18 Gifts Under $100 for the Design Lover

If 2020 was the year of sourdough baking, let 2021 be the year your loved one discovers the joy of growing their own mushrooms. Sure, you could gift the foodie in your life another slow cooker or instant pot this holiday season, but why not get creative?

Inspired by her mother’s battle with breast cancer, designer Meesha Farzaneh created these fluffy pillows to celebrate her mom and encourage much needed feelings of safety and coziness. Three percent of the pillow sales will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in Frisco, Texas.

We’re strong believers in the abilities of plants to both clear the air and put a smile on your loved one’s face. If succulents are their style, try gifting a sweet plant with a personalized message and specialized instructions (you don’t want them to kill their gift, after all). 

Something else we strongly believe in? Wine. A great gift for anyone who has it all or has very little—all they need is (maybe) a corkscrew, perhaps a glass—no judgments here. Kingston Wine Co. is based in upstate New York but ships widely, though the wine shop recommends ordering by December 14 for delivery by Christmas Day. 

These gorgeous California-made napkins are trimmed with just the right amount of vibrant color, and the denim fabric is meant to get softer with every wash. Who doesn’t want to give something that gets better with age?

Bring a little holiday cheer to their morning routine with a happy hue and retro silhouette. Whether they’re a coffee lover, a tea fiend, or just a big fan of H2O, everyone loves a well made mug.

Everybody sneezes, but not everybody has a kaleidoscopic tissue box cover that makes doing so a little more fun.

For someone who appreciates a colorful kitchen, these cutting blocks by Fredericks and Mae are a brilliant and functional surprise, made from excess material. 

We love these sustainably made cork planters from U.K.-based brand Mind the Cork. And if your loved one is more into organization than starting an indoor garden, they double as desk accessories. 

Socks as holiday gifts is an idea that, while not revolutionary, we fully support—especially when those socks are made in small batches in the U.S., come in fantastic colors, and are designed by Aurora James, founder of beloved shoe brand Brother Vellies. 

No, not all sculptures of the female form are created equal, but this set of clay figures by artist Anne Louise Korallus-Shapiro was designed to serve as a reminder to love every part of ourselves. That’s a gift that’s worth giving! 

Okay, so chocolates as a holiday gift is not groundbreaking per se, but this set from North South Confections doubles as a delicious art piece. Each treat is drizzled in a color that corresponds to its filling, and with flavors like naranjilla, graviolla, and passion fruit, they taste as good as they look. 

A great holiday gift should be a delight—something the recipient didn’t know they needed or wouldn’t have splurged on for themselves but are glad they were given. A handblown marbled decorative tray is a perfect example of such a treat, and you can bet someone on your list will be happy to receive one.  

This set of two beautifully hued stemless wine glasses from Estelle’s Colored Glass, designed by Stephanie Hall, make a perfect gift for a quarantining couple with an appreciation for vintage-inspired design. 

These sculptural vases from the Middle Kingdom are Fair Trade certified and sustainably made by hand in Jingdezhen, China—and they’re great to look at. We recommend gifting them to a friend who has taken up floral arranging in their spare time or just appreciates a perfect design object. 

Sure, you can give someone a great candle—or you can teach them to fish, so to speak, and get them a DIY candle kit. For anyone in your life who loves a good project, these kits are designed to eliminate waste with plant-based packaging and can be poured into any vessel you might have that would have otherwise gone in the recycling bin.