No two clients are the same. Often, the characteristics that make each one different also are defining factors in your relationship—in some cases rendering the routine gift of a popcorn tin or poinsettia, well, pointless. These gift ideas defy generic with creative twists on client appreciation.
1. Baguette Board, Michele Varian
Picked by: Brooks Atwood, founder and principal of Brooks Atwood Design
Instead of the ho-hum crystalware, consider a chopping board. "To all of my longtime clients, please accept this amazing cutting board because the one you're using is hideous," Atwood says. The boards hang from a leather strap and are handmade in the USA from sycamore wood. $95 (small), $145 (large); michelevarian.com
2. Llama, Heifer International
Picked by: Adam Zimmerman, AIA, Zimmerman Workshop
If you are looking for a truly unusual gift for a socially conscious client, give a llama to a struggling family in the Andes Mountains of South America via nonprofit Heifer International. Don't forget to include a fetching framed photo of the llama, such as this one, for your client's desk. $150; heifer.org
3. Steve McQueen Edition, Triumph Motorcycles
Picked by: Colin Brice, cofounder of Mapos
To guarantee client loyalty for life, Brice suggests Triumph Motorcycle's Steve McQueen special edition model. "Gotta match their newly designed digs with an über-stylish ride," he says. That's if you can find one. Just 1,100 motorcycles were made, and each one is individually numbered and painted to match the military-style matte green finish of the Triumph Trophy TR6 that McQueen rode in The Great Escape. triumphmotorcycles.com
