I like some of the suggested gifts.. the zoo, mmm bacon of the month.. this year I am trying to buy made in the USA products.. things that will keep us working... the flowers and museums are great idea too! I'm checking out some of your list too...

The first shelf is pretty cool. I also really like the birdfeeders!

OMG, every one of these is fantastic!!! What a fun post, thank you!

These are great suggestions, but they are so expensive! Seems you have to be rather wealthy to afford small-space presents.

I do love the museum membership present idea, however, if you can swing it.

Donating to a charity of mutual interest in someone's name also makes a nice gift, especially for the person who has everything.

A terrific group of gifts. I especially love those floating book holders and the bird feeders.

Even for people with lots of space, it's nice to think about gifts that enrich their lives rather than just more stuff to store in their space. Studies show that happiness comes from experiences rather than material things so, we are trying to give gifts that are experiences, not things.

We give things like memberships (zoos,museums etc.), tickets (plays, movies, museum exhibitions), lessons or workshops etc. Or things that make life better, like homemade granola, jam, bread etc. or 'home assembled' (spaghetti dinner with wine in a basket).

I don't know where you get the idea that these are ALL made in the US, James. Maybe some of them are, but:

#1's designer is located in Finland
#2 is handmade in British Columbia
#3's designer is based in the Netherlands
#5 is made by a Dutch company
#9, which is designed and made in the UK?

The rest have no origin listed.

I agree that these prices are excessive. While it is true that American-made can be more expensive, there are cheaper alternatives to just about anything.

Watch the Nate Show and he always has a high-end vs cheaper alternative segment at least each week. Other shows do the same thing on HGTV.

You do not have to pay high prices to achieve the same basic idea.

I had my condo featured in a regional news magazine a couple years ago, and though I never told anyone, almost everything in two of the rooms was either craigslist finds, found in second hand shops, or made by me. No one knew...

I would also suggest checking out etsy for those who are looking for cheaper alternatives while still remaining stylish.

These gifts are very interesting, but the price tag is unrealistic for most gift buyers... maybe some $25-... suggestions would be lovely.

I really dig that corner shelf, and could use one myself... but "price by request" translates in my mind to "If you have to ask, you can't afford it." I bet it would take about 45 minutes for someone with the proper tools to make; 15 minutes for an experienced woodworker.

@ james, where do you get that these are made in the US? And even if they were, a few pieces of raw wood cut at an angle doesn't warrant a "price on request".....

I agree that these are pretty overpriced. Very cute ideas though and I bet you could fabricate or DIY similar things as gifts. Handmade by you is much more sentimental.

I have to agree that these are too expensive! I could not afford most of these myself, much less consider buying them for someone else. Is it normal to buy someone a $415 dollar gift?!

I was thinking that I really liked the 1st bookshelf. "Price upon request" is silly though. A few linear feet of 1x4s from the hardware store, a handful of nails, and a saw = bookcase! Add another couple dollars for wood stain if you want, and it still would come in under $20.

The Ultimate gift for a friend/member of your family who may be a little hard up presently and lives in a small space???? A few quid (bucks) in an envelope!!!! Always appreciated and never goes to waste;)

All this bitching about prices? $100 for three frames is cheap, $39 for invisible shelves is great, the wall plant thingy is cool and seems completely reasonable as well, and that small fire thingy is awesome! But I think it's better to have a small space and spend a lot on a few things rather than a giant home full of cheap crap anyhow right??? Am I alone here?

@baines You may not be alone, but you are probably a bit more financially fortunate than many just now. What seems like unnecessary price bitching to you may be financial reality to others.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Invisible-Book-Shelf/ make your own floating bookshelves...

If you plan to always have a few books in your stack, & don't have time to construct one yourself, here's a much cheaper version of the invisible bookshelf:
http://www.vat19.com/dvds/conceal-invisible-book-shelf.cfm

Buying one nice, well made item once is still cheaper than buying 10 iKrappa products.

I looked up the 'price on request' shelf: It's 95 Euro so about $125.

#1 would be a great diy project with a few 2x4s.

I like the storage piece adjacent to the mirror in #9. I have been eyeing it in the MOMA catalog for a while.

residentgeek Craigslist finds can well be "top of the line," it's just that they're used. (I'm sure you know this, just thought I'd clarify for the larger audience.).

Dulcibella - love your ideas. As I get older, food is a very special gift for me, something I'm much more appreciative of than when I was younger and more materialistic.

About the priciness, I guess I'll pass on that one. AT is pretty commercial now, given up their more humble roots, but maybe I'm wrong.

Now, about the small gifts being appropriate for small space dwellers, I take issue with that notion just a little bit. It can add up to clutter. Just cause we live in small spaces does not mean that everything should be small, just KEY things. Some things it's good to have big - big things (armoire for example) can actually save space.

Anyway, I'm tired of STUFF, of things.

The corner bookshelf is interesting - but only if you don't fill it, because at the corner the books will overlap in a pretty unusable way.

I love the tabletop fireplace, but I believe that there is a safety issue that needs to be addressed: any male (no matter the age or maturity level) will feel compelled to play with it and stick things into the flame to see them burn. Sorry folks, it's just the way we guys are wired. Big flame, OOOOOOHGH!

love those bird feeders!
mike_in_hawaii: not male and would do the same :)

lol Mike- And what's really going to be funny for the people that buy those feeders? Your friend hosing off all the bird doo from their fabulous patio while thinking "GREAT gift jackhole..." Just kidding, these are pretty things, like the fireplace, but I'm tired of "stuff" too. And those shelves are so buildable (along with the opening frames) that my eye is twitching at the fact that they even LOOK like unfinished 2x4's... That hanging terrarium tho? LUST.

Have to say, I love all the ideas that these things spark, and I'm certainly going to use the concepts moving into my new small (<500 sq ft) space next week (very excited!). But I'm not digging the price tags on this stuff - DIY, here I come!

I love the little table top fire place, but $500.00 is way more than my entire season's shopping budget! How about some equally unique ideas for the 99%?

The tabletop fireplace looks an awful lot like a flaming box of tissues. For 500.00?

Anyone know (or can anyone suggest) how that Finish shelf attaches to the wall?

Thanks