df_1205_Leadstory_FernwehWoodworking
df_1205_Leadstory_FernwehWoodworking
df_1205_Leadstory_FernwehWoodworking
df_1205_Leadstory_FernwehWoodworking
df_1205_Leadstory_FernwehWoodworking

Maker Madness--A Holiday Gift Guide

Nov. 30, 2017

Some of Editor-in-Chief Kadie Yale's favorites from makers

One of the best things about this job is that, since our rebranding to look at only products in 2016, i+s has been given the opportunity to meet so many makers. We're absolutely in awe of those people whose passion carries them through creating, marketing, and releasing their work out there into the great big world, but since many makers are small operations trying to get out through Instagram, Etsy, and word of mouth, it can be hard to find that perfect gem that fits your or a client's lifestyle.

So in 2018, we're going to begin Maker Mondays where we share with you online and on social media one of our favorite makers every other week. To give you a bit of a preview, Editor-in-Chief Kadie Yale pulled together a gift guide of some of her favorites that will make even those hard to shop for folks on your list all merry and bright this holiday season--all while supporting small business.

If you're not already following us, make sure to keep an eye on our Instagram (@interiorssource), Twitter (@interiorssource), and Facebook accounts to see what we have in store for Makers Mondays, beginning January 8, 2018.
 

K L A I: Instagram. Webpage.  
I know that my personal taste in design doesn’t always mesh with everyone’s aesthetic, and this may be one of those cases, but I am absolutely in love with the work of K L A I. They adequately fit into the category of “I don’t want something I need, I want something I want,” and they bring me so much joy. There are beautifully drawn quirky characters and happy little cups that won’t make you think of Chip from Beauty and the Beast, vacant-eyed gold-accented bunnies, and more totally adorable yet at times ever-so-slightly dark clay goodies for the person in your life you can’t quite pin down, so you usually give them lotion and candles.

Mineral Vocabulary: Instagram. Webpage.
I have to be honest: I picked up one of these necklaces at Greenpoint Hill in New York recently. I love unique jewelry, and these porcelain glazed, handmade beads on a silk cord get complimented all the time. It's true that jewelry makes the outfit, and if the person whose gift you're searching for is anything like me, it's often the only thing separating how this black outfit is different from that other black outfit. Each bead is unique and crafts-person Leah James provides a whole array of colors. 

Carole Neilson for Loom + Kiln: Instagram. Webpage
Whether you have an open farm-style kitchen or floor-to-ceiling cupboards, it’s nice to have something beautiful and useful out on display. Carole Neilson’s handcrafted Smoked Pasta Colander, found at Loom + Kiln, looks a bit like an abalone shell, and is great for straining pasta, rinsing fruits and vegetables, and store fresh produce on the counter. When it's done being used, it can still live on the counter as a piece of art.

Bolé RoadInstagram. Webpage.  
I love Brooklyn designer Hana Getachew’s work—so much so, you can read more about her story in the pages of interiors+sources. Getachew’s memories of Ethiopia and the craftsmanship of those she employs to hand-loom come to life in pops of patterns and color, which is just what so many interiors need during the dreary winter weather once the holiday spirit has passed.

Fernweh WoodworkingInstagram. Webpage.
Even if you haven’t jumped on the succulents-everywhere trend, there are a lot of positive reasons for bringing greenery indoors; studies show that not only do plants like ivy clean indoor air, but seeing natural elements has positive effects on your mental wellness.
                These planters by Justin Nelson of Fernweh Woodworking are crafted from Black Walnut Hardwood or White Ash Hardwood, and the interior is waterproofed so you can plop plants directly into them. What’s more: they allow you to take advantage of the vertical space so they can be hung beside the window or mounted directly to the wall.

Alison OwenInstagram. Webpage.
Another artist-find from Greenpoint Hill, Alison Owen’s pottery is a fun take on standard ceramic wares—particularly her “flat” basins. Her use of color, texture, patterns, and unexpected qualities--like the lip of the cup twirled inwards or aymmetric towering vases that seem to be defying the gravity that wants to pull them down--are so playful that it reinvents the way we see standard wares like pitchers. If someone on your list is into beautifully quirky artwork, 3-D is a great way to add to someone’s aesthetic.

The Forest FernInstagram.
Weavings for walls has really begun to pick-up speed in home markets—they’re even making appearances in department stores like Target and TJ Maxx. With more and more surfaces turning to flat screens, we’re seeing a return to texture, so the trend makes sense, but personally I’m a little wary of mass-produced when there are so many amazing makers out there--like Sara Banner. Fiber artist Banner is a genius with textural weaving, and her Instagram account is flush with cozy “wish-I-lived-there” shots. She also hosts classes at Millworks in Harrisburg, PA. if you’d like to learn from the master.

The Last WorkshopInstagram. Webpage.
Sure, we could use landlord language and say that most of the places I’ve lived have been “cozy” (I’m looking at you, sharing-the-livingroom-with-a-roommate-in-San-Francisco-with-sheets-for-doors), but I’m not alone in needing great ideas for getting more bang-for-your-space-situation buck. Even if you have plenty of room, there are things you don’t always utilize. That’s why I absolutely love The Last Workshop’s Deskenza. Easily set as a sideboard or buffet credenza, the middle doors open inward to create space for your need, transforming it into a desk. Plus, it’s beautifully modern in its design.

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