Gift ideas
50 affordable gift ideas for architecture lovers
Looking for something for that special person? Or just making your own Christmas list? Hopefully, these 50 affordable gift ideas for architecture lovers will inspire you.
Note that I independently selected any featured products in this article. However, if you buy from one of my links, it may be an affiliate, and I may earn a small commission.
Amazingly, this list started out as just 10 a few years back but steadily grew as I realised I had bookmarked so many design pieces based around houses and architecture over the past weeks and months. I could have gone on longer, but 50 seems as high as I could reasonably go. This year I have gone through the list and updated it, removing items no longer available and adding new ones. A freshen up if you like.
Note that I haven’t listed any books either. I have featured plenty of book releases on the site (although not as many as I would like of late), so do have a look in that section if you want some inspiration on that front. There are always plenty out there. Once you have done that, have a look at this list to see some (largely) modestly-priced gift ideas (and a couple of pricier ones I couldn’t resist featuring).
I have tried to feature as many small makers and sellers as I can because they really need the help at the moment. So do support them if you can.
So in no particular order, here we go…
1. Midcentury modern house tissue box covers by Destination PSP
I featured these on the site some time back, and they were and are massively popular. So, an obvious place to start the gift guide.
Different house designs are available (including some new ones each year), but they all follow a similar path. Created from printed PVC board, each one is produced and hand-assembled in Southern California and designed to fit standard rectangular tissue boxes. Pop it on, and the tissue looks like smoke from a chimney, while the house is a talking point in your home. $75 is still the price.
Find out more at the Destination PSP website
2. Architecture maps by Blue Crow Media
Another designer that has featured on the site in the past. There really are so many of these to choose from, and new maps are added on a regular basis.
That’s no bad thing as the maps in question cover almost every corner of the world, from Paris to Pyongyang and numerous architectural styles too. There must be something here for you. Each is a labour of love, with maps and imagery picking out local highlights if you are in the area, as well as some background to the style and city from the locals.
There are themed packs of maps you can buy for a discounted price if you want a lot. Or if just one catches your eye, they sell for around £9 each. So ’stocking filler’ potential. Also, note that there is a book now, which is the Brutalist Paris you can see above. If that’s your area. £24 for that.
Find out more at the Amazon website or the Blue Crow Media website.
3. Tiny Scenic midcentury modern jewellery
File under cute and quirky. Numerous designs in the Tiny Scenic midcentury modern jewellery collection, and a number of new ones arriving right now.
The vast majority are necklaces, but there are some brooches too, plus some midcentury modern earrings also added to the range of late and a mix of laser-cut, etched walnut and three types of perspex for the material used.
As for the designs, new and old, there is a strong midcentury modern vibe, with the house designs generally my personal favourites. Check out the slant roof midcentury house necklace above, which retails for £59.
Not just houses, there are plenty of other retro designs too, like the lovely dinner brooch (just above), retailing for £65. Cheaper items, too and all handmade in limited runs, so don’t miss out if you see something you love.
Find out more at the Tiny Scenic Etsy website or the Tiny Scenic website
4. Concrete water tower planters
I love a water tower – you might have seen a few on the site in the past. So this mini version is bound to appeal.
It might appeal to you if you like the idea of some concrete design in your home. Yes, these are made out of concrete, with more designs available than in previous years – including the design pictured above. Other similar concrete structures, too.
Priced at £79 – a lovely piece of functional design and a talking point too.
Find out more at the TiiPoi website
5. Walking and cycling guides to modern houses by Stefi Orazi
Another ever-expanding range, which is no bad thing at all.
Love modern houses? Of course, you do. You are reading this site. With that in mind, you might want to stick one or more of these on your Christmas list. Stefi, who is responsible for some essential books on the subject, has produced these bag-sized guides for the London area, as well as a guide specific to the work of Richard Rogers. Not just London, some other cities around Europe now have guides too.
