All products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something, we may earn a commission.
Holey Grail
Chosen by Holly Black, contributing arts editor
As someone who grew up a literal stone’s throw from a pebbly beach, I am familiar with the delight that comes with spotting a palm-sized rock of the holey variety. While aesthetically pleasing (and wondrous for stacking together and making totems), the so-called hagstone has long been associated with magic, particularly as a talisman worn around the neck to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. Ruth Leach, founder of Studio Rua, is enamoured of all things folkloric, and found inspiration for her ‘Hagstone Collection’ while mudlarking on the River Thames. This one comes in bronze and silver and is available with a bolt of leather cord. It’s the perfect gift for anyone looking to invoke the natural power of the ebbing and flowing tides.
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Bucket List
Chosen by Ginny Davies, designer
Norwegian knitter, felt-maker and designer Cecilie Telle designs and creates, in her own words, ‘functional and practical items out of wool’. My cobalt poncho made by her appears enough times throughout the autumn, winter and spring to confirm this. Her practice integrates an inherited appreciation of traditional crafts, a love of colour and the unique imperfections of a handmade object. All her products are made in London from the best-quality felted wool, and Cecilie’s hands touch every piece – including this bucket bag, an outfit-elevating addition to the festive season.
Manna from… Edinburgh
Chosen by Ariadne Fletcher, editorial associate
The Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdowns are not a period I look back on with particular fondness. However, there are a few redeeming memories from that time, including my discovery of Jess Elliott Dennison. Her cookbook Tin Can Magic became a stalwart companion, the cornbread and sourdough semifreddo making regular appearances on my menus. Her most recent cookbook, Midweek Recipes, was written and photographed at her Edinburgh studio before being printed by a family-run business in Wales. True to her usual style, the recipes themselves are simple and, of course, delicious, whether crispy-edged kimchi-and-Cheddar fritters or self-saucing chocolate pudding.
Quilty Pleasures
Chosen by Alice Kemp-Habib, features editor
Mahala Crouch End – a cornucopia of luscious fabrics, vintage homeware and handmade bath and body products – is about as far from the sterile high-street shopping experience as one could hope for. Owners Emily and Redwan are more likely to greet customers with a steaming cup of tea than a pushy sales pitch, and this leisurely approach to business is matched by their wares, which reflect a firm emphasis on craftsmanship over cold hard commerce. Their kantha quilts are no different. The fabric for each is sourced from India and patchworked together to create something new and beautiful. I’m especially fond of this candy-coloured offering, created from discarded cotton and silk saris.
Pottery on Prescription
Chosen by Damian Thompson, chief sub-editor
I’m a firm believer in the good cumulative effects that accrue from daily luxuries, be it subtly scented soap or well-made light switches. Jim Boddington’s pottery falls very much into that category. He’s a long-standing GP in Hackney who is spending more time with his kiln as he nears retirement. And to good effect. While he makes everything from vases to nesting bowls, I’m a big fan of his wheel-thrown mugs, influenced by mid-century Modernism, and ranging from espresso vessels to tall two-tone numbers. Given their homely block colours and elegant functional geometry, what is unexpected is that they’re made of porcelain, so every day one’s senses can respond to that delicate, hard fineness. When sipping tea, even builder’s, it’s difficult to stop your lips forming a rosebud purse, pinky uppermost.
You Shall Have a Fishy
Chosen by Alice Inggs, digital editor
Of the many wonders sourced and stocked by the Shop Floor Project – Medieval pop-out paper crowns, a beaded cheetah shipped from South Africa, hand puppets inspired by Paul Klee, framed French-linen cyanotypes – these tin sardines, silvery as a wish, are all one could ask for in an ornament. Hang one from the tree, scatter a shimmery shoal across the Christmas table, string them from the lintel, or, if one is so inclined, wear one – or two – as earrings in the style of an outré Vermeer. If this seems a bit fishy, there are many other tin decorations to choose from (honourable mention to the shiny stag with a somewhat shell-shocked expression – what has he seen beneath the mistletoe?), as well as reams of lino-printed paper garlands.
Comfort dell’Arte
Chosen by Michaela Nilsson, designer
Hemmet started in 2021 as a passion project and a way to satisfy two creative minds. Elin, one of two behind the brand, is a photographer and film-maker with a long career creating for others. She felt it was time to make something for herself. Her business partner and sister-in-law, Narmada, a Sri Lankan native, knew where to find the best seamstresses. This harlequin cushion, and all other designs for that matter, is hand-embroidered and -painted in Narmada’s home country.
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Self-Raising Flowers
Chosen by Mary Guy, audience development co-ordinator
There is nothing lovelier, in my opinion, than giving a bunch of flowers. Once spring passes and most flowers are no longer in bloom, I have an alternative to ensure my floral gifts continue throughout the year. Cut and Make have a range of screen-printed cards, made from recycled materials, that are easily assembled at home. The receiver simply pops out each segment, slots them together and a flower is made. It’s a present that will last all seasons.
His Nibs’ Nibbles
Chosen by Tom Reynolds, managing editor
You can’t get through Christmas without some sort of hosting, even if it is only inviting a few friends around for an impromptu nightcap. But what do you put your olives on? My glassware game is on point, I’m a pro at playlist planning, but I struggle selecting small dishes. A bowl is too deep, you can't be chasing olives around a plate, and I refuse to serve them out of the packet. Only one thing can save the day: ‘Bold’ side plates. Made and designed by Stine Keinicke, they are hand-spun in stainless-steel and so versatile. I’ve yet to see something placed on top that doesn't look great.
