27 Unique Mother’s Day Gift Ideas, From a Handmade Mattress to Herman Miller Prints

April 26, 2023

27 Unique Mother’s Day Gift Ideas, From a Handmade Mattress to Herman Miller Prints

Avoid that last-minute dash to the gift card aisle.

There’s a reason the card row looks disheveled after every Mother’s Day: panic-buyers who encountered roadblocks on the hunt for unique gift ideas all decide to go the standard route (all at the same time). Since we’re a few weeks away from the actual holiday, we implore and kindly invite you to shop our distinctive selection of gifts: you’ll find goodies from a plethora of Dwell-loved brands and price points (a $22 set of tongs and a $225 tie-dyed, handmade mattress roll, to name a couple). Read on for the 27 gift wrap-worthy items guaranteed to bring joy to mom’s heart and home.

Handmade Felt Flowers & Eucalyptus Bouquets

Always in bloom. Find a sprig that’ll last longer than these lookalikes...we’ll wait. Each stem you see has been dyed, cut, and stitched by hand from felted wool, all by female artisans in Nepal (yep, they’re fair trade). They’re coming in buckets of blooms to pick from, too—we’re talking sunflowers, peonies, tea roses, and lotus, plus jade stems, billy buttons, and eucalyptus—so you can create your own colorful bouquet.

Dwell editors have already ranked Global Goods’ flowery delivery services among the best bouquets you can order for Mother’s Day. These six felt arrangements are assembled by female artisans in Nepal, including Cherry Blossom, Citrus Eucalyptus, Light and Bright, Peach, Spring, and Zinnia.

CALPAK Insulated Lunch Bag

Everything you need—and so much more. Our Insulated Lunch Bag keeps all your essentials fresh for quick lunch breaks from work or picnics with friends. This reusable waterproof lunch bag features a wipeable interior for easy cleanliness multiple pockets inside and out for maximum organization. Pack it full, pull the drawstring shut, and you’re out the door.

A sharp-looking lunch bag with multiple pockets? We don’t know any mom who could resist. The CALPAK also has a water-resistant interior, a drawstring closure to keep everything safe and secure, and comes in six limited patterns and five classic colors.

Greenery Unlimited x Light + Ladder Fondra Self-Watering Pot

Introducing the world’s first procedurally generated self-watering planter: Fondra, a collaboration between Light+Ladder and Greenery Unlimited. This graceful vessel is equal parts form and function and offers the optimal environment for plants to grow. Fondra, similar to fondre which translates to "will melt" in French, is inspired by soft masses colliding and merging. This organic shape was created using 3d software to simulate the physics of gravitational impact. The form was then 3D printed, cast in plaster, and hand worked to ensure the desired organic and fluid gesture.

A pot that does half the plant-sitting duty can help mom fully embrace that expert plant parenting role. "This planter is as gorgeous as it is an incredible self watering planter," writes one enthusiastic begonia owner. "I get so many compliments on its unique shape and color. 10/10!!" Need we say more?

Gift Bokksu Snack Box

Gift a delicious & authentic experience from Japan. Bokksu delivers to your door the experience of tasting authentic Japanese snacks, candies, and teas sourced directly from centuries-old family makers. Every box you purchase supports these family-run businesses in Japan and helps keep their traditions alive. Each box ships from Japan and comes with: 20-24 Japanese snacks, candies, and a tea pairing curated around a fun cultural theme. 16+ Page Culture Guide Magazine that details each product's origin, flavors, and even common allergens. Convenient one-time payment that does not auto-renew. Free shipping directly from Japan!

Make snack time feel fancy with this Bokksu Snack Box— a mouth-watering combo that includes Japanese treats, candies, and tea, a magazine that highlights all the products, and a personalized e-message.

Dusen Dusen Everybody Umbrella

Everybody has stormy weather. Everybody would rather be dry. Everybody can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella. Everybody needs shade from sunny skies. Everybody sings in the rain sometimes. The Everybody Umbrella is your dependable friend come rain or shine. Designed by Dusen Dusen for Areaware.

If mom’s a fan of Dusen Dusen’s signature perky multi-colored patterns, then the Everybody Umbrella will definitely earn you some brownie points. The striped canopy opens to 42 inches diameter, providing sufficient refuge from the rain and bright sun.

Match Made in Heaven, Le Puzz

Match Made in Heaven is an arrangement of our huge collection of vintage matchbooks. We fell in love with the colorful tips and the diverse range of graphic designs on the covers. Hope they strike a chord with you!

Treat mom to a brain teaser, a bit of nostalgia and some travel bug energy with Match Made in Heaven, a 1000-piece jigsaw crafted from images of vintage matchbooks. Use the accompanying fold-out poster as a guide then securely store all the pieces in the resealable, reusable bag.

Loftie Clock

Loftie is a thoughtfully connected alarm clock designed to help you break up with your smartphone alarms and get more sleep. With a dimmable display, nightlight, two-phase alarm, and custom content playable right on the device, Loftie is everything you need (and nothing you don’t) for a dreamier bedroom atmosphere.

Cultivate zen vibes with the Loftie Clock, which helps you end and begin your day with breathwork, meditation, white, nature sounds, and a gentle two-phase alarm.

Green, White and Red Patchwork Table Runner, In Casa by Paboy

Handmade in Naples by Paboy and his team 100% cotton Exclusive, One of a Kind Design 140cm x 43cm

Brighten up any festive occasion with this one-of-a-kind table runner from Gambian designer Paboy Bojang. The patchwork accessory is handmade in Naples where Bojang is seeking asylum.