Great for walking or cycling, but particularly for house-spotting, the good-looking guides are available as part of a subscription set (with box), which is the gift that keeps on giving, or individually for £5.50 each. Oh, and a lovely box set for £39.50 if you want to treat yourself or if someone really likes you.
Find out more at the Things You Can Buy website
6. Architectural letter holders by Wilhon Design
I actually featured their Brutalist London postcard set a while back, but I am focusing on the architectural letter holders by Wilhon Design now, which always seem to be popular gifts.
This is a steadily growing range that kicked off with the hugely-popular art deco Surbiton station (pictured above) but has grown to include the likes of Dreamland in Margate, Tate Modern, Tolworth Tower and the Brixton Recreation Centre pictured below.
Made from powder-coated, laser-cut steel with non-slip rubber feet and looking rather lovely and are also functional pieces of home design. They sell from £32.95.
Find out more at the Etsy website
7. Lost Destination architectural artwork by Dorothy
Another maker/seller who could feature numerous times here. Last time, I went for the Barbican tote bags, which are still available and well worth checking out. But this year, I am going back to where it all started with the amazing artwork.
So many amazing retro prints to choose from, with the subject matter being every bit as important as the eye-catching finishes.
I have featured the much-loved Forton Services above, but do check out The Hacienda, the Tricorn Centre, Brunel University, Preston Bust Station, the Euston Arch and numerous lost football grounds.
The price you pay depends on the size you go for, but for reference, the prices start at £35.
Find out more at the Dorothy website
8. Bauhaus scarves by Donna Wilson
Something I featured for the first time last year, but the Bauhaus scarf range is an even better prospect this year as it’s in the sale.
Donna Wilson always does some wonderful and interesting designs, and that now includes a range of scarves inspired by the female textile artists of the Bauhaus.
100 per cent lambswool, knitted in Scotland and with plenty of colours and patterns to choose from. Originally £100, they now sell for £75. If you don’t need a scarf, there are hats and cushions too.
Find out more at the Donna Wilson website
Talking of wearable Bauhaus, you can still get these Bauhaus 1919 Sweatshirts, which were very popular in the past. Different colours and sizes, but the price is constant at £26.39 for all.
9. Fisheye Baby Bauhaus Edition film camera by Lomography
I love a theme, so we’ll stick with Bauhaus a little longer but for something completely different.
This is a film camera by Lomography, which has a toy-like look but isn’t designed for kids. This is about capturing unique shots using 110 films and the fisheye perspective.
Get creative possibilities with multiple and long exposures, and with the Fisheye, produce something akin to a 1960s album sleeve. All from a mini package wrapped in Bauhaus colours. £29.67 is the price.
Find out more at the Lomography website
10. Bauhaus-themed bookends by Design Atelier Article
Bauhaus is once again the inspiration for some home design. This time to keep your books in order.
Each one is handmade and is produced as laser-cut metal with a powder coating. Each one also has ‘anti-slip’ silicon pads for additional furniture protection. Two designs, the Bauhaus logo by Oskar Schlemmer, dating back to 1922 and the Bauhaus building itself. £64 for a pair.
Find out more at the Etsy website
11. Park Hill prints by Laura Knight Studio
So many architectural prints around, but not so many of Park Hill in Sheffield.
There are here, as well as plenty more, from the Barbican through to Manchester’s Toast Rack. But Park Hill is the mini range that catches my eye. Colourful, stylised prints focusing on the details in the recently-restored brutalist development, each hand-pulled by APG Works in Sheffield. Signed and numbered as a limited edition too. Despite that, prices are affordable, starting from around £20 unframed.
Find out more at the Laura Knight Studio website
12. Bauhaus-inspired Walter Gropius watch range
Ok, this is pushing the affordable thing a little. But these are wonderful watches likely to appeal to lovers of modernist design.
