Shop local this year for your holiday gifts. The creative and dedicated shopkeepers who bring light and life to our city’s many shopping districts will be grateful to you… And so will the lucky people on your list. They, too, will appreciate that your gesture of love went beyond the click of an internet button to include a thoughtful hunt for just the right treasures. Let’s keep love for family, friends, and community at the center of the season.
Holiday Gifts for the Home in Pittsburgh
Today’s Home
Wrought iron leaves and stems gleaming with gold leaf and crystal beads form a sphere or an oval in this elegant Secret Garden chandelier. Its motifs
bring us back to nature, even as its luxurious materials heighten the senses and engage the eye. The four-light fixtures are dimmable and cast lovely shadows in your foyer or dining room.
Glassworks
Casa Bugatti’s Kiss salad tongs bring a bit of wit and whimsy to the table. Beautifully made, fully functional, and fun to use.
The Andy Warhol Museum
This ethereal, reflective ornament inspired by Andy Warhol’s iconic Silver Clouds almost defies gravity. Andy’s playful Silver Clouds exhibition in 1966 challenged the idea of what you would encounter in an art gallery. Its “clouds” bounced off the walls and collided into the viewer. Experience it for yourself at the museum on the North Side. And put this ornament on your tree.
Scribe
El Casco’s chrome and blue enamel pencil sharpener is made with heirloom quality. It will be sharpening pencils a generation or two after us. You will appreciate its heft and its effectiveness. Also available at Scribe by special order in chrome with white, black, red, or gold details.
Brenda Friday Design
Venezuelan-born Reinaldo Sanguino makes his unique ceramic art in New York City. His work is infused with the dynamism of his adopted city. Patterns, textures, and form flow energetically into each other. His colors are engaging and memorable. Available in Lawrenceville at Brenda Friday’s Shoppe B.
10,000 Villages
Block-printed by hand on cotton in an earthy apricot color, these napkins add a ray of artisanal sunshine to your table. Available at 10,000 Villages, whose fair trade practices make gift-giving something good for planet and people.
April, April
In his painting, window view (2025), Owen Westberg documents the view from his bedroom in Lower Lawrenceville. Painted in oil on aluminum flashing, it’s an intimate vision of a fleeting moment in time.
Penhollows
Delightful herbs that require no watering and will always be fresh. The gardeners and the cooks in your life will love these holiday ornaments.
10,000 Villages
Natural soaps in sweet little gift boxes are perfect stocking stuffers for the men, women, and kids on your list. Or bundle up a group of three for a friend.
La Storia
Stop in for a visit to this magical Shadyside shop, where tasteful and timely holiday gifts and décor await. We love the restrained palette of ivory and smoky blue. These subtle tones will keep you from stowing the decorations away right after the holidays. Relax and enjoy them!
Asian Influences
Revered for their rich color, refined lines, and poetic compositions, Japanese wood blocks influenced many Western artists, including most of the great French Impressionists. One of several available at Asian Influences, this one is “Snow at Kashiwabara” is by Hiroshi Yoshida (1876 – 1950).
Antiquarian
Adapted from an English antique, the Everett Lounge Chair’s unique arms flow forward in a serpentine curve. Carved mahogany front posts finish in antique brass ferrules. Both comfortable and elegant, it makes a great spot for reading and playing crossword puzzles. At Antiquarian Shop in Aspinwall and Sewickley.
Tabbara Chocolates
Starting with generation sold recipes for fine chocolates handed down from ancestors in Beirut, Tabbara meticulously crafts each and every bonbon by hand. The flavors and textures are stunning, as is their artful appearance. A perfect gift for absolutely anyone.
Pittsburgh Glass Center
Penn/Fairmount’s Mist barware always looks calm, cool, and collected. Functionally elegant and wonderful to hold. Photograph by Adam Milliron.
Phipps Conservatory
Made by hand right here in Pittsburgh, Maple Street Jams are a treat all year long. Make someone happy by tucking one into a stocking or a gift basket. Available at Phipps Conservatory.
Kards Unlimited
A trip to Kards Unlimited elicits quite a few chuckles because their governing principles seem to be thoughtfulness and humor. We selected a few books and a candle to nourish a girlfriend on the hunt for love. You’re sure to find a fun assortment for the person you have in mind, too.
Mattress Factory
The Late-Night Chat is Filled with Dreams bone china mug set was designed by world-renowned artist Yayoi Kusama. It is available only in art museums and exclusive design stores around the world. After you visit Kusama’s Infinity Dots Mirrored Room installation at Mattress Factory, you’re sure to want to keep the mystic dazzle alive in your mind.
