The perfect gift for an architecture geek?

Unsure what to buy the lover of modern architecture in your life for Christmas? 

Check these rather brilliant monochrome graphic illustrations of modern houses, by the Danish illustrator, Kristina Dam.

Very Falling Water... I discovered Kristina's work via the online store, Nordic Elements, where I was lusting over their fluffy yellow towels earlier this week. The prints cost £75 each, framed in a choice of black or white aluminium, A4 size. But if you can't stretch to that...

But do check out Kristina's own website too, where you can also buy mini versions: A5 postcard-size size for just £3.40ish (or 30 Danish Krone – or £28ish, kr250, for a set of 10). And if this style of architecture floats your boat, there's some more to ogle over via these past posts.

I was also captivated by the Kristina's graphic bedspread – but mainly because of the excellent room setting it's displayed in (that is a fantastic wall light). Could you get more Danish? Is it possible for a British person to create – and maintain – a room as cleanly, monochromely designed as this? I'm in awe. If you have such a room, do share.

Kristina has also designed possibly the most style-conscious Christmas decorations I've ever seen (£24 for a pack of six, also available from Nordic Elements). Would you?

Post by Kate

Can a towel be joyful?

Towels. Can you get excited about towels? I have just discovered I can.

Mine, for years, have been all white – when I first got matching towels I felt like I'd arrived. It was possibly the most grown-up thing I'd ever done around the house.

Then, a couple of years ago I radically introduced some dark green ones to go with the plant in the bathroom (and to hide the mascara I seem to get on every towel I ever use). Practical, but still not very adventurous. Or joyful. But can a towel be joyful? I think so.

And I am now mentally casting mascara to the wind and dreaming of my bathroom being filled with these sunny, fluffy mofos, by Icelandic design brand, Scintilla.

Scintilla was by the Icelandic fashion and textile designer, Linda Björg Árnadóttir, in 2009 and the brand takes lots of influence from its homeland's extreme natural environment. And these towels are just what you'd want to wrap yourself in after a day battered by Nordic wind, or a dip in Reykjavík's hot springs. They are fat, fluffy and not unreminiscent of an old-school candlewick bedspread – but nice.

I want the yellow ones (they only come in these two colours). Wherever I drop a splash of yellow around my house, there's an instant happy glow – I try to get a bit of it into every room.

Find Dew Bath Towels at Nordic Elements, starting at £23.

Post by Kate