine in house-shaped boxes, ornaments painted with images of clients’ homes or framed renderings of past projects.
But you don’t have to be a home design professional to follow his lead. A personalized gift that honors a friend or family member’s beloved home could be the perfect, thoughtful addition to it.
Tell us: What design-centric gifts have you loved giving or getting? Share your stories in the Comments.
More on Houzz
5 Creative Ways to Keep in Touch With Past Clients
Build Relationships That Benefit Your Business