Handmade Gifts

One of my favorite hostesses, a fine-art photographer, has a wildly eclectic mix of goblets, flutes, martini, and other glasses, and if you party at her house, you get to choose your glass from among an amazing array. If nothing else, you'll break the ice by talking to other guests about their choices.

Furniture designer and builder Farzan Nemat works under the brand of MSTRF. His pieces border the line between rough and refined, with a modern feel. I love his use of standard construction materials and "lesser" woods (like pine plywood or poplar) to create beautiful, interesting furniture. I also sense a little bit of Piet Modrian's minimalist influence in the laser cuts shapes in his work.