There are so many, too, with the majority featuring designs on the faces inspired by imagery and motifs of the original Bauhaus movement. They are also German-made watches, made of stainless steel and with a Citizen Miyota movement.
The straps and designs vary, but the designs are all eye-catching, and if I’m honest, I really can’t pick a favourite. But I do love the Josef Albers design pictured here. As for price, that’s somewhere between €225 and €235.
Find out more at the Bauhaus Movement Shop website
13. Design Letters range by Arne Jacobsen
There is enough in here to fill a top 50, with the range expanding every year. So do browse it all if you want a gift idea for someone in the family. Or a design-loving friend.
Based on typography drawn in 1937 by the world-renowned Danish architect Arne Jacobsen, it covers everything from the living room and the dining room to the home office and the nursery. I have probably missed a few rooms. There’s a cocktail shaker now, so your home bar could be included, too!
As an example, I’m looking at the tableware, which looks amazing as a style statement and at this time of the year, you could spell out ‘XMAS’ and really get people talking. Prices vary, of course, but a China plate costs around £20.
Alternatively, go for the Christmas-themed designs, like the mugs pictured above.
Find out more at the Connox website
14. Build your own brutalist city with Zupagrafika
Know someone who likes to build things? They could spend Boxing Day putting together their own brutalist city.
Zupagrafika has created a range of cut-out paper models you just need to build. As you can see, the end result looks impressive, especially if you go big with the concept.
You can pick up full cities or just individual buildings from the likes of London, Paris, Warsaw, Moscow and more. All are reasonably priced, too, with a building starting at just €7. That’s pretty much stocking filler territory.
Find out more at the Zupagrafika website
For UK readers, much of the range is also available at Blackwells.
15. 1960s-style Modernist t-shirts by Mr B’s Soulful Tees
A vintage Pan Am vibe with these 1960s-style Modernist t-shirts by Mr B’s Soulful Tees.
It might be more sweatshirt season than t-shirt season, but that’s fine, as you can get it in sweatshirt form. Saying that, the t-shirt is always useful and more affordable as well. Anyway, if you want the world to know of your love of modernism and you like a vintage logo, this is the shirt for you. Also, don’t worry about the blue, as this design is available in pretty much any colour you like, as well as all the sizes you probably need.
A gift for yourself or someone else. Whoever receives it, this doesn’t break the bank at £22.
Find out more at the Mr B’s Soulful Tees Etsy website
16. Lego Architecture sets
Lego seems to have discontinued the majority of its Lego Architecture range, which is a shame as there have been some amazing sets. But don’t despair, there are still options.
Some of the older ones are still available on Amazon and eBay if you want the Sydney Opera House, the Guggenheim, Villa Savoye or Robie House, as well as the Lego Architecture construction kit. But note prices are rising. I’m so glad someone bought me Villa Savoye when it came out! I still have it and haven’t found time to make it yet. Maybe this Christmas break.
For fans of modern architecture, might I suggest the Lego House set? 774 pieces, so potential to see someone through Christmas and into the New Year. It retails for £44.99.
Find out more at the Lego website
17. Brutalist Collection by Gail Myerscough
A maker who has been a mainstay of this rundown since day one, and for good reason. Gail makes some wonderful designs for anyone with a love of both retro and architecture.
Plenty of ranges to browse, but I am focusing on the expanded Brutalist Collection this year, which is both wider-ranging and wide in terms of price points too.
So sets of cards, along with prints, notebooks and journals, as you would expect. But also mugs, phone cases and cushions, which you might not. So if you fancy any of those things with a design featuring the likes of Balfron Tower, Preston Bus Station, the Welbeck, Trinity or Park Hill (to name a few), then have a look. See also gift ideas for your brutalist-loving friends too.
There are also brutalist Christmas card designs as well, which are now for 2023 and pictured above.
Prices are firmly in the affordable category, starting at just £2.50 and rising up to £37.50 for a cushion. Do check out those other ranges, too.
