No more silly fuzzy slippers. We've scouted the Web to find unusual and useful gifts for architects and builders, new homeowners and old house rehabbers, and anyone with a fascination for buildings and design. Some of the gifts are serious, and some are comical. Some are pricey, and some barely cost more than a lump of coal. But you'll know you've found the perfect present when you are tempted to buy an extra -- for yourself.
The world's great architects didn't just design buildings -- they also created chairs, tables and sofas. Several companies offer reproduction furnishings by Charles Edouart Jeanneret, Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer, Eileen Gray and other designers. Explore our extensive listing of Famous Furniture.
Computer Aided Design programs for pros can be complicated, but there are plenty of simple computer programs geared for home hobbyists. Buy software such as Broderbund's 3D Home Architect and spend the holidays creating easy floorplans and 3D images.
There's no limit to the items made with Frank Lloyd Wright designs. Shop for ties, cuff links, pens, stationery, coasters, paper weights and mouse pads.
Is your special person a Bungalow lover? Give a subscription to American Bungalow magazine. For every architectural interest there is a publication -- Browse our magazine directory for top picks.
Give the gift of learning. Treat your loved one with a museum pass or guided tours to great buildings around the world. Begin with a cyber journey through our listing of favorite Architecture Trips.
People who love skyscrapers will be awed and inspired by glossy photo books of the world's tallest buildings. Our listing includes books on Classical, Art Deco, Expressionist, Modernist, and Postmodernist buildings... some with fold-out and pop-up pages.
Since the dawn of Hollywood, highrises have played leading roles in the movies. Here are our favorite skyscraper films available on video.
If you think pop-up books are just for children, check out these sophisticated titles. With detailed artwork and complex "paper engineering" these fascinating pop-up books are sure to delight adult readers.
Surely no work of architecture is more photogenic than a castle. These lavish books are filled with lush photos of castles and castle-like structures from medieval to modern times.
10. House Portraits
A treasured home can turn into a work of art. Call your local arts organization to locate an artist who will sketch or paint an original house portrait. Or, hire a photography studio to process a photo of the house onto canvas.