Auf Wiedersehen, Pets
Chosen by Leyla Spratley, junior sub-editor
When I was growing up, my favourite animal was a dead heat between a Komodo dragon and a Gulper eel (one of the biggest mouths in the animal kingdom, I’ll have you know). Sadly, neither of these gobby beauties ever materialised, puppy-like, under the Christmas tree – which I’m sure is a big relief for Rosie Hurley, who makes, among other things, these delightful custom pet ceramics. Send her a couple of snaps of whatever animal you like to live with and she will duly recreate them in miniature in high-quality polymer clay. Having seen these in the flesh – diminutive versions of my pal’s family cats, Skimbleshanks and Prufrock, look extremely handsome on his mantelpiece – I can heartily recommend a tiny homage of your own. Note: keep on high shelves to avoid swallowing incidents… gulp.
Shellfish Motives
Chosen by Esosa Aiworo, intern
Oysters are having a moment in 2024, and it’s not just because of their exquisite flavour. These ocean gems are trending for their versatility and sustainability. Chefs and food-lovers are experimenting with creative preparations, from raw bar classics to chargrilled variations, showing that oysters aren’t just an appetiser but stars of the show at restaurants and casual gatherings. This oyster plate made by Brooklyn-based artist Gabby from Goob Ceramics is a reflection of her passions for organic forms and the dynamism seen outdoors. A sure way to chic-up your next dinner party.
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Get Your Skates on
Chosen by Donna Salek, deputy digital editor
I first stumbled upon Eclectic Decks while scrolling through Instagram years ago and have been hooked ever since, eagerly tracking every product drop and creative move. Each skateboard is like a miniature canvas, fusing traditional Iranian craftsmanship with a modern, Western sensibility—perfectly reflecting the blend of my Middle Eastern and Western identity. Last year, I had the good fortune of meeting Leila Nazarian, the brilliant founder of the company, during a trip to Santa Monica. She generously gave me a pink board adorned with a Qajar dagger. It’s hands-down the coolest thing I own. It’s not just a skateboard; it’s an art piece that somehow always manages to steal the spotlight and rack up the most compliments from visitors.
Sweet Spot
Chosen by David Lipton, decoration associate
Ephemeral morsels though they seem, sweets are stuffed with potential. In 1866, Johannes Strauss II aided diplomatic relationships between Vienna and Paris by naming his latest waltz Wiener Bonbons. Ever since the 17th century, this sweet confection has been a symbol of French flair, with elaborate exchanges of bonbonaires at the French court on New Year’s Day. The festive routine continues. Here a lion, a leopard and a goat parading across a field of hearts derives from ancient Roman Circus glassware. Handmade in Bohemia, this particular bonbonier recalls the extensive legacy of glass and crystal production that still flourished in the westernmost region of the Czech Republic, from where it spread all across the courts of Europe. The bonbon was evidently a gift so good they named it twice – and continues to be.
Essex Whirls
Chosen by Elly Parsons, digital director
In the February 1990 issue of The World of Interiors, Leslie Geddes-Brown called the village of Wivenhoe ‘bleak’ and said it was ‘silting up with detritus from the sea’. I have since become part of the London detritus, silting up from London and affecting this funny little place just north of the Sunshine Essex coastline with my uncharming cosmopolitanisms. In two short weeks this rugged, bohemian coastal outcrop has seeped into my bones, and, as colleagues will bemoan, become my entire personality. Though tiny, the village bookshop, run by Sue, runs deep with local gems of inspiration, like this book, available on Bookshop.org, which charts the creative history of the village through the lens of Denis Wirth-Miller and Dicky Chopping, a couple at the heart of the mid-20th-century art world, and also at the heart of the Essex town that they called home – along with a riotous cast of characters including Lucian Freud and John Minton – from 1945 until 2008.
Charmed, I’m Sure
Chosen by Rose Eaglesfield, decoration assistant
I have long been a follower of Musée Roo, a small business crafting exquisite, historically inspired jewellery in Bristol. While I could have opted for any one of its gorgeous pieces, this lotus amulet feels an appropriate token to hold close over the festive period and welcoming of the new year. In Buddhist tradition, the lotus symbolises purity of the body, speech and mind, and holds the promise of potential enlightenment. At a time of year that can feel heavy with excess what a beautiful reminder to lean into simplicity and start the new year with clarity and optimism.
Plate Expectations
Chosen by Gareth Wyn Davies, deputy chief sub-editor
I’ve coveted a piece by the Japanese ceramicist Makoto Kagoshima for years, ever since seeing his work in a gallery in Marylebone High Street in London in the mid-2010s. That’s because a) I am a sucker for blue-and-white and b) I love the subtle shades of William de Morgan and the English Arts and Crafts discernible in much of his work. One day, I’ve promised myself, I will win the Premium Bonds and treat myself to a plate to hang on a wall, or else I will clock up enough years of loyal service at one company that colleagues will feel honour-bound to dig especially deep for my leaving present. Failing that, there’s always Secret Santa, of course. So I’m just putting this one out there…
My Pick of the Wicks
Chosen by Ivan Shaw, visuals editor
My holiday song of choice is My Favorite Things, the John Coltrane version. But I make a point of listening to it only on those cold winter nights right before Santa makes his rounds. Of course, bright lights would never do at a time like that. Instead I opt for one of artist Kelly Lamb’s ‘Mischief Candles’. Coolly elegant, they are, in Lamb’s words, ‘the perfect balance of masculine and feminine’ with notes of musk, rose, leather and woodsmoke. They will soon be your favourite things too.
More tempting shopping stories from The World of Interiors
- Have your cake and eat it too: Marie Antoinette-inspired décor
- Sweet Dreams: candy-coloured bedding
- Design-led stationery: a selection of gold-star worthy desk staples
- All we want for Christmas: The WoI editors pick of the bunch
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