Find out more at the Gail Myerscough website
18. Architecture pop art range by Art and Hue
Classic imagery and architecture, but with a colourful pop art twist. Which is what Art and Hue is known for.
The South Bank is heavily featured here, but so is Welbeck Street car park (again), the American Embassy, the JFK terminal, the Barbican and more.
Priced from £18 depending on what you go for in terms of finish and size.
Find out more at the Art & Hue Etsy website
19. Miniature architectural classics by Chisel and Mouse
Hard to pick out just one as there are so many miniature gems in the Chisel and Mouse range.
Using the chisel and the mouse (hence the name), the maker uses old and new techniques to recreate iconic buildings in miniature as pieces of interior design. New designs are constantly being added, too, so a website to keep an eye on.
The end results are incredibly impressive, and the result of a lot of work and patience as well as attention to detail. I love the Bauhaus range and some of the art deco buildings too. But I think Trellick Tower, the Hoover Building and Centrepoint are my personal favourites. They look great as bookmarks, too.
But not cheap as each sells for between £175 and £195. The site and the models are certainly worth a few minutes of your browsing time, and note these are collector’s pieces that take some effort to produce. So perhaps worth the outlay.
Find out more at the Chisel and Mouse website
20. Le Corbusier’s Unite d’habitation desk planter
Quite a mouthful for the title. But it gets the point across.
This is a custom, 3D-printed model of Le Corbusier’s Unite d’habitation. So not concrete like the Marseille original, as you might have guessed. Instead, this mini version is produced from PLA, which is an eco-friendly, biodegradable plastic derived from plant fibres.
It looks amazing and is always going to be a talking point, as well as something practical for hosting small plants. £57.58 for this.
Other similar designs are also available – check out Villa Savoye above for just over £35.
Find out more at the Hephy 3D Etsy website
21. People Will Always Need Plates tableware designs
It launched back in 2003, and I think I bought my first pieces from them around that time. They still look impressive today, and if you love modern houses and illustrations, you will love the full range.
PWANP has worked with the likes of the Royal Festival Hall, Hayward Gallery, Design Museum, Hepworth Wakefield, Turner Contemporary and the De La Warr Pavilion to produce ranges.
But for me, its distinctive style is more at home with domestic dwellings such as the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate, Highpoint, Trellick Tower or the notable house designs that appear on both mugs and plates, as well as tray, placemats, trivets and bags (I LOVE the tote bags). Add some colour to your home for as little as £10. 10 per cent off if you join the mailing list too.
Find out more at the People Will Always Need Plates website
22. Bauhaus-themed tableware by Design K
Another option for your table and very classy pieces, too.
Designs that are all about ‘embracing the spirit of Bauhaus’ with forms inspired by Oskar Schlemmer’s ‘Triadisches Ballett’ and available as cups, saucers, teapots and even egg cups. The earthenware range does change and designs come and go, so act quickly if you want something. Talking of which, you are looking at something like £24 for a mug, £68 for a teapot and £38 for a cup and saucer set.
Note that there are also some eye-catching Kreis pieces too if you check the website.
You can buy them directly from Design K.
23. Frinton Park Estate Guide by Modernism In Metro-Land
I know I said I wasn’t featuring books, but I thought I would briefly mention A Guide to Modernism in Metro-Land, which is well worth owning. But only because it’s a nice introduction to a rather lovely guide.
Anything I feature in Frinton is popular on the site, so I figured a guide to this modernist paradise would be a winner too.
The 48-page guide includes 37 colour images of the surviving houses from the Oliver Hill-overseen development, plus a history of the estate and a map. The guide is printed on Silk 150 gsm paper, with a 250 gsm matt laminated cover.
Again, £8 is ideal stocking filler territory. Other similar guides, too, if you want to check out the website, with deals if you buy a full set.
