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. Especially as some new designs have been added into the mix of late.
So different house designs are available, 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 £69 (which is cheaper than last year) – it is 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, such as modernist estates in Berlin.
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.
You can only sign up to a subscription, which adds in a rather lovely tote bag too (pictured here).
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. Miniature architecture models by Studio SBM
A few models around of varying styles and sizes. But these mini models out of Spain really appeal.
A small, but growing range, you can get icons like the Eames House or Farnsworth House as detailed, fully-made models produced by hand and in wood. They look amazing, but sadly (as you might expect) this is one of the ideas that’s less than affordable for many.
Prices are between £400 and £500.
Find out more at the Studio SBM Etsy website
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, with this one currently being in the sale.
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. £78 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. Limited edition Modernist Weekly Planner 2025
Personally, I’m still a diary/organiser kind of guy. if you are, too, have a look at this Modernist Weekly Planner.
A chunky, limited-edition organiser/diary celebrating modernist interiors across Europe, with photographs of iconic and lesser-known interiors shot by some of the leading architectural photographers around right now.
It’s also section-sewn to lay flat and litho printed on ‘carefully selected paper’ by one of Europe’s most environmentally progressive printers. Loads of space for notes, 57 colour images to appeal to the eye, and a price of just over £25.
Find out more at the Amazon 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
Larger sets are also available from Amazon.
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
Note that you can also pick up this Bauhaus 1919 sweatshirt, which has been featured in previous round-ups. It’s available in black and grey and sells for £29.99.
16. Lego Architecture sets
It’s really hard to keep up with these as they come and go out of the range so quickly. But thankfully, there are some sets around right now.
Sadly not the Le Corbusier one, which changes hands for big money these days. Always buy quickly if you like any Lego Architecture set. But you can get a few now, including a New York skyline and the Paris skyline set that’s pictured here.
649 pieces, an age of 12 plus and a great way of sending a day or two over the festive season. £34.99 for this one.
Find out more at the Amazon 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. Midcentury modern dollhouse kit by Terrarium Stories
You have to put some work in – and it’s not cheap – but this midcentury modern dollhouse kit by Terrarium Stories is a lovely thing when completed.
Note the ‘kit’ part. This is a miniature dollhouse, designed with precision by architects to showcase the clean lines and minimalist beauty of modern design, but you do need to put it together yourself.
It is constructed from high-quality raw MDF with a black-painted roof and front facade panels, and a transparent plexiglass front. The roof and front facade are openable, providing easy access to the interior for decoration and display. But note the furniture does not come with it.
£302 if it catches your eye.
Find out more at the Terrarium Stories 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. The Modernist Architectural City Guide – Manchester
Just one city is available right now, but others are promised in the not-too-distant future, including Sheffield and Birmingham.
So if you know someone in the Manchester area or perhaps someone planning a visit, get on this well-made and detailed guide. There are 41 sites to visit, each with a short description, photograph and factual information, with a handy map included if you are not familiar with the city.
Small enough to fit in your anorak pocket but bigger than your mobile phone screen. And let’s be honest, paper things are always better than apps. £15 gets you one.
Find out more at the Modernist 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. Palm Springs Earthenware Coaster Set by Shag
So many retro and midcentury modern designs to love on the Shag site, but the Palm Springs Earthenware Coaster Set fits the brief here.
The work of super-cool retro pop artist Josh Agle (aka Shag), this is a set of four high-end coasters, with each featuring a separate piece of artwork by the artist.
As the description says, these are earthenware coasters with a cork backing, designed to save your surfaces and to catch the eye. $60 for a set of these.
Find out more at the Shag Store website
23. Architectural mini guides by Modernism In Metro-Land
From the author of the A Guide to Modernism in Metro-Land book comes a series of affordable mini guides that hover around similar territory.
The first was a guide to the art deco/modern stylings of The Frinton Park Estate, but the range has now grown to six books focusing on both commercial and domestic modern architecture.
Small, but detailed, and printed on 150 gsm paper, with a 250 gsm matt laminated cover, they are a mix of words and imagery courtesy of the author and unique to the books. Lovely gifts for anyone with an interest in the area. And cheaper if you buy a full set – you effectively get one free. But if you just want the one, expect to pay around £10.
Find out more at the Modernism In Metro-Land website
24. Art Deco Birdhouse
I have featured a similar De Stijl house in the past, but that’s no longer available. Thankfully this similar Art Deco design is still on the racks.
I did a list of the 10 best modern houses for birds, and this was in it—and for good reason. It looks amazing, and it also works on a practical level.
Sold as an easy-to-assemble kit, each one can be used either as a feeder in the winter or as a nesting box for small birds in the spring. There’s even little climbing notches on the inside so that chicks can reach the exit when it’s time to learn how to fly.
£56 is the retail price.
Find out more at the Foundling 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. Dawn O’Porter X Joanie – Bellini Mid-Century Bungalow Print Shift Dress
I’m featuring this because it fits the brief. But also because it is currently ridiculously cheap in the sale.
A popular one when I have featured it in the past, the dress is part of a retro capsule collection by Dawn O’Porter for Joanie, with this one showing off her love of MCM architecture, as well as her love of 1960s-inspired dresses.
It’s bold, it’s eye-catching and it might not be for everyone. But if you love houses and retro fashion, it might well work for you. Originally £69, it is now down to just £22.50 with most sizes available.