ICHENDORF MILANO, Green & Gray Tequila Sunrise Jug

Handcrafted flame-worked glass jug in green and gray. · Designed by Mist-O · Dishwasher-safe · H11.7" x W4.5" x D2" Part of the Tequila Sunrise collection. Supplier color: Green/SmokeGlass. Made in India.

Gift this gorgeous handcrafted, flame-worked Ichendorf Milano jug first thing on Mother’s Day and place it on the table just in time for a brunch centerpiece.

Købenstyle Butter Warmer

A mid-century modern icon, the Dansk Kobenstyle Butter Warmer was designed by Jens Quistgaard in 1950 and quickly reached international fame for its beautiful form and functional application. The perfect size for melting butter, heating syrup, sauces, and soups, this petite pot is crafted from enameled steel and features an ergonomic teak handle that stays cool while you cook.

Designed in 1950, this Jens Quistgaard creation has maintained its international popularity over the decades. Its enameled steel, ergonomic teak handle, and classic color options make it the perfect pot.

Hetkinen Natural Scent Diffuser

A perfect little scent diffuser. Made from natural Finnish pine, it opens to store bottles of 5ml essential oil. Perfect for use at home, in the bathroom, at work, even in your car. Makes for a great gift when paired with Hetkinen's all-natural essential oils.

Allow this natural Finnish pine container to store mom’s favorite essential oils and instantly boost her mood.

Black & White by Alexander Girard

Authentic Environmental Enrichment Panels by Herman Miller. Originally designed for office environments. Panels include preattached mounting brackets.

The celebrated architect intended for this geometric patterned, whimsical artwork to decorate the office, but we could easily see it fitting right into a home gallery.

HAY Arcs Vase

Designed by Belgian duo Muller Van Severen, the Arcs Vase is formed by a unified chain of vertical arcs that create an elegant, scalloped silhouette. Made in stainless steel with a mirrored finish or steel in different colors.

Muller Van Severen’s inaugural collaboration with HAY produced this elegant, best-selling steel vase with a scalloped silhouette.

Tortuga Forma Asterisk Trivet

Protect your table surface with an elegant trivet that playfully recalls the asterisk form. There's no material quite like wood that can offer tactile warmth and comfort at the table. A clear wax oil finish allows the beech and walnut wood grains to take center stage. This product was hand-tooled in small batches by an FSC certified workshop. Trivets have a 7" diameter.

Perfect for sitting fresh-from-the-oven casserole dishes, mom will appreciate this hand-tooled trivet, made from FSC-certified wood and coated with a clear wax oil finish.

Boris Cocktail Glass

A set of two mouth-blown cocktail glasses, inspired by modern shapes and clean lines. The timeless profiles and classic forms are designed to endure, to add intrinsic value and ensure use year after year.

Clean lines and a modern geometric silhouette solidify these cocktail glasses as go-to drinkware for every special occasion.

Happiness Pillar Candles

This candle is adapted from designer Yinka Ilori's chair series, Types of Happiness. Each chair in the series tells a story of the sixteen different types of happiness. These stories continue through the pillar candles by replicating the colors used on the chair legs, each of which evoke a type of happy feeling.

Yinka Ilori's chair series inspired these aptly-named pillar candles. Count on the wick and the punchy pastel hues to bring vibrancy to the room.

Aervana Electric Wine Aerator

Deep breath in, deep breath out. Allowing your wine (especially the reds) to breathe is a given—exposing it to oxygen opens up all kinds of aromas and flavors. But if you don’t have the hour it takes for a proper breather, pop in this electric wine aerator: It lets you choose your desired level of aeration with the turn of a dial—and then dispense your drink right into your glass with the push of a button. Oh, and since it’ll serve up over 100 bottles of bubbly before you have to change the batteries, you can keep on sipping for quite a while.

How to work the bar cart like a pro and impress mom in the process? Come equipped with an electric aerator that has a dial operator and dispenses wine with the push of a button. It’s battery-powered but only needs a new one after pouring more than 100 bottles.

Coffee Server With Natural Wood Handle

Material: Mouth blown glass, wood, stainless steel Size: 6" H, 4.5" dia.; Opening: 2.25" dia.; Handle: 3" L Capacity: 600ml Made in Japan.

Even if mom doesn't kickstart the day with the cup of joe, this pretty vessel from Japan-based workshop Studio Prepa will be much appreciated. The wood handle helps to pour a cup with zero spills, plus it’s designed to separate from the sliding clip so the pieces can be easily cleaned.

Alessi Spaghetti Tongs

Designer: Ufficio Tecnico Alessi Materials: 18/10 stainless steel Dimensions: length 19 cm Hand wash suggested

Whether your giftee is dressing the salad or plating the meal, these Alessi stainless steel, designer kitchen tongs will simplify the task.

Global Architecture Residential Masterpieces 22 Lina Bo Bardi Casa De Vidro Sao Paulo

Lina Bo Bardi Casa de Vidro: São Paulo, Brazil 1950-51 Text by Yoshio Futagawa Photographed by Yukio Futagawa

This selection from internationally renowned design publication Global Architecture highlights Italian architect Lina Bo Bardi’s Casa de Vidro, an elevated, glass-paned structure that was the architect’s first project after arriving in Brazil that also served as the first family home she shared with her husband.