Gifts for Grandma

Gifts for grandma often call for a bit more thought than most other gifts. She usually has her home and her things sorted, so the good gift is something with character: a piece of ceramics she wouldn't have found herself, a vase that keeps bringing her joy, or a small detail with humour. At Dims Studio you'll find a wide gift selection for grandma, first and foremost vases in stoneware, ceramics and glass from Quail, Kersten, GiftCompany and &Klevering, plus colourful Italian ceramic vases from Selected by dims studio. In this guide you'll get an overview of types, materials and sizes, so you can find a gift that suits your grandma.

Types of gifts for grandma

Most gifts for grandma in our selection are vases, but they span widely in expression: from playful animal figures to classic striped vases and large, colourful statement pieces. Below you'll get an overview of the types you'll come across most often.

Animal vases from Quail

Quail accounts for the largest share of the animal vases in our gift selection for grandma. These are small and medium stoneware vases shaped like animals: cows, giraffes, elephants, zebras, hippos, koalas, pigs, rhinos, guinea pigs, goats, sheep and dog breeds like westie and cavalier. Many of them also work as pencil holders, so the vase can be used for both flowers and office supplies on grandma's desk. Quail also makes a series of wall vases shaped like animal heads that mount directly on the wall, including cow, giraffe, zebra, parrot, owl, seagull and puffin. An animal vase is an obvious choice for a grandma with a sense of humour and character in her home.

Colourful vases from Kersten

Kersten delivers the most colourful and playful vases in the selection. Here you'll find striped tin and bottle vases, fish vases in orange, turquoise and pink, and vases shaped like food and sweets, including a hot dog, a croissant and liquorice sweets. There are also vases with a more personal expression, such as the Candy vase with dots and a boot vase with outlined lips. What Kersten's vases have in common is that they're meant as collectables, ones you display several of, so grandma can build her own little collection over time.

Testa di Moro: Italian ceramics with a citrus motif

Under Selected by dims studio you'll find a series of large ceramic vases from the Italian workshop Ceramiche F.L. Orgia, known as Testa di Moro. The vases are shaped like the heads of men and women, decorated with lemons, and come in several sizes from around 30 to 45 centimetres. They're statement pieces that can hold their own alone on a dresser or dining table, and suit a grandma who loves the Mediterranean, Italy, or a home with colour and character.

Glass vases from &Klevering

For the grandma who prefers a slightly calmer and more modern expression, we have gradient vases in glass from &Klevering. They come in a wide and a tall version, both with a soft colour transition in the glass. A glass vase is easy to combine with most things and works well if grandma's living room is already full of colour.

Type	Material	Expression	Best for
Animal vases, Quail	Stoneware	Playful and full of character	Grandma with humour, desk or shelf
Colourful vases, Kersten	Ceramics and dolomite	Colourful and collectable	Grandma who likes to collect things
Testa di Moro, Selected by dims studio	Ceramics	Statement and Italian	Grandma with a love of the Mediterranean
Gradient vases, &Klevering	Glass	Calm and modern	Grandma with a simple, modern home

Materials: stoneware, ceramics, dolomite and glass

The material says a lot about how a vase or gift feels, and how well it fits into grandma's home. Four materials in particular recur in our selection.

Stoneware

Stoneware is a dense, hard type of ceramics fired at high temperature. That makes it durable and well suited to vases meant to be used again and again, for both fresh and artificial flowers. Most of Quail's animal vases and wall vases are made in stoneware, often hand-painted, so colours and details vary slightly from vase to vase.

Ceramics and dolomite

Ceramics is the umbrella term for clay that's shaped and then fired, often with a glaze on top that gives the vases their glossy surface and colour. Dolomite is a type of ceramic material with a somewhat heavier, more solid expression, which Kersten uses for figurative vases such as the hot dog and croissant vase. Both materials withstand normal indoor use but should be wiped with a damp cloth rather than put in the dishwasher if they're hand-painted.

Glass

Glass vases from &Klevering are blown in a simple design with a gradient, where the colour becomes more intense towards the base of the vase. Glass is easy to clean and lets light through, giving a different expression from the heavier ceramic vases. Glass is also more fragile, so a glass vase is best suited to a fixed spot rather than being moved around often.

Material	Characteristics	Care
Stoneware	Dense, durable, often hand-painted	Wipe with a damp cloth
Ceramics	Glazed, glossy surface	Wipe with a damp cloth, avoid the dishwasher if hand-painted
Dolomite	Heavier, more solid expression	Wipe with a damp cloth
Glass	Light, glossy, transparent	Wash with mild dish soap

Gifts for grandma's home: living room, dining table and windowsill

Most of our gifts for grandma are meant to be displayed, so it's worth thinking about where the gift will have its place.

For the dining table and the dresser

A large vase, such as one of the Testa di Moro vases or one of Kersten's large dolomite vases, is a natural fit for the dining table or a dresser, where it can stand alone as an eye-catcher, with or without flowers. Also see our selection of animal vases if grandma has a soft spot for a particular animal.

For the shelf and the desk

Quail's smaller animal vases work well as pencil holders and fill out a shelf or desk nicely, preferably several together. The Wall vase, shaped like an animal head, is an alternative if grandma doesn't have much space on tables and shelves but would still like a fun touch on the wall.

For the windowsill

Smaller vases in stoneware or ceramics, such as the guinea pig or owl vase from Quail, fit nicely on a windowsill, where they can catch the sun and form a small group together with other plants and vases.

