Monique Meloche,
owner of Monique Meloche art gallery
Favorite gift: Porcelain vases modeled after Clorox bottles, designed by The Glamour Preservation Society
Why: “These porcelain vases are both ironic and iconic, fusing a 1960s pop sensibility a la Warhol with the uber-traditional technique of ‘fine china’ — perhaps with even a sly nod to eco-friendly recycling. I think this, along with the all-white palette, allows them to fit seamlessly into almost any setting, from cool contemporary, midcentury modern, even as counterpoint to a more traditional decor.”
Cost: $37 for Clorox bottle, $69 for Sani-clor bottle
Where to get it: Sprout Home, 745 N. Damen Ave., sprouthome.com
Dirk Denison,
principal at Dirk Denison Architects
Favorite gift: Mistic candleholder, designed by Arik Levy and made by Gaia & Gino
Why: Denison said his favorite Chicago store for gifts is, hands down, the store at the Museum of Contemporary Art (mcachicagostore.com), where among his most adored pieces is a plastic kids’ elephant stool ($290), modeled after a Charles Eames design and made by Vitra. But his favorite gift of the year was the Arik Levy-designed Mistic vase and candleholder, an elegant yet simple sculpture made of bent Pyrex tubes and available in clear, silver and gold.
Cost: $925
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Where to get it: Elements, 741 N. Wells St., elementschicago.com (call to order, 877-642-6574) .
Rose Tejeda-Navarre
and Jenny Rossignuolo,
founders of Urban Source interior design firm
Favorite gift: Lattice scarf and vest designed by Sandra Adams of The Nature of Things
Why: “What we really like is the fact that they defy the notion of scarf and vest because they are not solid, they are perforated. The perforations allow you to close or fasten each of the pieces in a different way each time you wear them. For example, you can push and pull the scarf through the various openings to create a sculptural, 3-D element at the closure. It allows you to be more creative than the ubiquitous scarf that is currently in style.”
Cost: $148 for the scarf, $260 for the shawl
Where to get it: The Nature of Things, 6349 Blackhawk Trail, Indian Head Park, thenatureofthingsonline.com