Find out more at the Joanie 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 £12.46.
Find out more at the Etsy website
31. Brutalist Calendar 2025
From the people who brought you the architecture maps (see earlier) comes this wonderful calendar/organiser for 2025.
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.
These calendars seem to sell through early, but this year there is stock still available if you haven’t picked one up as yet.
It sells for around £28 at the Blue Crow Media website and a couple of pounds cheaper at the Amazon website.
As an alternative, do also check out the Brutalist Botany 2025 Calendar.
It is what it sounds like, which is a 12-page calendar featuring brutalism and plants, as well as monthly planting suggestions. The collages have been created by Mark Christian Edwards, the design is by DR.ME, and the gardening prompts courtesy of Robert Edwards.
£20 is the price.
Find out more at the Modernist website
32. Monument to the Revolution concrete sculpture
If the idea of some Yugoslavian concrete in your home or on your desk appeals, then this is the gift for you.
This is 1960s brutalism at its finest. Monument to the Revolution of the people of Moslavina or (Monument to the Revolution) is a World War II memorial sculpture by Dusan Dzamonja, and is located in modern-day Croatia if you want to go and examine its vastness with your own eyes.
Or alternatively, you can pick up a smaller version of this 1967 monument for your home. It’s made of pure concrete and sized around 20cm across. If you want one, it sells for around £65.
Find out more at the Etsy 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. Just over £50 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 contains 10 sheets of 4 different designs (printed on one side), making up 40 sheets of A5 writing paper. Included are 20 matching envelopes, 8 greeting cards, and 25 assorted stickers and labels.
All in a good-looking box and selling for £27.50.
Find out more at the Pepin Press 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.
Sadly, the London set is no longer available, but there is still a Birmingham set on the racks. 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. Modernist + Brutalist London Colouring Book by Oscar Francis
Stocking fuller territory for fans of modernism and brutalism. A nice way of winding down too.
Described as a ‘sophisticated colouring book for fans of modernist and brutalist architecture’, it features designs in and around London, with 24 intricate illustrations of London’s iconic postwar buildings by architect turned artist Sarah Evans.
Each design is accompanied by its title and a little extra information about the building itself. As you can see, there’s also a key showing the coloured artwork to give you the option to recreate the original or reimagine the colour palette entirely.
£12.60 for one of these.
Find out more at the Amazon 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 £17.
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. Not cheap though at £105.
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.
£45.99 for this.
Find out more at the Amazon website
42. Metropolis movie fridge magnets and construction toy
I am putting these two together as they both cover similar ground. The early modernist sci-fi movie epic Metropolis.
This silent movie, set in a futuristic urban dystopia, featured a backdrop of buildings that are as much a trademark of the movie as the actors and robotics. An it;s these buildings that are behind the two things you see here.
Above is the 70-piece fridge magnet set, which allows you to recreate the movie’s backdrop on your own fridge. And if you are anything like me, you’ll find plenty of fun in creating your own monochrome tower block.
Grab a set for £36 at the Etsy website.
Alternatively, build it for yourself with the construction toy.
Not unlike the Le Corbusier one I mentioned earlier, the set uses a mix of wooden bases, metal corner walls and magnets to recreate the architecture of the movie to your own liking. A bit nerdy, but isn’t that all of us?
£50 for this set at the Etsy 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.
Previously I have 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
If you want an alternative, have a look at the Avant-Garde socks by Beamalevich.
Geometric shapes and a couple of colour options, with the socks made in France, in a sustainable factory certified as a ‘Living Heritage Company’, known for its craftsmanship excellence. A bit pricier at £17 a pair though.
Find out more at the Etsy website
46. Build Your Own Sheffield University Arts Tower
Possibly quite niche. But if you live in Sheffield – or happen to know someone who was a student here – this could be gifting material.
Very much a stocking filler, this is a cut-out and build your own 1:500 scale Arts Tower which is colour printed on A3 high quality 300gsm card and measures approximately 190mm in height when completed.
It;s a recreation of a landmark of both the University of Sheffield and the city, the Arts Tower remains the tallest university building in the UK since its opening in 1966, and, coincidentally, contains one of the last surviving paternoster lifts in Europe. It is also home to the Sheffield School of Architecture.
The mini version sells for £10.
Find out more at the Etsy 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. Miniature architecture models by Terrarium Stories
I featured the larger dollhouse earlier in this listing, but something more affordable is also available by this maker.
Described as architectural models for miniature enthusiasts, these are wonderful mini pieces of architecture with so much detail – but also able to fit into your hand.
From MCM to A-frame and much more too, these are well worth considering if you know someone with a love of architecture. They are also DIY kits, so something to do in the empty days around the Christmas break too.
The stilt house pictured here sells for around £50.
Find out more at the Etsy 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. Oli and Carol x Bauhaus baby toys
Plenty of options up there for adults and older kids, but what about new borns and little ones? Here’s something arty for them too.
Oil and Carol has done a mini range of toys with the Bauhaus movement. I know that’s not really an issue as a new born, but hip, architecturally savvy parents might well appreciate the gift.
Take your pick between a teething ring or floating blocks, both with the instantly recognisable colours. Oh yes, they also do a cool tote bag with a Bauhaus theme. Prices are from €18.
Find out more at the Oli and Carol website
And a few last thoughts…
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 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.