Welcome to the ELLE DECOR Small Luxuries Guide: our expertly curated list of covetable designs for the holiday season and beyond. Here you’ll find exquisite little treasures for everyone on your list, from the impossible-to-buy-for aesthete to the ingredient-obsessed foodie, the beloved family pet to the friend who is always redecorating. With so many hitting the under $500 sweet spot, it will be hard not to snap up a little something for yourself. Go ahead—you deserve it.
Because a competitive streak deserves to be chic
Art x Puzzles (x Verbier 3-D Foundation)
Art x Puzzles makes owning a work of contemporary art more accessible by turning a selection of pieces by notable artists into limited edition jigsaw puzzles. This is a double-sided design, featuring two photos by Andrea Hasler.
$150
Gucci
Raise the style ante of your weekly poker game with a deck of cards clad with Gucci’s geometric monogram, housed in a matching zippered case made of Demetra, the fashion house’s own plant-based leather.
$290
Anthropologie
Scrabble has taken the bored out of its original board game design with a colorful special edition that resembles a garden, with geometric “hedges” around the border, butterflies in the center of the rotating game board, and floral letter tiles.
$138
Piecework Puzzles
A thousand pieces should be enough to keep your crew occupied until the clock strikes midnight, ushering in the new year on a (relatively) healthy note—and a heavy dose of visual vitamin C.
$36
Hermès
A vintage 1962 Jacques Eudel design, depicting horses covered in different blankets, has graced Hermès blankets, scarves, and, now, playing cards, just in time for those fierce holiday games of go fish.
$130
Georg Jensen
Serious players apparently roll with their own dice. We’re seeing many versions this holiday season and are especially intrigued by this Scandinavian modern set, housed in an engravable stainless-and-leather traveling case.
$39
Turn the tables on humdrum hosting—and turn heads
Dior
Guests at Christian Dior’s Paris fashion shows once took in the action from Napoleon III–style chairs with cane seats. This iconic pattern has been reworked by Cordelia de Castellane, creative director of Dior Maison, for the house’s collection of Limoges porcelain tabletop. In two colors.
$550
Creative Women
Each of these cotton napkins is handmade from start to finish—spinning, weaving, dyeing—in Ethiopia, using age-old weaving traditions and azo-free dyes. The raised blue “stripes” are hand-stitched; the others are created by hand-tying warp threads while still on the loom.
$22 each
Anthropologie
Cocktail, mocktail, bubbles—offer guests their beverage of choice in a colorful coupe. The wide brim design enhances the imbibing experience, and a weighty stem steadies the hand after an evening of sip-and-repeats.
$56 for a set of four
Tisch New York
This rich, malachite-patterned birchwood veneer plate elevates your tablescape to expert stylist-level. It’s from Tisch New York, a tabletop company founded by a former Harper’s Bazaar fashion editor, with an artful range that channels today’s trends into super-stylish yet utilitarian pieces.
$38
La Double J
The princess of pattern, J.J. Martin, collaborated with Ancap, an almost 60-year-old legendary Italian porcelain manufacturer, to create a set of barista-approved espresso cups bearing her trademark geometric Cubi print.
$185
Stefan Sagmeister for Lobmeyr
The leaves depicted on this series of beer tumblers were planted in a lush garden that graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister encountered in Mexico. He then tapped Raxenne Maniquiz to create the botanical illustrations that Lobmeyr’s artisans ultimately hand-painted on each glass.
$276 each
Fferrone Design
Chicago’s iconic Marina City towers inspired Windy City–based designer Felicia Ferrone’s latest barware designs, a collection of glassware with architectural curves. Each piece is handcrafted of fluted borosilicate glass, a miracle material that is beautiful but also oven-, microwave-, and dishwasher-safe.
$160–$210
Gunia Project
We love a footed bowl because it’s supremely functional and adds a touch of glamour to whatever surface it adorns. Shooting stars give this fun piece a boost of new year’s-apropos optimism while indulging in a bit of traditional Ukrainian folklore.
$180
Elizabeth Lake
A set of cheery linen placemats for the modern host who takes pride in a table well set. These are handmade in Portugal and feature very sweet appliquéd blue and white fig leaves circling the edge. They’re sold as a set of two and also available in a golden yellow or a natural linen.
$135
Pretty candles and accessories guaranteed to spark joy
Ysnay
Holiday travel this year may not involve the tropics, but a little bit of the Caribbean can be found in this bread fruit candle, handmade in Martinique from a blend of soy and beeswax with a wood wick. Each of the seven essential oil scents will burn for 70 hours.
