Looking for a thoughtful gift for the design lover in your life? You’re in luck! Check out our curated gift guide for every modernist on your list. Happy gifting!
Make your list, check it twice, and give the gift of modernism! This year’s holiday guide features festive gifts to fit every budget, style, and size (Modernism Week tickets fit nicely into a stocking or card 😉)! Elevate your holiday season for loved ones with gifts that they’ll remember for years to come.
For the Philanthropist
Go above and beyond with a gift that supports a cause that you (and your favorite modernist) care about. Purchase a Modernism Week gift card, which can be used to purchase tickets for any current or future Modernism Week event. All proceeds will be dedicated to Modernism Week’s mission to celebrate and foster appreciation of midcentury and modern architecture and design.
You can also make a year-end tax-deductible gift in a loved one’s name, and support Modernism Week’s efforts to create scholarships, develop educational programs, produce entertaining events, invest in our community, and expand for the future.
For the Sartorialist
If Santa wanted to step up his suit game, he might look to this spiffy set of plaid trousers from Mr Turk (we also love these chic cocktail dresses for those modern Mrs. Claus vibes). Stay cozy with a pair of Mod Wolf socks from SHAG the Store, vintage kaftans from Mitchells Palm Springs, or a colorful shirt from the Modernism Week Shop by Destination PSP. Give a front-row seat to a bombshell fashion show showcasing looks from the James Bond movies.
For the Bibliophile
The Desert Modernists: The Architects Who Envisioned Midcentury Modern Palm Springs is an annual favorite, with good reason: this commemorative book provides a detailed account of the architects who shaped “desert modern” architecture, with spectacular photography (many never-before-seen or published) of their most significant and historical projects.
Stock your shelves with other must-have design books including:
- Palm Springs Modern by Adele Cygelman
- Master of the Midcentury: The Architecture of William F. Cody by Catherine Cody, Jo Lauria, and Don Choi
- Julius Shulman: Palm Springs by Michael Stern and Alan Hess (includes a foreword by Julius Shulman himself!)
- The Alexanders by James R. Harlan
- Mod Mirage by Melissa and Jim Riche
- The Design of Herbert W. Burns by Steven Keylon
- Dwell Time: A Memoir of Art, Exile and Repair by Rosa Lowinger
- Cape Cod Modern: Midcentury Architecture and Community on the Outer Cape by Peter McMahon and Christine Cipriani
- Rudolph de Harak Graphic Designer by Richard Poulin
- Slim Aarons by Shawn Waldron
- Design Legacy of John Marsh Davis by Hans Baldauf, FAIA, LEED AP
- Paul Hayden Kirk and the Rise of Northwest Modern by Dale Kutzera
- Midcentury Modern Style: An Approachable Guide to Inspired Rooms by Karen Nepacena
For the Drink Connoisseur
Know someone who can’t live without the perfect cup of joe? Send a bag of specialty roasts from Grace Farms or Koffi. Pair your gift with a Modernism Week travel mug with a lid for the perfect start to a modernist morning! If you’re feeling especially fancy, grab some ice cubes from a Modernista Ice Bucket to treat yourself to an iced version of your best brew, or shake things up during happy hour for the perfect cocktail. Elevate your bar game with this set of sophisticated glassware from Tommy Bahama, or take it one step further with a Midcentury Mixology Cocktail Class to learn how to make classic drinks at home.
For the Homebody
There’s no place like om…especially when it comes to self-care! Indulge in relaxation with hydrating aromatherapy from The Body Deli’s collection of organic superfood skincare. Snuggle up with a hand woven Pom Pom Blanket from Soukie Modern and a set of pillows in fun patterns from H3K Home+Design or Grace Home Furnishings. If you need something special for holiday hosts with the most, try an artisan crafted wool tray, trio of bud vases, reclaimed walnut bowl or other unique gift ideas from Room & Board. Refresh your own space for the new year with an Interior Design Consultation with ASID Professional Designers. Experience the enchantment of Modern Christmas Tree’s 33″ tabletop tree, adorned with hand-cut pendalogue crystal prisms and dazzling glass bulbs.
Stocking Stuffers: $25 and Under
Give the gift of Palm Springs with unique items that embrace the midcentury vibe. Deck your tree in mod ornaments, pass the time with Archi-DECK-ture Playing Cards or a Midcentury Houses puzzle, and get ready for 2024 with the latest Modernism Week commemorative poster by the artist SHAG. See more in the Modernism Week Store!