Splurge
Michael Aram’s Wildflowers Menorah celebrates the quiet elegance of nature. Handcrafted in brass and set on a solid marble base, each bloom is delicately hand enameled. Celebrate Hannukah with the soulful joy of untamed flora!
Weisshouse
These exquisite mouth-blown Parana vases add a dose of vibrant color to your décor. Each one is a unique blend of stunning hue and distinctive shape.
Perlora
Delight someone on your gift list with four 100% linen napkins with martini inspired designs: a dirty martini, a martini with a twist, a lemon wheel, and an olive. Beautifully packaged and ready for gifting.
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art
Located in Middletown, Virginia, Dave and Janet Gustafson specialize in creating fun and functional fused glass art. Whether it’s a sushi set or a serving tray you’re looking for, their artisanal style will strike a chord. Available at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art.
Contemporary Craft
This group of hand-forged metal utensils, ranging from salt spoons to ice scoops, was created by artists Jared Ondovichik, Anna Koplik, and Adirondack Iron. The unique texture, weight, and tactile qualities of these utensils are as appealing to the touch as their appearance is to the eye.
Carnegie Museum of Art
Miffy and Boris and their friends are ready for a play date. Whether clasped in a little hand, or placed in a pocket for “security blanket” purposes, these knitted critters are bundles of happiness.
Today’s Home
European chaises longues, inspired by the reclining dining couches of Ancient Greece and Rome, became popular in the 19th century. Some of these luxurious pieces of furniture were têtes-a-têtes designed for intimate, one-on one conversations. This Century Furniture design embodies the era’s romanticism and attention to detail.
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
The talents of local artist Vikki Sawyer are on offer this year at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden gift shop. Her collection of gift-boxed mugs, beverage napkins, and tea towels brings a smile to the holidays. Enjoy their Dazzling Nights winter light show, and get some shopping done while you’re there.
Weisshouse
The stylish Tank 400 Lounge Chair from Artek was designed by the world famous Alvar Aalto in 1936. Its comfortably wide armrests and sturdy upholstery justify its name! The cantilevered frame provides a tiny bit of bounce. Available at Weisshouse.
Rolf Glass
Rolf Glass’s eco-conscious Twice Around Collection breathes new life into recycled bottles. Each piece is finely engraved. Our favorite is the Woodland Pine pattern shown here, but more motifs are available on their website. Photo by Christopher Bobick.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Foragers and gardeners alike will love these classically illustrated enamel mugs. Choose from mushrooms, pollinators, or flowers…and learn a little about nature as you sip your morning brew.
Pittsburgh Rug Company
The gift of a beautifully completed room is something to enjoy forever. This Afghani Bohemian Tribal rug is hand-knotted of vegetable-dyed Ghazni wool yarns. A future family heirloom!
10,000 Villages
Jeff Abella founded his Pennsylvania-based company, Moka Origins, works closely with farmers to create positive impact and empowered communities. His craft chocolate boasts transparent sourcing and labeling…and is simply delicious.
Brenda Friday Design
The elegiac beauty of this portrait by an unknown artist comes from the WPA era of the late 1930s. The ceramic vase is by Nicholas Bernard of Scottsdale, Arizona. The combination is pure Brenda Friday Design: a lovely, syncretic mix of diverse elements that come together to form a unique moment. Available in Lawrenceville at Shoppe B.
Perlora
The fun of board games paired with fun styling. Wrap this up as a great gift or keep it for a rainy day at home.
The Andy Warhol Museum
The Arty Cats Eco-Friendly Duck Umbrella, available in three colors, is crafted from nine recycled plastic bottles. Its design is reminiscent of the tender and playful early work of Andy Warhol himself. Its color and verve will surely inspire the creativity of the young person who shelters under it.
Pittsburgh Glass Center
Vases by Nate Cotterman flank the center vessel by PGC technician Leo Fine. All three glow with color, the innate shimmer of glass, and the passion of talented artisans. All available at the store at Pittsburgh Glass Center.
Glassworks and Feathers
Hand-painted in Tuscany, Vietri’s Wildlife collection of dinnerware and accessories brings a lighthearted approach to classic dinnerware. Bring the countryside to your table with each piece. Available at Glassworks and Feathers in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill.
Story and Styling by Danny Mankin and Keith Recker
Principal Photography by Dave Bryce
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