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Valentine’s Day gifts

You can't buy me love (no, no, no), but you can buy thoughtful gifts for your loved one. Flowers are fine, but these presents go that extra mile.

Show that you care with these thoughtful, elegant gifts for Valentine’s Day and beyond. They hit the right combination of being practical and beautiful, whether your loved one is a budding home chef, an admirer of designer furniture, or just really, really likes puzzles. Take a look.

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Kokeshi wine bottle

Kokeshi wine bottle

Ichendorf Milano’s hand-blown glassware combines the craftsmanship and design traditions of both Germany and Italy to create unique pieces with contemporary feel. Inspired by traditional Japanese Kokeshi dolls, this two-toned carafe is so beautiful, it doubles as an objet d’art. jardan.com.au, $220

Bruny Island Cheese Co. hamper

This picnic-perfect hamper from Tasmania’s Bruny Island Cheese Co. includes its semi-hard George cheese and the O.D.O (a fresh curd cheese marinated in olive oil, garlic and herbs). Pair them with zucchini pickles and fruit paste, two bottles of the farm’s most popular brews… and that special someone. store.brunyislandcheese.com.au, $85

The Eye

The Eye by Nathan Williams

An inspiring coffee table tome that shines a spotlight on the most influential creative directors from around the world. From Vogue magazine powerhouse Grace Coddington to Fabien Baron (the director of 1992’s Sex documentary featuring Madonna), The Eye chronicles their rise to success. kinokuniya.com.au, $65

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Daniel Emma gardening carry-all

Daniel Emma gardening carry-all

For the plant lady/man in your life. Keep garden tools in one place with this carefully crafted carry-all. In fun Crayola brights, the powder-coated steel and Tasmanian oak toolbox combines sunny colouring with backyard practicality. mrkitly.com.au, $250

Underground Spirits Shiraz Gin with Tasmanian Pepperberries

Underground Spirits Shiraz gin

Take your afternoon G&T to another level. Underground Spirits’ patented sub-zero filtration method removes spirit impurities to deliver a velvety gin, bursting with native botanicals. Matured in shiraz oak barrels, the Canberra distillery’s gin is infused with Tasmanian pepperberry, promising gin lovers a new, piquant experience.

undergroundspirits.com.au, $90.

Købn beach towel

Købn beach towel

Poolside, Copenhagen-style. In muted shades and fine stripes, these beach towels make for classy additions to the pool deck. They’re light, super-absorbent, and feature a reversible design: terry towelling on on side, plain weave on the other. A gift for the design-conscious pool-lover. kobn.com.au, $69.95 each

Wingnut & Co. tea set

Wingnut and Co.’s minimalist Japanese-inspired homewares are made using recycled Australian commercial clay and materials with a sustainable life-cycle. This two-piece set features a porcelain yunomi Japanese teacup, and the brand’s organic genmaicha, a brown rice tea from Fukuoka. wingnutand.co, $40

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Jones & Co vase

Jones & Co.’s hand-painted terracotta pots capture the fun and frivolity of Australian summers with cheery illustrations. They make the perfect home for your green friends. Jonesandco.com.au, $80

Areaware Jigsaw

Areaware Jigsaw

Keeping things low-key this Valentine’s Day? Areaware’s puzzle-within-a-puzzle is best when teamed with a fine red and late-night tête-à-tête. until.com.au, $35

Sonos x Hay

HAY Sonos wireless speakers

Love songs get a sleek update this Valentine’s Day thanks to the new collaboration between design brand HAY and Sonos home sound systems. These compact speakers connect via wireless (not Bluetooth), and are available in five colours. sonos.com, $349

ferm LIVING Flying Shelf Sphere Brass

Ferm Living shelves

Embellished with timeless brass fixtures, use these minimalist-style shelves to house treasured keepsakes, small arts and special trinkets from your loved one. designstuff.com.au, $399

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Bi.du.haev Basi coffee-stand

Part sculpture, part coffee-stand. This concrete pillar artfully suspends your brewing cone (for pour-over coffees) over your cup. The weighted design means it can hold the ceramic dripper, coffee grounds, and water, without tipping over. A clever addition to the kitchen bench. mrporter.com, approx. $992.02

