Author: Kim France

tuenight gift guide holiday kim france home office

8 Merry & Bright Home & Office Gifts

By Kim France

(Graphic: Helen Jane Hearn/TueNight) I had a trifecta of goals as I searched for items to include here: First, to bring you my usual explosion of patterns and brights (I am nothing if not consistent; this is my MO every year Tue Night asks me to compose a gift guide). Second, to only include items that are everyday useful because even the most workaday things in your life should be bold and fun. And finally, to feature only items that’ll run you $75 or less. Done, done and done. 1. Pendleton Bowl Pendelton is a fantastic resource for good prints and not just on their famed blankets. This bowl, in their Suwanee Stripe pattern, comes in a set of four and brings just that much more excitement to your morning oatmeal. $39.50, pendelton-USA.com 2. iPhone Case I just think this iPhone case is gloriously pretty. Enough said. $32, shopbop.com 3. Cork Coasters The fact that these playful cork coasters come in a set — but each have their own look — is pretty cool. $16, …

Merry and Bright: 5 Colorfully Chic Gifts

By Kim France

As I write this, it’s 27 degrees out and the sky is as grey as the sidewalk, and I’m feeling like it’s going to be a very long winter indeed. One way I try and combat the seasonal gloom is to surround myself with bright colors and prints. The effect they have — on an outfit, a room, a stinky mood — can be truly transformative. For the holidays, I’m choosing only items that promise a happy pop of bright for the recipient. 1. Aurelie Bidermann Cotton and Gold-plated Cuff Aurelie Bidermann’s jewelry is an obsession of mine; this gold-plated and cotton number is such a chic, grown-up version of a friendship bracelet. $120, net-a-porter.com 2. Tatsuro Kiuchi’s “Tunnel” This print is pure sunshine on paper. It makes me think of old Pan-Am and TWA travel posters from the 40s and 50s — so bold and saturated and graphic. $60, 20×200.com 3. Comme des Garcons Embossed French Wallet It is possible that over the years, I’ve given more Comme des Garcons pouches and wallets as …

Classic, Chic & Covetable — Gifts With Style

By Kim France

The gifts I tend to give most are always on the bold side, color or print-wise — that’s where I have my fun. But the items themselves are always more classic, which makes it more likely they’ll get used and loved. 1. Gold Tote This chic metallic carryall will only get better with age, and — improbable though it may seem — really does go with everything. $160, baggu.com 2. Brightly Colored Gloves I love the hand-knit look of these, and the crazy-bright color combination is like an instant shot of happiness. $55, Jonathanadler.com 3. Neroli Soap Cube I pretty much never stop going on about The Soap & Paper Factory, because they put out such a great looking — and super high-quality — product. Their soaps in particular are packaged so beautifully that they render wrapping paper totally unnecessary. $12, soapandpaperfactory.com 4. C.O. Bigelow Eucalyptus Body Scrub Just exactly the right scent for deep winter cleansing, from the renowned beauty mecca in Greenwich Village, C.O. Bigelow. $15, bigelowchemists.com 5. Snakeskin Print Sweatshirt So much …