The Design-Minded Gift Guide

More than likely you thought better than to involve yourself in the “Black Friday” melee at your local retailers and you lacked the time to contribute to the online buying frenzy of “Cyber Monday.” The fact of the matter is you’re busy—too busy to concern yourself with holiday shopping. However, we felt an obligation to let you know you are running out of time.

And since some of the staff at Metropolis are in as dire need of some last-minute shopping help, we asked a few of our favorite sites to give us their opinion for what to buy this holiday season. We received an array of suggestions that will surely assist us in purchasing something for those last few (and hard to buy for) people on our lists.

For the ecologically-conscious person on your list, Treehugger has suggested items (images 1-5) that range from apparel to transportation to a good place to sit. Treehugger’s contributors, an international mix headed by Graham Hill, have been reporting on products with a modern aesthetic that are also ecologically sensitive since July 2004.

For those relatives with an artistic flair for home design, design*sponge has brought to our attention some young designers who focus on textures and materials (images 6-10). Since August 2004, design maven Grace Bonney, as well as other contributors to her site, has featured store and product reviews, student design, as well as designer profiles.

Jay Brewer, the founder of Kitchen Contraptions, uncovers a slew of kitchen gadgetry and appliances. And since, inevitably, there’s bound to be someone you know who’s a self-proclaimed whiz in the kitchen, we turned to him for some gift-giving guidance. His top picks include a new way to cook pasta, a better way to grow wheatgrass, and a waterless “plant” (images 11-15).

For more forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious designs for the home, we turned to Inhabitat. Started by Jill Fehrenbacher in 2005 and joined by Sarah Rich as well as other writers, their irresistibly stylish contributions include a mirror for serious reflection, a fail-safe garden, and a whimsical chandelier (images 16-20).

And not to leave out the technologically-savvy on our lists, Gizmodo has come to our aid with their choices for the top zoomy gifts of 2005 (images 21-25). John Biggs, Travis Hudson, and many contributors have been posting the latest news and reviews on gadgets, gizmos, and cutting-edge consumer electronics for over three years.