19-69 L’Air Barbes Eau de Parfum

**19-69 L’Air Barbes Eau de Parfum*

With its citrus-fresh scent, this zippy fragrance will transport you to spritz-charged summers in Italy. Inspired by the settings of Villa Malaparte and the iconic film Le Mépris, Capri carries notes of sweet and bitter orange, ylang ylang and white musk. Light, edgy and fresh, this is unisex scent can be gifted to your lover… or you. incu.com, $259

Bahen & Co. chocolate

The product of a former winemaker, Bahen & Co. take a “bean to bar” approach to their chocolate-making, by hunting down heritage cacao varieties and dealing directly with cacoo bean farmers. There’s no need to wrap this Valentine’s offering — each bar comes wrapped in beautifully designed paper. Our pick? Almond sea salt. bahenchocolate.com, from $9.90

Maison Sarah Lavoine presentation board

Maison Sarah Lavoine presentation board

Love cheese? Give your after-dinner cheese board a little timeless Parisian style with this stylish ceramic platter by French interior designer Sarah Lavoine. bastilleandsons.com.au, $120

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The Jam Bandits grapefruit and bourbon marmalade

The Jam Bandits grapefruit and bourbon marmalade

It’s jam, all grown up. Surry Hills small-batch jam makers, The Jam Bandits, produce fruit preserves with surprising flavour combinations. Grapefruit and bourbon? Yes please. It’s bitter, tangy and curiously more-ish. the-esteemed.com.au, $12.50

Sarah Ellison side table

Sarah Ellison Elton side table

Encapsulating the undone simplicity of 1970s Australian coastal design, Sarah Ellison’s gold collection heroes contemporary silhouettes, nostalgic natural materials and brass accents. The result? Modern pieces with scene-stealing appeal, like this rattan side table. sarahellison.com.au, $695

Palorosa bucket bag

Palorosa bucket bag

This Palorosa bucket bag will inject your everyday wardrobe with a little joie de vivre that will take you from beach to bar. Hand-woven by local artisans in Guatemala using recycled plastic and natural fibres, it’s a feel-good gift with room for all your picnic supplies. yoliandotis.com, $140

Leif body double kit

Leif body double kit

With an indulgent trifecta of soothing Australian natives (lemon myrtle, eucalyptus and sandalwood), this body cleanser and lotion duo looks good, smells good, and feels even better on your skin. leifproducts.com, $99

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Milly Dent Sora cup and saucer set

Milly Dent Sora cup and saucer set

Sydney-based ceramist Milly Dent is inspired by the natural world; her home and kitchenware pieces feature inky blue whirlpools and patches of forest greens. There’s more beauty in the idiosyncrasies — this set features an off-centre saucer, while the cup is imprinted with a finger dimple. store.mcs.com.au, $85

Seletti Kintsugi tray

Seletti Kintsugi tray

Make a statement at your next dinner party with this Kintsugi platter from Italian homeware innovators, Seletti. With unexpected gold detailing and clashing porcelain fragments, this piece can also double as an attractive table centrepiece. farfetch.com.au, $287

Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Gift Card

Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Gift Card

Impress the gourmand in your life with an unforgettable fine-dining experience. Our Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Gift Card will unlock access to more than 200 of Australia’s top restaurants, with more added daily. Hand-selected by the GT team, you can rest assured your next booking is at a certified culinary destination. gourmettravellergiftcard.com.au

Jackalope x Vue de monde

Jackalope x Vue de monde

The Mornington Peninsula’s glamorous boutique hotel , Jackalope, will be hosting an immersive culinary escape with Melbourne restaurant Vue de monde. Guests will be treated to an eight-course degustation menu by chefs Justin James and Guy Stanaway, before retiring to one of Jackalope’s minimalist art-inspired rooms. melbournefoodandwine.com.au,

tickets from $1253 March 17 and 18.

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Rick Stein tapas dish

Rick Stein tapas dish

Home entertainers will love this quirky Mediterranean-style terracotta dish. Guests at your next tapas party will have a whale of a time.amara.com.au, $27

Trueing mirror

Trueing mirror

Brooklyn-based design brand Trueing blends old-school materials with new-age tech. The 3000 mirror riffs on traditional terrazzo flooring, by combining concrete, marble and mirror. modaoperandi.com, $2,880

Nest footstool

Nest footstool

Put your feet up this Valentine’s Day.This multi-functional piece by UK boutique furniture brand Nest can be used as a footstool or coffee table. With its sleek curved surfaces and natural rattan construction, it’s an elegant addition to your living space. specifiedstore.com, $1,178

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