Find out more at the Modernism In Metro-Land website
24. De Stijl modernist birdhouse and bird feeder
Some of you might recall I did a rundown of the 10 best modern houses for birds some time back. If you read that, then this piece is likely to be familiar to you.
This is a wonderful piece of garden architecture, inspired by early 20th-century modernism and has everything fans of the era will love, right down to the Bauhaus colours. I’m sure your feathered friends will find it equally appealing.
£61.84 if this works for you.
Find out more at the Etsy website
25. 1920s Bauhaus poster coaster set
Time to get back on track with affordable ideas – and this just about lots that bill.
Officially known as the Bauhaus Ausstellung Weimar 1923 poster coaster set, this is a package of four coasters featuring those Bauhaus designs, with each cork mat described as ‘glossy’ and ‘ heat resistant’ as well as wipe clean.
Great for a design lover’s home or office and selling for £17.95.
Find out more at the Funkyzilla Etsy website
26. Funkis house shelf by Ferm Living
How about some interior design as a gift? But you will need to love someone a lot as this isn’t cheap. But it is a shelf shaped like a house.
A versatile number, the Funkis is a mini plywood version of the full-sized house, which is great for kids to play with or just for use as a quirky shelf in your home. Or both for that matter. A great shelf for a kid’s room, in other words.
As I said, not the cheapest gift here, but if it works for you, £185 is the price, and this is something that won’t be cast aside as we enter the new year.
Find out more at the Made in Design website
27. Midcentury modern house fridge magnets
Everyone loves a bit of fridge decoration; it doesn’t get much better than these beauties.
Choose from any of the ones you see here, with each acrylic magnet featuring a classic MCM house to dream about as you hit the fridge. Each one measures around 4 inches by 1.5 inches, and they sell for $8 each. If they look familiar, it’s perhaps because they are made by the same people who did the tissue boxes at the top of the page.
Find out more at the Destination PSP website
28. London vs New York Skyline chess set
You can get a purely London Skyline set, and I did feature a Liverpool vs Manchester chess set on the site (sadly no longer available). But I think this London vs New York skyline chess set just heads the list.
It is what it sounds like: a battle of buildings on a chessboard. Same game, different pieces. So the famed skyscrapers of New York come up against the likes of Big Ben, There London Eye, The Shard and Canary Wharf. A board is included, too, naturally. £120 if you fancy chess over the festive period – or know someone who might.
Find out more at the Not On The High Street website
Talking of chess, you can also pick up the London Brutalist Edition Chess Set by Skyline Chess.
This one is a chess game featuring some of London’s most notable architecture from the brutalist movement, including Trellick Tower, Petty France, Centrepoint and Cromwell Tower, to name just a few.
A 32-piece set cat in hand-cast resin, all double-weighted pieces with soft felt bases, sold with a hand-screen-printed Corian playing board and presentation box. But again, it doesn’t come cheap, presumably because of that construction. You will need to find £395 to secure this set.
Find out more at the Skyline Chess website
29. Bauhaus acrylic necklace by Kate Made It
Something wearable and not obviously architecture-based. But that’s really part of the appeal of this one. As is the price.
Based on the Bauhaus pure shapes and colours, it features acrylic shapes that are laminated onto a thin wooden backing piece that is suspended from a nickel-free, hypoallergenic, bronze-finished chain.
At £10, it doesn’t break the bank either. You can get similar earrings too, which sell for the same affordable price.
Find out more at the Kate Made It Etsy website
30. Bauhaus Dessau fridge magnets
You don’t need to attach them to a fridge, but these Bauhaus Dessau magnets would look great on one.
Or any surface where they would ‘take’, to be honest. Yes, more fridge magnets, this time a set of six pieces described as a ‘magnetic puzzle’. They were created for the Bauhaus 100th anniversary and feature the Bauhaus School.
A nice thing to have and just £11.
Find out more at the Etsy website
31. Brutalist Calendar 2024
From the people who brought you the architecture maps (see earlier) comes this wonderful calendar/organiser for 2024.
