T’was the month of December and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.
Home gift ideas – are they scarce? out of site?
Voila! Here’s 8 to make it merry and bright!

1. Bevolo Lamp

This Bevolo original was designed in the 1940s by world-renowned architect A. Hays Town and Andrew Bevolo Sr.

Any style will do, but my absolute favorite is the A. Hays Town-inspired French Quarter Light gas lantern.  I loved it so much that my wife and I made it our 11th wedding anniversary gift for a previous house.  Every home looks homier with the gentle flicker of gaslight. One of my favorite architect memories is being invited to a client’s home at the completion of a major renovation for the “gas lamp lighting” ceremony!

Many other companies try to capture the iconic Bevolo “look”,  but make no mistake, the quality of a Bevolo lamp is the real value. 300-year life, always in style, and they never discontinue their lines.

Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights
521 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-9485
www.Bevolo.com

2. Big Green Egg

The Big Green Egg comes in 7 sizes. The one pictured here is a medium.

A Big Green Egg remains on my personal “wish list” again this Christmas. There’s no need to wait any longer.  I’ve created many outdoor kitchens and most include a Big Green Egg.   I can already taste the slow-cooked, smoked meats. Thanks to the thermal mass of its design, I can carefully regulate the temperatures with expert precision and delectable results.  Add the color green to our LSU Purple and Gold decorations, and we will be full-spectrum and ready for Mardi Gras.  Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Big Green Egg
http://www.biggreenegg.com

Baton Rouge source:
Goodwood Hardware & Outdoors
7539 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA. 70806 US
(225) 926-0040
http://www.goodwoodhardware.com

3. Dimmer Switch

A dimmer is an elegant way to control the ambiance of a room.

My wife Liz swears that everything on her looks more beautiful in dim light. It’s not true – I think she’s amazing in any light. But let’s face it, there’s nothing cozy, romantic or festive about a glaring light that’s useful for house cleaning, but more suitable for a police interrogation than to “set a mood”.  Adjustable lighting is paramount for properly creating those desirable scenes in your forever home.

The answer is simple – install a dimmer switch wherever possible. Many reputable brands will perform admirably and are available in a style perfect for you. The ones pictured here are manufactured by Lutron.

Lutron
http://www.Lutron.com

Baton Rouge source:
Notoco Industries
10380 Airline Hwy
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
(225) 292-1303
http://www.NotocoInd.com

4. Nespresso / Kathleen Nowak Tucci Jewelry

A compact version of the Nespresso and a milk frother fits perfectly into the coffee-loving lifestyle.

Coffee and architecture go hand in hand like red beans and rice.  Not going to fib, there are 3 Nespresso machines in my life: one upstairs in my house near my bedroom, one downstairs in the kitchen, and one at the office. Nespresso coffee pods come in dozens of blends, each given a unique color and strength numbers based on the intensity of the roast from  1, being mild, all the way to 12 for strong.  My favorite is Arppegio; purple and strength #11.  My wife prefers Volute’; gold, and intensity #4. We didn’t intend the whole purple and gold LSU theme to extend into our coffee preferences, it just worked out that way.

Just one of many designs by Tucci utilizing recycled Nespresso pods.

Also no need to worry about all those brightly colored aluminum pods clogging up the landfill.  Nespresso now has a recycling system. We send our spent pods to our Eco-chic jewelry artist friend Kathleen Nowak Tucci. Her hubby composts their spent grinds while she makes some of the most amazing award-winning jewelry around.  Her work has appeared in Marie Claire, Elle Decor, Interior Design, and the cover of Vogue Italia. You can see some of her recent work (and maybe some of our coffee pods)  in the Artful Home catalog or website.

Nespresso
https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/

Williams-Sonoma
Mall Of Louisiana 6401 Bluebonnet Boulevard Suite 1206
Baton Rouge, LA  70836
(225) 757 0016

Kathleen Nowak Tucci

https://www.artfulhome.com/artist/Kathleen-Nowak-Tucci/8289

5. Wolf Steam Oven

Like the Green Egg, I’m still trying to work on my “nice” so that maybe this will be under the tree or in my kitchen in the very near future. When is an oven not an oven? When it’s a Sub-zero-Wolf Convection Steam Oven. I first experienced this magical appliance at a special dinner and once again when visiting their factory and demonstration kitchen in Madison, Wisconsin. Steam is the best way to cook vegetables, fish, and poultry as well as proofing baked goods. By combining a convection feature with the steam, you can easily brown meats, bread, while and locking in the juices. The oven is pre-programmed and perfectly times each function, taking out any needed experimental guesswork to master its use.  

Marketed as the “world’s most versatile oven,” this oven delivers amazing results.

SubZero-Wolf
http://www.subzero-wolf.com/wolf/ovens/steam-oven

Baton Rouge source:
Appliance Distributors of Louisiana
2677 Nicholson Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 344-6793
http://appliancedistla.com/

6. Keypad (Keyless) Door Locks

Get safety and convenience by adding just one keyless entry to your home.

In this day of keyless automobiles, why not do the same for your house?  When my daughters were high school-aged, they didn’t keep up with small details like keys. Around this same time, my in-laws moved in and would frequently misplace the same items.  What to do?

I installed a key-pad lock on my back door. It was easy to install and quickly became a game-changer.  For our very active family, it eliminated the hassle of keeping up with keys entirely. All you had to remember was the numeric code. Over the decade since it was put in, the technology has continued to improve. Now they offer up to 19 different codes. This allows setting a temporary code for one-time users (like caterers for setting up events at the house), or for recurring trusted users (housekeeping service). You can delete one-time codes whenever needed to keep your family safe. One improvement is the Bluetooth-enabled locks which offer the same convenience as my car.  Maybe Santa will bring us the updated version this year?

Schlage
http://www.schlage.com

Baton Rouge source:
Builders Hardware Co., Inc.
2313 Chatawa Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
(225) 926-3320
http://www.buildershardwarebr.com/

7. Rocky Mountain Hardware

I love the weight, patina, feel, and look of every piece of hardware made by Rocky Mountain. Its cast from recycled bronze and finished to age gracefully. Each handle is individually cast and artisan finished with its own unique patina. What better way to reflect the enduring and welcoming personality of your house, starting at the front door.

With Rocky Mountain Hardware, you can literally feel the quality.

These pieces do cost a bit more than competing hardware, and I get that budget may prevent you from installing Rocky Mountain Hardware throughout your house. But how about at the front door or in your kitchen? Its main worth is maximized in using it in places most often used, where quality will not only be noticed but appreciated.  

Rocky Mountain Hardware
http://www.rockymountainhardware.com/

Baton Rouge source:
Builders Hardware Co., Inc.
2313 Chatawa Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
(225) 926-3320
http://www.buildershardwarebr.com/

8. “The Forever Home”

Written for anyone considering buying, renovating or building a home.

Shameless plug here.  But really, when I set out to write “The Forever Home,” I desired to share the same advice I wanted my daughters and friends to have when they were setting out to buy, renovate or build their Forever Homes. Though the title is “The Forever Home,” the information inside is just as relevant to those “for now” homes and their searching homeowners.  

Online at
http://www.Amazon.com
http://www.BarnesAndNoble.com

Baton Rouge source:
Cottonwood Books
3054 Perkins Rd
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225)343-1266

Barnes and Noble Booksellers
CitiPlace
2590 CitiPlace Ct
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
225-926-2600

Well, that’s it for 2015.  Do you have home gift ideas I need to consider for my home or for the 2016 list?  If so, leave me a note about it in the comments below.

Happy Shopping!