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2015 Gift Guide: California Dreamin’

United by love for design and the Golden State, we teamed up with California Home + Design to bring you some of our favorite CA spots to shop for the ones you love. Located, design, produced, or all of the above, you can bet these picks are California through and through.

poketo-melkadel-towels

POKETO
Founded by husband-and-wife team Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung, Poketo has become synonymous with great, independent design. Featuring a large quantity of local makers, fun popup shops, there’s something for the whole family (and your boss! and your friends! And that guy who’s hard to buy for!) at Poketo.
Shop: 820 E 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013 \\\ At The Line Hotel: 3515 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90010

wolfum_paloma_tray

WOLFUM
Wolfum, run by LA-based designer Annabel Inganni, is 100% hand made in Los Angeles, CA using recycled and eco-friendly materials. The tabletop and home goods feature Annabel’s vibrant and exciting geometric patterns on everything from napkins to wooden trays. She even makes a line of kids toys and accessories.
Shop: wolfum.com

brutalis-ceramics-bzippy

BZIPPY
Bzippy & Company, by artist Bari Ziperstein, is a collection of high-quality ceramics handmade in Glassell Park, CA. Inspired by everything from the Southern California landscape to LA’s ceramic history to Brutalism, these sculptural vases and objects are sure to delight both the art and design lover.
Shop: bzippy.com

molly-m-trivets

MOLLY M DESIGNS
SF-based designer Molly McGrath was trained as an architect, but turned her focus to making laser-cut goods inspired by architectural patterns. From jewelry to homewares, her laser-cut pieces explore geometry and pattern using an arsenal of metal, leather and wood.
Shop: mollymdesigns.com

austere-artek

AUSTERE
Austere is an LA-based shop and exhibition/gallery space that features Scandinavian designs. From the most well-known brands like Artek and Volvo to smaller design brands like Alexander Lervik and Agnes Fries. Stop in or visit them online—you’re sure to find something unique.
Shop: 912 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015 and austere.co

pigment-terrarium

PIGMENT
Pigment is a local modern design staple in San Diego. From small gifts to furniture, they offer just about everything you could need but my favorite part is their “plant shop” where you can buy succulents and make your own terrarium. What a great gift idea!
Shop: 3801 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104 and shoppigment.com

zinc-details-balancingblock

ZINC DETAILS
One of San Francisco’s best modern design stores for authentic products. It’s family-owned by the friendly Kiniris family, who can help you find just about anything on your list. From Alessi’s colorful, quirky kitchen utensils to creative kid gifts like Areaware’s balancing blocks—there’s something for everyone here.
Shop: 1633 Fillmore Street @ Geary San Francisco, CA 94115 and zincdetails.com

parachute-market-gifted

PARACHUTE MARKET
Open December 5th and 6th, the fairly new Parachute Market popup is a fair that features everything from decorative objects to art to furnishings. You’ll find lots of gifty goodies here, primarily locally made and handmade pieces from LA-based designers.
Shop: 836 Traction Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90013

ames-tovern

AMES TOVERN
Designed and produced by an ex-Google alum based in San Francisco, these high quality hip bags are produced in California using Italian leather and hardware. A particularly great gift for the ladies who love to travel, these high quality pieces of work are now available in five colors.
Shop: amestovern.com

desu-design-wall-pockets

DESU DESIGN
Finding the right gift for your boss can be tedious. Forget the flowers this year and opt for a Bay Area-designed Desu Design object instead. Perfect for getting organized, we particularly love the leather Tasche Wall Pocket (plus it’s made right in San Francisco).
Shop: desudesign.com

marchsf-tea-kettle

MARCH
Filled with all sorts of kitchen curiosities, March is an offbeat design mainstay in San Francisco. From the weird and wonderful to the pretty and practical, these guys have it all.
Shop: 3075 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 (read our March Design Store(y))

serena-lily

SERENA & LILY
The Sausalito-based retailer is one of the leading purveyors of fine fabrics. Having opened brick and mortars in Los Angeles and San Francisco, you’ll be swooning over their swatch wall (featuring 300+ textile designs) rotating art displays from local artists, and the extensive samples of everything from bedding, textiles, wallpapers, rugs, paint, and more. There’s something for every design lover here.
Shop: 8422 Melrose Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90069 \\\ 3457 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94118 and serenaandlily.com

workof-chairs

WORKOF
Currently an online marketplace that features the best local and independently made furniture, lighting, soft goods, and accessories, WorkOf just recently expanded their offerings to California makers and designers. Think of it like a top-notch curation tool to find the best gifts for your loved ones.
Shop: workof.com

newblk-acrylic-storage

THE NWBLK
Equal parts gallery and artist incubator, The NWBLK in San Francisco, is a retail space where designers and makers present and produce cutting edge design. We’re particularly fond of Steven Miller’s Gem Series in lucite and brass. A nice addition to any design-enthusiast’s living room.
Shop: 1999 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

newblk-interior

Check out the guide over on CA Home & Design.

What other great CA places would you add to this list?

Jaime Derringer, Founder + Executive Editor of Design Milk, is a Jersey girl living in SoCal. She dreams about funky, artistic jewelry + having enough free time to enjoy some of her favorite things—running, reading, making music, and drawing.