Hobnob goes in search of beautiful items for entertaining. We found 25 innovative and aesthetically appealing designer items to lust over. See if you agree.
It’s always interesting to see who is at NY Now at the Javits, the trade show with cutting edge giftables. This is where people head in from around the world to sell their goods to stores and boutiques, so this is where you often see it first.
As usual, we were on the scene looking for those things that can make a table pretty— decorative bowls, napkins, vases, coasters, and a myriad of dishes. We also discovered great games that would come in handy stocked at the weekend house, in addition to some gorgeously photographed cookbooks.
In the tool category, we found some extra nice towels for drying dishes and bodies, an herb-growing kit with lights and seed starters, and a flat water bottle (or perhaps to hold other more potent liquids) that can easily be slipped into a purse.
Pastels seemed to be the overriding tones at the show with soft oranges, pinks, turquoises, grays, and blues seen throughout. Here are HOBNOB’s 25 favorite beautiful items for entertaining from the show:
[1] Colorful Backgammon Set adds a modern twist to an ancient game. $89. store.moma.org
[2] Esselle Coasters in cedar, look sweet when mixed and matched. Set of 4 $38. essellesf.com
[3] Chilewich Cubes in Basketweave design. So lightweight, they can easily move from room to room, and stacked away when not in use. $295. chilewich.com
[4] Dock & Bar towels are super thin and dry extra fast, so perfect for around the pool or at the beach house. The Active Collection in pastels are $19 each. dockandbay.com
[5] Caspari Rive Gauche Cotton Tea Towels come in an array of soft colors. Which to choose? $23.50 casparionline.com
[6] PPD Napkins has a lovely selection of spring florals. Pack of 20 $5. store.paperproductsdesign.com
[7] Kazi An All Across Africa Brand supports traditional artisans who weave bowls in cool oranges and pinks, or natural and black tones for the minimalist. 3 inches tall x 10 inches round $48. kazigoods.com
[8] Karen Alweil Studio bean bag chairs. Contact the website for more info. karenalweilstudio.com
[9] Iittala Alvar Aalto vase in the season’s latest color, aqua. 95mm about $80. iittala.com
[10] IIttala Kastehelmi votives 64mm in aqua about $18. iittala.com
[11] Arbiter Egizia features classic Greek-key patterned dishes in their Timeless collection by famous designers. About $50. arbitercollection.com
[12] Saikai Wind Chimes are sweet and discreet. Available online at tortoisegeneralstore.com
[13] Chilewich Mat in Frame pattern, gray provides a quiet, zen presence on your floor. 72 inches x 106.5 inches $710. chilewich.com
[14] Kikatsu Hand Etched Glassware, so delicate and sculptural. True works of art. prices vary. easternaccent.com
[15] Hakusan Porcelain soy sauce dispensers and delicate and come in a nice range of colors. Available online at tortoisegeneralstore.com
[16] K-Droplet Soy Sauce Dropper dispenses just the right amount of liquid, be it soy sauce, vinegar, or oil. about $64. easternaccent.com
[17] Modern Sprout Indoor Gardening Kit Love this company! They have a line of seed starters, grow lights, a growhouse, domed botanical planters, and outdoor planters. The Growhouse (seen in the photo) comes with everything you need to maintain a mini herbal garden. Perfect for NYC dwellers who want fresh herbs on hand. $150. modsprout.com
[18] Memo Flat Water Bottle. The cool slim design of this reusable water bottle can really come in handy—for water and more. Comes in 4 different sizes. Shown, $32. memobottle.com
[19] Phaidon’s cookbook Room 4 Dessert by Will Goldfarb features the chef’s gorgeous works of art as dessert. $60. phaidon.com
[20] Bishop House’s produces elevated glassware for sipping tea or coffee in borosilicate glass cradled in 24k gold or silver plated. Cool floating effect. Thalia set of two. $295. bishophouseglass.com
[21] Harlow & Grey produces a selection of the most sophisticated and abstract paper plates. Comes in sets of eight. $6.95 for 10.5 inch plates. $5.95 for 8 inch plates. $4.50 for 4.6 inch plates. harlowandgrey.com
[22] Phaidon’s cookbook Aska, contains gorgeous photos in this debut cookbook from Swedish chef Fredrik Berselius, following the reimagining of his Michelin-starred restaurant. $60. phaidon.com
[23] Phaidon Where Chefs Eat a global restaurant guidebook, essential for the foodie world traveler. $35. phaidon.com
[24] Wolfum Home Backgammon Set sports a rustic look with doubling cube and dice cups in birch. $220. wolfum.com
[25] Punderdome comes from the daughter-father duo that created Brooklyn’s beloved live pun competition. about $17. amazon.com
