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The 10 Best Modern Valentine’s Day Gifts for Design Lovers

01.27.22 | By
The 10 Best Modern Valentine’s Day Gifts for Design Lovers

We love chocolate and flowers as much as anyone, but this Valentine’s Day, why not take things up a notch by treating the design lover in your life to a unique, modern gift they’ll adore on V-day and beyond? To make shopping for your Valentine easy, we handpicked the best Valentine’s Day gifts that every aesthete in your circle will appreciate. Looking for more Valentine’s Day gift ideas? Check out our team recommendations and find more modern gifts in the Design Milk Shop.

1. Red Brush Notabag

1. Red Brush Notabag

Notabag’s eco-friendly tote and backpack hybrid is perfect for the person on the go – simply pull the straps and sport it as a backpack for hands-free wear, sling the straps over your shoulder as a stylish tote, and when it’s not in use, fold it up with ease and store in its accompanying hand-sized pouch. Plus, the pink and red brush design is adorably appropriate for V-day and beyond. What’s not to love?

$28
2. Young Love Candle by Anecdote

2. Young Love Candle by Anecdote

Regardless of how you’re celebrating, there’s nothing like a scented candle to set the mood. Brooklyn-based candle company, Anecdote Candles has a nuanced home fragrance for every occasion (their Quarter Life Crisis and Home Cycle candles are team favorites!), so it’s only fitting that their Young Love Candle is our pick for Valentine’s Day. With notes of blackberries, rose, and bergamot incense layered on base notes of amber and musk, this hand-poured candle is a V-day gift everyone will love.

$24
3. Swoon Earrings by Topodom

3. Swoon Earrings by Topodom

A Design Milk favorite, Topodom’s Swoon Earrings add an eye-catching graphic look to any outfit. The 3D printed earrings use high contrast semicircles – a bright red lattice design, a wood-like detail, and a pop of baby blue at the center – to create an eclectic, fashion-forward aesthetic. Perfect for the Valentine who appreciates modern and unique statement pieces!

$36
4. Photo Frame by BENDO

4. Photo Frame by BENDO

For a Valentine’s Day gift that’s as sentimental as it is stylish, you can’t go wrong with a meaningful framed photo. This Photo Frame by BENDO is a fashionable way to cherish memories with your Valentine and add a pop of color to home surfaces in the process. Made of a single piece of neon wire (also available in green!), and an acrylic face, this colorful photo frame adds a modern yet playful vibe to your space.

$30
5. Refillable Perfume nanoSprayer by mordeco

5. Refillable Perfume nanoSprayer by mordeco

For the perfume obsessed person on your V-day shopping list, meet mordeco’s new Refillable Perfume nanoSprayer. The pocket-sized perfume sprayer holds about 5mL (which equals 100+ sprays) of your recipient’s chosen fragrance so they can experience their favorite perfumes while on the go. The sleek, ultra-modern design is 100% metal made (in silver or matte black finishes) and easily fastens to your key ring or your bag for maximum convenience.

$35
6. Heart Ring by L. Greenwalt Jewelry

6. Heart Ring by L. Greenwalt Jewelry

This Heart Ring by L. Greenwalt Jewelry is a V-day keepsake your Valentine will cherish for years. Available in yellow bronze and sterling silver finishes, the Heart Ring is sculpted and carved in wax and cast in a simple, modern style. Treat a loved one to a ring of their own or get 2 to create a special matching set you and your Valentine will enjoy. Note: all Heart Rings are made to order in founder Lauren Greenwalt’s Portland-based studio, so it can take up to 2 weeks for your Heart Ring to be made and shipped to you, but we promise it’s worth the wait!

$93
7. Monti Taste Set by Sempli

7. Monti Taste Set by Sempli

Valentine’s Day shopping for a craft beer enthusiast? Treat them to an at-home beer tasting with the Monti Taste glassware set by Sempli. Not only are these modern angular glasses easy on the eyes, but they’re also specially designed to boost the flavor profiles of different beer styles and enhance their bubbliness for seriously satisfying sips. Every drink enjoyed in these glasses will feel like a treat!

$100
8. Crystal Play Recycled Plastic Watch by Breda

8. Crystal Play Recycled Plastic Watch by Breda

For a gift that celebrates your Valentine’s personal style, look no further than Breda’s Play Watch. The Dallas based design studio’s timeless, unisex watch style is designed to fuel self-expression thanks to its imaginative, yet simple design that pairs perfectly with virtually any outfit and aesthetic. Gift a Play Watch to someone special, or better yet – grab one for yourself too for a matching V-day moment.

$100
9. Flyover Vase by TIIPOI

9. Flyover Vase by TIIPOI

Instead of the generic vases that accompany most Valentine’s Day bouquets, take your floral arrangement to the next level with a vase your giftee will cherish all year round. The architectural look of the Flyover Vase’s concrete, pillar design makes for the ultimate modern contrast against soft and colorful floral arrangements. While the vase’s neutral tone and simplicity ensure it plays well with your recipient’s other decor items.

$135
10. 26 cm Japanese Cast Iron Oven Pot by Vermicular

10. 26 cm Japanese Cast Iron Oven Pot by Vermicular

For the Valentine who loves to cook, this Japanese Cast Iron Oven Pot by Vermicular is sure to win their heart. Like all of Vermicular’s cookware, the Cast Iron Oven Pot is expertly designed to bring out the best in everyday dishes and has their signature hand-machined precision seal that locks in moisture, for more intense flavors. At 26 cm, it’s perfectly sized for entertaining small groups and casual dinners at home. The Oven Pot’s meticulous design and modern pearl pink colorway will make it the most coveted cookware in your Valentine’s kitchen.

$350

>>> For more Valentine’s Day gift ideas, visit the Design Milk Shop here! <<<

Alexa is commerce editor at Design Milk. She lives in Miami, Florida with her fiancé Alex and retired greyhound, Phoebe. A longtime art and design enthusiast, Alexa’s first stops in any new city are the art museums. When she’s not writing about her favorite DM shop picks, she might be buried in a book, binging reality tv or adventuring around her city with her partner and pup.