$119
Glaze
This handmade match box is one of a limited edition of just 56 matchboxes using burls hand-picked for maximum grain from American lumber yards. Matches are included, and you can opt to personalize your gift with a message or monogram for a small additional fee.
$165
Harlem Candle Company
A candle inspired by the white gardenia Billie Holiday wore in her hair, with notes of jasmine, ylang-ylang, coffee flower, sandalwood, and vetiver, housed in a reusable covered ceramic vessel with an apropos floral pattern.
$90
And Objects
Designer Martin Brudnizki creates richly layered interiors that tick all the sensory boxes. No surprise that his new candle designs do the same. Folium infuses a space with fresh notes of green leaf, ylang-ylang, and neroli for 50 hours, leaving a festive Murano glass vessel in its wake.
$105
Skeem
A footed ombréd glass cloche makes an intriguing, and surprisingly functional, container for matches. The snow globe–inspired, handblown design incorporates a flint for on-bottle striking and 120 matches tipped in red (or white, for you monochromatic types).
$38
Lisa Eisner for Commune
Jeweler Lisa Eisner is known for bold, sculptural designs sported by the likes of Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Lady Gaga. Her home collection, created exclusively for Los Angeles–based design firm Commune, is a series of small functional sculptures including incense holders and this bronze votive, inspired by creatures of the sea.
$500
Tom Dixon
This sculptural candleholder is sure to make waves on any table. Its polychromatic ripples are created using a resin composite that incorporators leftovers from the marble industry, and we bet you’ll also recycle it for your holiday spread year after year.
$450
Kitchen necessities for the gourmand in your life
Petrossian
One must indulge in the finer things to develop a seasoned palate for them. And what’s finer than Petrossian caviar? This sampler includes one tin each of Royal Ossetra, Alverta, and Baika, sized for 2 to 8 people, from the 100-year-old family-owned Maison.
$254–$1,022
La Double J
J.J. Martin’s eponymous brand has become synonymous with fun, colorful, archival patterns on pretty much everything. This apron is a new design that, she claims, makes wearers look so good, it doesn’t matter if they can cook.
$120
Haden
The tea lover in your life might appreciate this matte black beauty made by a British company that’s made kettles for 75 years. While retro in style, it has all the modern technology, from built-in water filters to lights that indicate when the water is steep-ready.
$69.95
Flamingo Estate
There’s olive oil, and then there’s olive oil—the special stuff that’s best enjoyed pure, drizzled over warm crusty bread. Flamingo Estate’s is a blend of Arbequina, Arbosana, and Koroneiki olives organically grown in Paso Robles, California, handpicked when ripe and processed the very same night into the deliciousness that’s in this bottle.
$39
Michel Cluizel
A cheeky alternative to traditional holiday candy, this pack of five milk chocolate sardines from Michel Cluizel, a 70-year-old bean-to-bar French chocolatier, comes in a whimsical container that even mimics the roll-back feature that reveals the shimmering chocolates inside.
$44
Fellow
Cult coffee brand Fellow’s grinders are coveted by connoisseurs who know that the grinding of the beans is almost as important as the beans themselves. This new white model sets the gold standard with 31 grind settings and a minimalist design that can proudly hold its own on any counter.
$299
New West Knifeworks
A colorful addition to any cook’s knife repertoire, this beauty was handmade in Idaho using high-performing steel with an ergonomic handle of aerospace-grade fiberglass. No wonder it’s been dubbed “the Cadillac of its kind.”
$219
Etu Home
A showstopper of a charcuterie board is made from wood salvaged from 19th-century Hungarian buildings in a beautiful shade of navy and finished with 100 percent plant-based, food-safe wax.
$155
Yun Hai
We all take plenty of heat during the holiday season...why not up the ante with this seriously addictive chili oil from Taiwan- and New York–based company Yun Hai? The fiery five-spice mix—made from a generations-old Taipei recipe—is the perfect mate for dumplings, pizza, or whatever else needs a kick.
$14
Balmuda
This minimalist toaster oven is so efficient it could replace both a conventional toaster and oven (for those not prone to whipping up 10-course meals). The compact Japanese countertop design is a minimalist’s dream—and a great option for those tight on space—that uses steam to masterfully make toast in five modes (ranging from artisan bread to pizza).
