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Art & Culture

14 Artful Design Gifts to Brighten the Home This Mother’s Day

From a floral decoupage tray by John Derian to dinner plates by Maya Lin, Richard Prince, and Ed Ruscha

By Lucy Rees
Colorful porcelain tea cups with lids arranged in rows, featuring lotus flower designs and gold accents on saucers.
Espresso sets from Richard Ginori’s Oriente Italiano collection. Photo: Courtesy of Richard Ginori

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so there’s no better time to show one’s love. While sheltering in place means the tradition of going to lunch at a favorite restaurant might not be possible, it’s even more important to think ahead and share a sign of your appreciation with the perfect gift. Galerie has rounded up a selection that will surely add an artful touch to the home of mothers with an eye for style and design.

Colorful plate featuring a patterned jaguar drinking from a stream, surrounded by vibrant tropical foliage.
Hermès Jaguar Quetzal II change tray. Courtesy of Hermes

1. Decorated using chromolithography, a method for making multicolor prints using stones or metal plates, this Limoges porcelain change tray is a striking visual feast. $510, hermes.com 

 

Red modern decorative centerpiece with glass top and intricate swirling pattern design.
Leather tray by Atelier Oï from Louis Vuitton’s Objet Nomad Collection. Courtesy

2. The talented architect-designers of Atelier Oï pay homage to Louis Vuitton’s iconic monogram flower with this sculptural tray, crafted from a single strip of leather and topped with a clear glass disk. $1,070, louisvuitton.com 

Yellow ceramic jar with blue floral patterns and a lid.
Richard Ginori candle. Courtesy of Richard Ginori

3. This stunningly packaged candle from Richard Ginori’s Oriente Italiano collection is a perfect example of the brand’s historic Florentine ceramic traditions. Still produced in a town just outside Florence, where the company was founded in 1735 by Marchese Carlo Ginori, the candle’s color combination is reflective of the fragrance notes. And if your mother’s favorite scent is the aroma of piping hot espresso, then Richard Ginori has the perfect gift for her as well. $305, richardginori.com 

Green vase with white flowers on books beside greenery against ornate white wall background
Lalique Pivoines vase. Courtesy of Lalique

4. This charming crystal vase of carved peonies alludes to the lost-wax technique used by sculptors and craftsmen throughout history. While perfect for a small arrangement of spring blooms, it can also be used as a candle votive and projects a pretty lacy pattern on the walls. $1,250, lalique.com 

A white plate with cherries, plums, and apricots arranged artfully against a plain white background.
Alpiniste Limoges serving platter by Patrick Knoch from the Philip Johnson Glass House Design Store. Courtesy of Philip Johnson Glass House Design Store

5. The undulating curves of this handmade porcelain serving dish conjure the rolling landscape surrounding architect Philip Johnson’s iconic Glass House in Connecticut home and offers an unexpected way to serve fruit, nuts, and cheese. $135, designstore.theglasshouse.org

 

Set of six artistic ceramic plates with various abstract designs and patterns, including swirls, dots, and landscapes.
Artist dinner plates. Courtesy of Gagosian

6. For the art-obsessed mother, this set of dinner plates features works by such internationally acclaimed talents as Teresita Fernández, April Gornik, Mary Heilmann, Maya Lin, Richard Prince, and Ed Ruscha. An edition of just 500, they’re worthy of collecting. A portion of the proceeds from sales will benefit the Azuero Earth Project. $850, gagosian.com

Wooden vase with a pink and textured mosaic design stands on a white surface against a light gray background.
A pink octahedron vessel by artist Cody Hoyt. Courtesy of the Future Perfect

7. This ceramic-fired vessel by buzzworthy American artist Cody Hoyt is crafted with a labor-intensive technique of hand-layering clay strips. His innovative approach makes for a bold statement with a completely modern shape and unexpected texture. $1,200, thefutureperfect.com 

Contemporary wooden box with shiny gold detailing on a reflective surface.
Nancy Lorenz, red gold leaf, gesso, on paulownia box. Courtesy of R&Company

8. Blurring the boundaries between fine and decorative arts, artist Nancy Lorenz’s decorative boxes showcase her mastery of water gilding, a process that allows gossamer-thin gold leaf to be burnished and to appear as liquid gold. Price upon request, r-and-company.com 

 

 

Oval plate with a colorful design of pink roses and green leaves, creating a vibrant and floral pattern.
John Derian tray. Courtesy of John Derrian

9. John Derian’s decoupage tray is handmade to order in his New York studio. A reproduced 19th-century print of cascading roses is masterfully cut and collaged onto handblown glass to create the brightly nostalgic piece. $395, johnderian.com

 

Three decorative vases with a white and teal color scheme, varying in height, on a plain background.
Tiffany & Co. Color Block Vases. Courtesy of Tiffany & Co

10. The distinctive robin’s-egg hue of Tiffany & Co. has been a hallmark of elegance and sophistication for over a hundred years. Now the fresh, aquatic color (“1837 Blue” on the Pantone color chart) is rendered in bold, contemporary stripes on this delightful trio of fine bone china vases. $225, tiffany.com 

Elegant dining table with blue patterned tablecloth, black plates, gold accents, and a floral centerpiece against gray wall.
Matouk table linen. Courtesy of Matouk

11. The perfect setting for a spring lunch, this tablecloth features a pretty archival floral print of blue-and-white flowers. $264, Matouk.com

Modern vase with sculpturesque design holding tulips and a leafy plant on a pink surface against a wooden background.
Hem powder-coated vase. Courtesy of Hem

12. This signed, limited-edition vase from Stockholm design studio Hem is crafted from sheet steel, which designer Jenny Nordberg folds and welds by hand before powder-coating—a technique most commonly used in furniture design to achieve a uniform surface treatment, but here reveals an expressive pattern. $649, hem.com 

Ceramic fruit bowl with apples on a white cloth background, one apple outside the bowl.
Fruit bowl by Kaneko Kohyo. Courtesy of Guild

13. This eye-catching earthenware stand was crafted by Japanese master artisan Kaneko Kohyo in Japan. The entire collection is available at The Guild, the treasure trove expertly curated by New York interior design firm Roman and Williams, which is known for its work on hotels, restaurants, and most recently, The Met’s renovated British Galleries. $460, rwguild.com

Green glass pitcher with a curved handle and wide base against a plain white background.
A pitcher from Il Buco Vita’s signature drinkware collection. Il Buco

14. This sculptural grass-green pitcher from Il Buco Vita’s signature drinkware collection is made in Tuscany by a brother-sister team whose family has run a traditional glassblowing studio for generations. $158, ilbuco.com