A limited edition, this is a celebration of some of the most awe-inspiring and influential examples of Brutalist architecture around the world. The large images are the selling point for me, but don’t underestimate the usefulness of a wall calendar in the digital age. There is room to scribble on important engagements, too.
Last year’s calendar seemed to sell through early (as did the year before), and I’m not entirely sure if stock of this has sold out with the maker, which has it ‘coming soon’. Saying that Amazon is currently showing stock.
Find out more at the Blue Crow Media website
Alternatively, pick one up via the Amazon website on Prime,
32. Preston Bus Station clock 50th anniversary print at The Modernist
Annoyingly, this was also once a tea towel, but that has now sold out and disappeared. But you can still get the Preston Bus Station print.
I’m a big fan of Preston Bus Station and will think nothing of taking the kids there for a day out even before they did it up. So I am probably the target market for this particular product.
The design is the work of Matthew Steele in celebration of the station’s 50 years in existence. Perhaps a celebration of its reprieve, too. The print will brighten up any room in that bold shade of orange, but you can get it in a more subdued shade of grey too. A couple of size options are available as well. The print is priced at £55 for the smaller format and £95 for the large.
Find out more at The Modernist website
33. Le Corbusier Unite d’Habitation construction toy
Is this aimed at adults or kids? Probably both.
I think, once upon a time, these were known as executive toys. The kind of thing someone with too much time at a desk used to keep themselves amused. But it works just as well outside the workspace.
A mix of metal and wood, it’s a puzzle/toy that’s fun to build, but it also looks good once it is built. £47.34 for this set.
Find out more at the Etsy website
34. Bauhaus correspondence set by The Pepin Press
Do you know someone who loves to write letters? This is the gift for them.
Adorned with designs inspired by the Bauhaus movement, the Bauhaus Correspondence Set is made up of 40 sheets of A5 writing paper, 20 envelopes, eight greeting cards and 30 stickers and labels. Note also that the writing paper has four different designs (printed on one side), the envelopes have two, and the greeting cards have four.
All in a good-looking box and selling for £27.50.
Find out more at the TwentyTwentyOne website
35. Top Brutes card game
Remember the game Top Trumps fondly? Love concrete? This is perhaps the ideal gift for you. Or anyone that those two things apply to.
There are so many offshoots of Top Trumps right now. I even spotted a Britpop set a while back. But this is an architecture rundown, and as such, I am featuring a set firmly in that territory.
The set features 24 of London’s ‘brutes’, a mix of classics and the less familiar. If you want something outside London, there’s a Birmingham set, too. Crack open the pack, deal them out and see who wins with the highest score on each card. There is nothing I don’t love about this idea. Especially when the Christmas period starts to get a little stale. £16 gets you a set.
Find out more at the Space Play Etsy website
36. Estate Collection cushions at Oscar Francis
There is so much to love at Oscar Francis. Whether that’s art prints, notebooks or something for the home. I have gone for the latter because I love the cushions, and just as importantly, they are now half-price in the sale.
The Wandsworth design pictured here is digitally printed onto 100% cotton Panama fabric. The image is printed onto one side of the cover, and the back panel is a dark grey textured heavy cotton fabric.
The Wandsworth design is part of the Beautiful Estate collection which also includes the Lambeth, Hackney, Southwark, Leytonstone, Walthamstow and Westminster cushion designs. Most are now less than half price, too, selling for £15 from an original £34. So a great time to buy.
Find out more at the Oscar Francis website
37. Moley architect-style reading glasses by London Mole
Originally, I featured some cardboard architect glasses to wear if you wanted to dress up as Le Corbusier or Philip Johnson. But I thought this year I would go for something more practical.
This is much the same look, but the Moley reading glasses don’t just offer a ‘look’; they also give you the added benefit of boosting your eyesight. If, like me, reading glasses have come into your life of late, or even better, you know someone in that position, then these might be a gift idea.