$299
Stylish sundries for even the most difficult to please
Patch NYC
The laws of attraction will draw keys, jewelry, change, and the like to this colorful geometric tray, inspired by the architectural shapes of the Memphis design movement. Also available in black.
$43
Rory Foster
We cannot guarantee these planters will turn black thumbs green, but we can imagine they might inspire the foliage-challenged to up their game. Each one-of-a-kind piece is designed, hand-built, and glazed by Rory Foster from her studio in Austin, Texas.
$180–$720
Houses & Parties
While it may seem counterintuitive, gift wrap makes a wonderful gift for those of us who never seem to have enough on hand. This set is quite special, as the paper is marbled by hand, using a thousand-year-old intricate process, to create these dynamic patterns with colored oils.
$36
Ginori
Gio Ponti was the art director for Ginori from 1923 to 1933 and designed dozens of items for the legendary Italian porcelain company, including this limited-edition paperweight, rendered in hand-painted porcelain with 24-karat gold pages.
$495
Matt Repsher
The design of these raw clay vessels was developed by Matt Repsher, a Santa Fe, New Mexico–based ceramic artist, during a residency in Shigaraki (the “mecca” for ceramics in Japan). He describes the lines inlaid onto the clay forms as the “flow of a good road course” and painted the interior with a shimmering bronze-black glaze.
$450–$550
Gucci
Gucci’s pencil set, inspired by vintage school stationery, is a luxe reward for months spent working or studying from home. It includes six pencils in a matching retro-modern logo box.
$250
Mr. Dog New York
Your pup deserves to dine from a statement set crafted completely by hand. Each bowl is individually created by Los Angeles–based master glassblower Nate Cotterman and sits in a charred oak stand made by Omar Muniz, a Brooklyn-based woodworker.
Bowl, $235–$350; Stand, $130–$160
Alexis Bittar
Cult jeweler Alexis Bittar emerged from hibernation this year with new stores and new collections, including his first-ever home offerings. Many are retro inspired, including this box, which channels the geometric shapes and colors of Ettore Sottsass.
$75
& Tradition
Verner Panton’s iconic Flowerpot lamp, which made its debut in 1969, has been reimagined in a more petite version that is also portable, making it perfect for road trips and outdoor gatherings.
$292
Because baby, it’s cold outside
Saved
A delicious cashmere throw designed by Brooklyn-based artist Sean McNanney to mimic the facade of a grand Italian building, realized in fine, sustainably sourced Mongolian cashmere. In three sizes and colors (lime, pigment/blue, plaster/beige).
From $1,475
Saved
Insta-favorite artist Wayne Pate’s image of an ancient urn has been immortalized in fine, sustainably sourced Mongolian cashmere, in two colors with solid backs. It’s also available as a throw.
$500
Johanna Howard Home
Johanna Howard brings a Scandinavian sensibility to her designs, woven and hand-dyed with an ombré effect in small pots over an open fire by Peruvian artisans. The lightweight throw and velvet-backed pillows are made from 100 percent baby alpaca.
Throw, $450; square pillow, $350; rectangle pillow, $300
Garza Marfa
The patchwork pattern of this Garza Marfa pillow is made from remnants of the brand’s Desert scarves, shawls and blankets, so no two are exactly alike. Better yet, there’s a unique pattern on the front, and another on the back, resulting in two decorative options from one pillow.
$180
Gregory Parkinson
Gregory Parkinson never met an ikat he didn’t like. Here, he used it as a border for a jacquard blanket, because he “loved the insane colors mixed together.” These colors are a bit muted by his usual standards; similar blankets sold on the site are much bolder.
$400
Livvy and Neva
Interior designer Keita Turner is an avid collector of antique textiles that she upcycles into fanciful decorative pillows. This one was created from cloth dinner napkins that once belonged to her grandmother, so only six are available.
$375
Aphrochic
This Brooklyn-inspired toile pattern is based on an original watercolor illustrating the hustle-and-bustle life in New York’s hottest borough—whether it’s tooling around on a Vespa or enjoying a latte outdoors.
$169
Clare V
Fashion designer Clare V brings her wink-wink quirky European-inspired preppy aesthetic to the home, with a collection of quilted pieces that include this red and navy striped blanket with the word “Ciao” appliquéd on top in a fun floral fabric.
$255
Kissweh
Kissweh was founded to give craftswomen living in the refugee camps of Lebanon the opportunity to earn a fair living from their skills. Each pillow is completely hand-embroidered with intricate patterns inspired by age-old Palestinian needlework motifs, albeit with a modern twist.
$380
