‘Tis the season for gift guides, and here at Halman Thompson, we couldn’t resist compiling one of our own. The criteria? Everything made of our favourite material (metal, of course), but with a twist: no jewellery. Metal often makes an appearance on glamorous gift guides, but usually in the form of jewellery, so we decided to explore less obvious gifts made of this beautiful, durable and sustainable stuff. From stunning wall art to cute stocking-fillers, there’s something metal for everyone.
Metal Planters
Give a gift that keeps on giving and present your loved one with a houseplant this Christmas. Houseplants look stylish, keep growing and can even clean the air. Forget dowdy plastic pots, though: go for a plant stand or tiered metal planter like this one to make a real feature of your leafy gift.
House Sign
A hand-crafted, bespoke house sign makes a precious and long-lasting gift. There are a huge number of metal signs on the market, from stainless steel plaques to cut numbers. We love this understated one, made from designer’s favourite Corten steel, with the house name laser-cut out of the metal.
Corten Trees
Speaking of Corten steel, we’re huge fans of this metal here at HT. It starts out blue-grey and weathers to a brilliant orange when it’s exposed to the elements. Think it looks rusty? That’s an outer core that develops on the metal when it oxidises and actually protects it from corrosion. These Corten trees from designer Eddie Roberts look pretty draped in lights for festive season, plus they make a gorgeous architectural feature in gardens all year round, and for many years to come.
Metal Straws
Help save the planet and give the perfect stocking-filler with a metal straw. Available in a wide range of metals, from stainless steel to copper, to gold and even iridescent, there’s a metal straw to suit everyone. And to make it extra special, have it personalised like this one.
Metal Bookmarks
Another small-scale metal gift, steel bookmarks are the perfect choice for the bookworm in your life. Pop one in a loved one’s stocking or slip it in the pages of that hardback they’ve been hankering after. There are a plethora of designs out there, and again, they can be easily engraved to make them more personal.
Metal Water Bottle
Metal water bottles keep water at a cool temperature, are better for the environment and are even more hygienic than plastic ones. What’s not to love? There are plenty of steel and aluminium water bottles on the market, but for something special, consider giving a copper bottle. Not only does copper look beautiful, it possesses antibacterial properties.
Metal Picture Frame
Photographs of precious memories, paintings, postcards and even pressed flowers: art will always make a wonderful gift. Make it more magical by presenting it in a frame. Metal picture frames come in an array of finishes, from burnished aged brass through to pewter and sparkling silver. We love these stylish, hanging frames, edged in black metal.
8. Bespoke Metal Wall Art
Not all artwork is designed to be framed. Take this bespoke metal wall art in our Cheshire finish, for example. We hand-aged and custom-cut this bold statement piece for our customer’s living room. The multi-tones of the aged copper work beautifully with the turquoise walls and pick out the rich brown of that mid-century teak sideboard. We can craft aged metal wall art in a wide range of shapes, sizes and rich finishes. Find out more here.
Enamel Mugs
Mugs are a classic gift, but consider giving enamel instead of ceramic. Unbreakable, retro appeal, easy to sling in a bag for camping, an alternative to plastic: these classic, metal cups have plenty going for them.
Wrap it Up
Take your gift-wrapping to the next level by adding metal tags to your presents. These metal discs come in brass, copper and aged brass finishes. They add a touch of luxe to your gifts and can be kept as keepsakes long after the wrapping paper’s been thrown away.