Just as long as they want to look like a mid-20th-century architect. Not everyone does. Any colour for the frame, different lens power and all for just £15.99.
Find out more at the London Mole website
38. Trellick Tower bookends by Susan Bradley Design
You can also get Battersea Power Station, but the Trellick Tower bookends are the headline act for me.
Of course, please do check out Battersea Power Station if you prefer that and the concept works for you. But if you like this, it is made from coated steel designed in the shape of Goldfinger’s iconic building and sold in that bold shade of red
£18.40 is the individual price, and if you want a pair, you can get one. But it is twice the price.
Find out more at the Not On The High Street website
39. Notebook bundle for architects
There are different options available in terms o design, but the notebook bundle for architects seems good value, as being very practical.
It is practical because we all need a notebook, and in this set, you get seven mini blank A6 books. All featuring notable pieces of London architecture. That’s it, really. They look good and are an ideal ‘stocking filler’.
£28 for the set.
Find out more at the Etsy website
40. Sheffield Park Hill Flats birdhouse by Fledgling Designs
Another you might recall from my modern house birdhouse rundown and probably the most talked-about example of them all.
Yes, this is a handmade birdhouse based on Sheffield’s brutalist icon Park Hill. It’s a design you’ll love or hate, but I know enough of you love it for it to make the cut in this guide.
A practical addition to your garden, a talking point and something unique to you as each one is handmade. In the sale too, at £48.75.
Find out more at the Fledgling Designs Etsy website
41. Spilay mini midcentury modern dollhouse with furniture
If you have the patience for a project – or know someone who does – you can always make your own little house.
Not just any house, this is a midcentury modern dwelling complete with plenty of details, from the architectural touches to the furniture, lighting and even a music box. But you’ll need to be a dab hand with glue, have a good pair of eyes and have plenty of concentration to do it all justice.
£42.99 for this.
Find out more at the Amazon website
42. Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired The Harmonic Perspective print by Shag
Ok, this isn’t particularly affordable. But I had to drop it in.
This is a new print by modern-day pop artists Josh Agle (aka Shag), and as you might have worked out, this is a collaboration with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and a tribute to Frank Lloyd Wright.
It features the Garden Room of Wright’s Taliesin West winter home and studio in Scottsdale, Arizona, which completed its renovation in 2021. This space was the living room for Wright and his wife, Olgivanna, where they would entertain friends, guests, and the apprentices of the Taliesin Fellowship.
A 16-colour, hand-pulled, silk-screened serigraph print in a run of just 200, it sells directly from the artist’s store for $900 unframed (framed versions are also available).
Find out more at the Shag Store website
43. Frank Lloyd Wright wooden domino set
There’s also a memory game and a jigsaw puzzle in this range, but the Frank Lloyd Wright wooden domino set feels like more a Christmas parry game.
The Frank Lloyd Wright wood domino set includes 28 double-sided wood dominoes with Wright’s famous patterns and design, adding a stylish twist to the usual black and white bricks and dots.
£34 for something that should have plenty of mileage when it comes to filling a quiet hour or so.
Find out more at the Barbican Store website
44. Palm Springs house necklaces by Finest Imaginary
Not a million miles from the designs of Tiny Scenic above in terms of inspiration. But these deserve a showing in their own right.
Last year I featured an A-frame keyring from this maker, which is worth a look, but these houses, plus other similar designs, are new this year.
Each is a hand-designed, laser-cut necklace, strung on an 18-inch silver plated chain and constructed from thick perspex and wood. £38 is the price.
Find out more at the Finest Imaginary Etsy website
45. Leg Corbusier socks at Chattyfeet
Yes, it’s that man again. But this time, he wants to make friends with your feet.
If you can get past the pun, these are classic gift material. Socks and Christmas often go hand in hand. Made of a cotton mix, you get Le Corbusier’s face staring up at you when you slip them on. Ok, novelty socks aren’t for everyone, but I quite like these.
