Skip to Main Content
Advertisement

Designlines’ 2022 Holiday Gift Guide

Advertisement

We’ve rounded up 12 of the best gifts to add to your holiday shopping list this year

As the cold weather creeps in, we’re reminded that the holidays are fast approaching here in Toronto. To help get your seasonal shopping underway, our 2022 Gift Guide features a list of objects, treats and household essentials from local shops and online retailers that will please everyone on your holiday shopping list.

ceramic carafe 2022 gift guide

For the host
In a new Amaretto colourway, førs studio’s Carafe & Cup Set is as beautiful sitting on your tabletop as it is functional serving guests at lunch. This set features a hand-glazed bone china carafe with one matching cup and a wooden lid—perfect to serve water, juice or wine. $84, at Holt Renfrew

quartz cube game gift

For the playful one
Made by Canadian/Peruvian company D.A.R. Proyectos, this compact cube puzzle boasts a colourful collection of natural stone. Whether to occupy fidgety hands or add to a game collection, this unique trinket is the quintessential stocking stuffer in our 2022 gift guide. $112, at Nordstrom.

jelly lamp

For the one on the go
Don’t be fooled by its fragile, glass-like appearance, this sleek tabletop lamp is portable, rechargeable and made of high-grade polycarbonate. Originally designed by renowned designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for the London Design Museum, the Bellhop lamp embodies the functionality of a candle and is intended to be carried from room to room. $330, at Robinson.

brass incense holder 2022 gift guide

For the romantic
From New York-based design studio APPARATUS, this sculptural incense holder has a chalice-like form made of spun, cast and machined brass. A porcelain dome adds a textural contrast and is the spout for delicate and aromatic smoke to reveal itself. Swap in a tea light in place of incense to cast a warm and moody glow. Price by request, at Hollace Cluny.

brazilian brigadeiro

For the sweet tooth
For those who haven’t experienced the flavour and craftsmanship of a Brazilian Brigadeiro, Greektown chocolatier Mary Oliveira has you covered. These traditional chocolates are delicious works of art, featuring flavours like cappuccino, dark chocolate pistachio and mulled wine. $18/box of 6, at Mary’s Brigadeiro.

fleece throws

For the homebody
OUI’s faux-fur throw blanket is crafted from recycled yarns making it a feel-good gift in more ways than one. Available in a selection of rich colours, it’s a luxe layer suited for any living space—whether those on your list lean modern or traditional. $90, at Indigo.

mjolk 2022 gift guide

For the collector
If there’s one shop to add to your holiday shopping list, it’s Mjölk. Part of an ongoing collaboration between the Toronto design shop and Italian designer Luca Nichetto, the Zen Flower Vase is an ode to the Bauhaus art school—celebrated for its use of pure, universal forms. In a warm amber, this glass object was hand-blown by artisans in Murano, Italy. $170, at Mjölk.

design book

For the book worm
A perfect bedside read or coffee-table display, this new revision of Phaidon’s Design Classics bundles 1,000 of the world’s greatest objects into one large volume. Flip through the work of celebrated names like Le Corbusier, Alvar and Aino Aalto, Isamu Noguchi, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. $115, at Mkt.

designer coin purse

For the fashionable one
Fluorescent leather in blue, orange and electric green make Comme de Garçons’ Super Fluo coin purse a bold statement piece. Tiny enough to fit snug in a handbag or back pocket, this fashion item on our 2022 gift guide is sure to be a memorable present for the most stylish on your list. $140, at Gravitypope.

gift guide grill

For the home chef
Inspired by traditional Mexican grills used to make tortillas, this clay tabletop variation has a deep base to place burning charcoal. I can be used to cook food directly on it or to simply keep it hot at the table. $350, at Obakki.

espresso maker 2022 gift guide

For the morning person

Though Smeg has become a name on every kitchen dweller’s radar, the Fully-Auto coffee machine is something of a hallmark for the Italian brand. It’s sleek design is paired with either black or red detailing and, most importantly, the machine can make up to seven different coffee beverages at a ready-to-drink temperature. $1,000, at The Bay.

2022 designer of the year

For the design lover
There’s no better way to keep up with Toronto’s vast and expanding design scene than through the city’s ultimate guide to design. Print subscriptions and single issues are available now! From $6.95, at designlinemagazine.com

Advertisement
Advertisement

Okay, but it clearly is

For the first 16 years of my life, the bat cave at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)—a reconstruction of an actual cave in Jamaica—was among my favourite places in the city. The cave was decorated with cast stalactites and wax bat models, which hung from the ceiling and threw jagged shadows on the walls. A few other features imbued it with spooky verisimilitude: the drip-drip-drip sound effects, the mirrors arranged to create the illusion of infinite depth, the strobe lights strategically placed to make the shadows flutter. When I visited as a five-year-old, the bat cave scared me. When I visited as a stoned fifteen-year-old, it scared me even more. Then came the renovation.

Advertisement

Newsletter

Your Weekly Dose of Modern Design

Sign up for the Designlines weekly newsletter to keep up with the latest design news, trends and inspiring projects from across Toronto. Join our community and never miss a beat!

Please fill out your email address.

The Magazine

Get the Latest Issue

From a sprawling family home in Oakville to a coastal-inspired retreat north of the city, we present spaces created by architects and interior designers that redefine the contemporary.

Designlines 2024 Issue