Gifts for Wedding Season

Move beyond the toaster with these smart selections

For those whose summertime season has been taken over by beach BBQs and wedding obligations with equal frequency, the endless parade of serving plates and dust ruffles can be as draining as the heat. Trump the traditional wedding registry’s usual suspects with something that injects design into a couple’s new life together, while still fulfilling their newlywed needs. We’ve gathered a selection of items for the home that will surely stand out among the piles of presents. Here, eight highlights from our latest installment in the Cool Hunting Gift Guide—wedding wares.

stone-trivet.jpg mquan-wedding1.jpg
Fort Standard Stone Trivets

These sleek stone trivets ($75-$100) protect your table while making a design statement at the same time. Water jet-cut from different types of granite and marble, these hexagons and pentagons have leather bottoms inscribed with Fort Standard’s insignia.

Michelle Quan Jewels

NYC-based artist Michele Quan transforms the iconic symbol for opulence and romance into a humbled version of itself with her jewels
collection ($165 and up). These ceramic polygons come in a variety of sizes in either white or multi-colored pattern.

sonos-wireless.jpg gold-coffee-press.jpg
Sonos

Streamline your home sound system and bring tunes to every room with this all-in-one wireless set-up
($399). When you get the set, you’ve got everything you need to play music from your own library, plus a host of music services from Pandora to Spotify.

Gold Coffee Press

Coffee presses have long been known as the best way to make a perfect cup, but this staple-turned-piece-of-art
($50) named after Eileen Gray takes eco-friendly coffee-making to a new high. A three-part stainless steel mesh filter means less waste and more flavor, guaranteed to make your mornings even better.

love-blankets-ch.jpg porky-nest.jpg
Love Blanket

Holly Berry’s luxurious, cashmere and merino wool blankets
($580) are handwoven at a 250-year-old mill in Scotland, with each forming a tasteful arrangement of rainbow and gray squares that spell out “love” in Morse code. A colorful fringe surrounds these 55” x 75” throws.

Porky Hefer Weavers Nest

Porky Hefer creates a groovy and sexy haven to hang out with his made-to-order weavers nests ($5,000). Taking lawn furniture to the next level, the nests can hang from a favorite tree or perch on stilts.

dream-home.jpg
spear-print-tray.jpg
Dream Home Registry

The American dream receives a 21st-century update with Hatch My House, an interactive website that allows users to involve friends and family in their quest to purchase or decorate a home. Whatever the occasion, the size of the contribution is wholly up to you.

Spear Print Tray

There’s something so satisfyingly functional about a tray, and the design options are endless. Here, crisp but serene colors cut a geometric pattern on birch wood for a piece ($80) that will look great sitting anywhere in the house.


Gifts for Food Lovers

Food-focused highlights from our holiday gift guide and an event in NYC

Among the food-focused items in out 2010 Holiday Gift Guide we’ve selected ten stand-outs including some highlights from the Cool Hunting for Gap Pop Up shop—where we’re having an event dedicated to this favorite topic. For those in NYC, stop by the store from 12-2pm Saturday, 4 December 2011 to snap up products launching that day—including a chocolate bar collaboration we facilitated between Brooklyn’s Mast Brothers and Berkley’s June Taylor as well the deliciously addictive Happy Goat caramel sauce infused with Macallan whisky—and meet your favorite cookbook author while sampling goods from local artisans like Brooklyn Salsa Company.

essentialnytimes1.jpg statebystate1.jpg
The Essential New York Times Cookbook

The The Essential New York Times Cookbook contains over 1,000 recipes compiled by former NYT columnist Amanda Hesser. Dishes span Caesar to Fava Bean Salad to a 19th-century Raspberry Granita—all fully explained in a simple format.

State-by-Food Tote Bag

Shop your local green market with the State-by-Food Tote Bag, featuring illustrations of popular foods from each of the 50 states. No matter where you go, you will always have some inspiration to draw from.

nudoquattro1.jpg tartinebread1.jpg
Nudo’s Quattro Stagione

Olive oil for every season, Nudo spices up any salad, sandwich or pasta with four delicious flavors, all made from 100% hand-picked olives that go straight from the grove to pressing.

Tartine Bread

Nothing beats perfectly baked bread, especially when it’s baked using a recipe from Chad Robertson’s Tartine Bread, a James Beard award-winner and arguably the best bread maker in the United States.

singsingtray1.jpg oxofourpiece1.jpg
Sing Sing Dinner Tray

The Sing Sing Dinner Tray is a refined replica of the trays used in New York’s infamous prison. Perfect for portion control, dinner in front of the TV or as a distinct tray for serving guests at your holiday party.

OXO Four-Piece Grill Set

For the BBQ ace with discerning tastes in and out of the kitchen, the OXO 4-Piece Grill Set comes with an attractive set of essential grilling utensils, each with retractable hooks and a patented design for the silicone basting brush, which keeps marinades from sliding off its bristles.

grandamaesp1.jpg bestdamncookies1.jpg
DeLonghi Gran Dama

Used daily by CH founder Josh Rubin, with the touch of a button the DeLonghi Gran Dama creates espressos, lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos—each with programmable amounts of coffee and milk, as will as adjustable cup sizes. The convenience is well worth the price.

Damn Good Cookies

While most of us are dreaming of dessert before our meal even starts, these cookies are worth the wait. Chocolate Gourmet’s “Damn Good Cookies” definitely live up to their name. Our mouths are watering just thinking about the delicious treats.

avocadosaltpep1.jpg bksalsa11.jpg
Avocado Salt and Pepper Shaker

The uniquely designed Avocado Salt and Pepper Shaker by Brooklyn-based ceramicist Daina Platais is cast from an actual avocado, her personal food favorite.

Brooklyn Salsa

Brooklyn Salsa engages us with its quirky names that represent the different boroughs of NYC. With flavors such as The Hot, The Pure, The Green, The Tropical and The Burnt, there are no shortage of options on how to spice up your next snack attack.