£9 gets you a pair.
Find out more at the Chattyfeet website
46. Architecture tote bags by Cinqpoints
This year I haven’t featured much in the way of totes and much off the Cinqpoints website. So time to remedy both.
There is a range of architect-friendly tote bags on the site, all in black with white lettering (and illustration), with this In Bauhaus We Trust bag is typical of the look.
Check them all out on the retailer’s site and expect to pay €12 for one of these cotton bags.
Find out more at the Cinqpoints website
47. Concrete tower block models by Concrete Shed
Not cheap to be fair, but these concrete tower block models are quite something.
The Barbican Shop has three of them, with the maker’s Etsy shop not currently open. So I presume these are the only three designs available. Not that it matters if you love Shakespeare Tower, Balfron Tower or Trellick Tower, as all of those are available right now.
Each work is hand cast, combining new and traditional techniques with the best quality materials. Creating and hand-colouring each work means that every sculpture is unique, and the cork base means the concrete doesn’t damage your sideboard. Priced from £200.
Find out more at the Barbican website
48. Architectural paper toy sets
There are so many of these to choose from, but if pushed, I think the Palm Springs set is my favourite of these architectural paper toy sets.
But do have a good look yourself in case there’s another that jumps out at you. All follow a similar pattern, with the sets aimed at children and made to build easily for that reason. Pop them out, create the 3D models, then finish with your best colours. Another in the ‘stocking filler’ category for kids or adults.
€16.90 is the price of each.
Find out more at the Cinqpoints website
49. Mini cast concrete models of iconic brutalist architecture by Space Play
Pretty much self-explanatory. Brutalist architecture in both concrete and miniature. Yes, a bit like the one earlier, but smaller and with more choice in terms of buildings.
Indeed, since I last featured these previously, the range has grown considerably. Everything from Forton Services (pictured above) through to Birmingham Central Library and much in between. Even a bit of Art eco, too, if that’s more your thing. But designs come and go a lot, so expect a few sell-outs at the retailer’s site.
£30 get you one as a very quirky and memorable gift.
Find out more at the Space Play website
50. The Modernist magazine subscription
OK, it might not be an instant gift, but The Modernist magazine as a subscription works on three levels.
First off, it is an excellent and fascinating read for anyone with an interest in 20th-century architecture and design. That’s probably you if you’ve managed to get through this article.
Secondly, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. You get this four times a year. Finally, the current situation hasn’t helped financially, and they would appreciate all the subscriptions they can get. £35 is the price for a year, but you could save money by becoming a member of the Modernist Society and buying it. And if you want something physical to give in the meantime, you can always get a badge for £8. There are four to choose from.
The Modernist magazine website
Ok, that’s the 50 done, but it might be worth mentioning that a great gift for lovers of modern architecture could be a membership for the 20th Century Society. See this page for details of that. Again, they need the support, so it’s a gift with long-term benefits for society and modern architecture in general.
And one last thought…
Previously, I have been pointed to this 1960s classic, the Massimo Vignelli-designed Stendig Calendar. And it’s well worth considering for a gift.
I’m still very much a ‘paper organiser’ kind of person. Diary on the desk, calendar on the wall. If you are too – or you know someone who is – this is a great thing. The modernist’s choice (and often the architect’s choice, too), so worth checking out. In terms of recycling, past months also work as great wrapping paper options too. You can buy them here. They sell for £75.
And finally…finally…give the gift of WowHaus
Oh, and finally, if you are feeling particularly charitable this festive season, you could support the WowHaus website. I heavily rely on donations to pay the bills for the site and newsletter, and if you Buy Me A Coffee on Ko-Fi, you’ll be a great help and keep the site online for years to come.
Of course, there’s no obligation. I just like having you here to listen to me talk about houses and all related. But with costs rising it really is appreciated.