Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas From Central Living
Today on the Indie Oxford blog, Central Living Creative Director Rebecca, shares her top 10 Christmas gift ideas for friends and family this year. >>
Here at Central Living we love design, but not any design. Design that has been considered, design that tells a story, design that has been beautifully crafted and design that stands the test of time. We don’t just fall in love with a piece because of the way it looks but also the story behind it. We believe that what we buy for ourselves and others should evoke a feeling, and the best feeling we think, is pure joy.
As one of Oxford’s long standing independent shops, now in our 25th year, it is a wonderful feeling to still be here doing what we do best, bringing Oxford something a little different. Here are our top 10 gift ideas this Christmas, all available online but also in our store on Little Clarendon Street. >>
Nut Splitter £17.00
Designed by Jim Hannon-Tan for Alessi
Always a favourite for us and our customers, Alessi never fails to disappoint, thoughtful designs, beautifully crafted, pieces you treasure for a lifetime. We could have chosen any of the Alessi pieces to be in our top ten, but as it’s Christmas we chose this delightful little nutcracker.
The “Nut splitter” nutcracker is a little prick punch shaped like a maple seed. The design was developed during the workshop on “Ethics and Design” in July 2007. It’s a small and gracious utensil made using steel precision casting and is a reminder of an ancient use in agricultural rural life: opening a nut with both hands with the help of a small punch.
The Tumbler Selfie Bluetooth Speaker £38.00
By Gingko
Housed in a 100% natural and sustainable wood the ‘Tumbler Selfie Bluetooth Speaker’ designed and made by Gingko is not just any portable selfie speaker. This handy and sleek looking design not only plays your favourite tunes with a powerful sound in such a neat size, but also features a hands-free Selfie function to capture any moment at any time, anywhere.
The Tumbler Selfie Speaker reflects Gingko’s philosophy; to create a stylish yet functional, modern but also sustainable great design without having to compromise on beautiful design or new tech.
Kastehelmi Votive £14.00
Designed by Oiva Toikka for Iittala
A best seller here at Central Living, the Kastehelmi range features the iconic dewdrop feature, invented to hide the seams in glassware. Toikka wanted each piece to play with light in a way that demonstrates the reflective beauty of glass.
Silver Mistletoe Rotary Candle Holder £9.95
By Pluto Produkter
One of our favourite Christmas decorations here at Central Living. This little Scandinavian design makes the perfect gift for friends or even for yourself to add a bit of sparkle this Christmas. The silver mistletoe rotary candle holder spins from the heat of the lit candle underneath.
Angels of the Deep Design Organic Soap £6.95
By Arthouse Unlimited
The Arthouse soaps and candles are one of our favourites for a number of reasons. Arthouse Unlimited is a charity representing a collective of artists living with complex epilepsy and learning disabilities all of whom require varying levels of support. 100% of sales sustains the charity, enabling it to grow and evolve.
Their artwork is then turned into beautiful gifts and accessories. The soaps are made using only natural and organic ingredients. This soap has a heady scent of lavender with lighter citrus notes, each one is also embossed with a message directly from the artists.
Fia Carafe Amber £65.00
By Design House Stockholm
Design House Stockholm showcases designs from established designers as well as unknown designers, with one joint goal, to create the very best in Scandinavian design. The result is a collection of design classics with timeless appeal and qualities that outlives temporary trends.
The Fia carafe is a mouth-blown carafe for wine or water, or to be used as a flower vase. The accompanying crystal ball can be used as a stopper, or can nestle at the bottom of the vase, adding a vibrant touch of colour.
Ottolenghi Serveware
The collection ranges from £10 for a coffee cup, up to £92.00 for a large serving dish.
By Serax
Have you seen the new Feast collection from Yotam Ottolenghi and artist Ivo Bisignano? In collaboration with Serax, they have created a vibrant collection of tableware which is a feast for the eyes. Many pieces in the collection come in beautiful gift boxes too.
The vibrant colours and different patterns all evoke the typical Ottolenghi feeling of ‘outrageous casualness’.
“This collection is a collaboration nourished by camaraderie and by the sharing of lovingly-made food around a beautifully-laid table. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.” Ottolenghi.
ELO Lamp £69.00
By Designerbox
Our customers are loving the ELO portable lamp. Made from recycled materials and designed by Bina Baitel, the ELO portable lamp can sit on your table with ease thanks to its small size. The removable ring located at the top of the lamp will also allow you to hang ELO on a tree branch, a wire or a coat hook to illuminate your outdoor spaces. With a powerful light intensity that can be adjusted with a fingertip and a lifespan of up to 10 hours, the ELO lamp is a condensed version of the best technology available. Dimmable and Rechargeable via USB.
STRØM Vase Small Yellow £46.00
By Raawii
The STRØM collection is designed by Nicolai Wiigh Hansen in Copenhagen, and handmade in Portugal. These sculptural ceramic pieces draw inspiration from still-lives by Danish modernist artist Vilhelm Lundstrøm. The vibrant colours bring energy & sculptural art into any space. The simple silhouettes and beautiful craftsmanship make them a perfect present as you can’t help but love the collection, the only decision you need to make is which colour.
Hoptimist Large Bumble £24.95
By Hoptimist
Designed to spread joy, Hoptimists are one of our best selling gifts at Christmas. The Hoptimists were originally created as part of a Happy Movement by Gustav Ehrenreich during the late 1960’s. This is now part of the famous Danish design history.
Founded by Geoff and Rosie Taylor in 1997, Central Living is a family run interiors retailer and interior design studio on Little Clarendon Street in Jericho. Bringing you the very best in iconic, design-led furniture, lighting and home accessories. From design classics and future proof furniture to of-the-moment trends and innovative designs. Central Living showcases some of the worlds most iconic brands including B&B Italia, Knoll, Ligne Roset, Gubi, SCP, String, Foscarini, Flos, Original BTC, Case, USM, Ethnicraft to name just a few.