Sizes to choose from

Our gift selection for grandma ranges from small pencil holders to large statement vases. Consider how much space grandma has, and whether the gift should stand alone or together with other things.

Size	Examples	Suits
Small	Quail's animal vases and wall vases, smaller Kersten vases	Shelf, desk, windowsill
Medium	Kersten's bottle and tin vases, smaller Testa di Moro	Side table, shelf
Large	Testa di Moro up to 45 cm, large Kersten vases, &Klevering gradient vase	Dining table, dresser, floor

The brands behind our gift selection for grandma

We've gathered a number of brands, each with their own expression, so you can find a gift that matches grandma's taste.

Quail

Quail is an English brand known for stoneware vases shaped like animals, often with a touch of British humour. Many of the vases are double as pencil holders, and several are also available as wall vases in the shape of animal heads.

Kersten

Kersten accounts for the most colourful pieces in the selection, from classic striped vases to vases shaped like food, sweets and other objects with a wink. The vases are made in ceramics and dolomite and suit a grandma who likes to collect pieces with character.

Selected by dims studio

Under Selected by dims studio you'll find, among other things, the Testa di Moro series from the Italian workshop Ceramiche F.L. Orgia. These are large, handmade ceramic vases with a citrus motif, intended as statement pieces in the home.

GiftCompany

GiftCompany contributes striped ceramic vases in several colour combinations that pair well with both Kersten's and Quail's expression.

&Klevering

&Klevering accounts for the glass vases in the selection, with a calmer, more modern design language in the form of gradient vases, suited to a grandma with a simpler home.

Brand	Characteristics	Best for
Quail	Animal and wall vases in stoneware	Grandma with humour and a love of animals
Kersten	Colourful vases in ceramics and dolomite	Grandma who collects pieces with character
Selected by dims studio	Large Italian ceramic vases	Grandma with a love of the Mediterranean
GiftCompany	Striped ceramic vases	A classic, colourful expression
&Klevering	Gradient glass vases	A simple, modern home

Finding the right gift for grandma: decision guide

Still unsure what to choose? You can base your decision on how grandma lives and what she loves.

Situation	Our recommendation
Grandma has a sense of humour	An animal vase or wall vase from Quail, ideally in an animal she loves
Grandma collects ceramics and pieces with character	One or more of Kersten's colourful vases
Grandma loves Italy and the Mediterranean	A Testa di Moro vase from Selected by dims studio
Grandma has a simple, modern home	A glass gradient vase from &Klevering
The gift should have a permanent spot on the dining table	One of the large vases, ideally 30 to 45 cm
The gift should be usable on the desk	One of Quail's vases with a built-in pencil holder
You're unsure of grandma's style	Look at how she's already decorated: colourful and maximalist, or calm and understated

How to wrap the gift

The wrapping is part of the experience, especially for a gift grandma will unwrap in front of the family. Use natural kraft paper with a dried flower stem or a ribbon in a colour that matches the vase. If the gift is fragile, like a glass vase, wrap it well in several layers of paper before placing it in the box.

Myths and facts about gifts for grandma

• Myth: Grandma doesn't like colourful things. Fact: Many grandmas love exactly this kind of characterful, colourful pieces that they wouldn't have bought for themselves, like an animal vase or one of Kersten's patterned vases.
• Myth: A vase is an impersonal gift. Fact: Choose a vase with a motif or colour that matches grandma's taste and a favourite animal, and the gift becomes far more personal than it first appears.
• Myth: Large ceramic vases are only for display. Fact: Most of our large vases, like the Testa di Moro series, can easily be used for fresh flowers while also standing as a statement piece.

Gift ideas for other occasions

If the gift is for a particular occasion, you'll find more ideas in our other gift selections. See gifts for grandmother if the gift also needs to go to the other grandmother, or a gift for mom if you're looking for something for a younger generation. If it's a milestone birthday, take a look at gifts for a 60-year-old woman, and if you want to see more of the popular animal vases gathered in one place, they're in our selection of animal vases. Still unsure? Find more suggestions under gift ideas.

Frequently asked questions about gifts for grandma

What's a good gift for grandma?

A good gift for grandma is usually something with character that she wouldn't have bought herself: a vase with a personal expression, a figure with humour, or a piece of ceramics she can display and enjoy every day. In our selection, animal vases from Quail and colourful vases from Kersten are popular choices.

Which vase suits a grandma with a colourful home?

If grandma already has a colourful and maximalist home, one of Kersten's striped or patterned vases or an animal vase from Quail fits right in, as they have a clear expression that matches the rest of the decor.

Which gift suits a grandma with a calm, simple home?

For a calmer home, a glass vase from &Klevering with a soft gradient is a good choice, or a single, large ceramic vase in one colour that can stand alone without taking up too much space.

Can the vases from Quail be used for anything other than flowers?

Yes. Several of Quail's animal vases are designed as pencil holders and work just as well for pens, brushes or other small things on a desk as for a bouquet of flowers.

What are the Testa di Moro vases?

Testa di Moro is a series of large ceramic vases from the Italian workshop Ceramiche F.L. Orgia, shaped like the heads of men and women and decorated with lemons. They come in several sizes and work as statement pieces in the home.

How do I clean a hand-painted ceramic vase?

Hand-painted vases in stoneware, ceramics or dolomite should be wiped with a slightly damp cloth rather than put in the dishwasher, so the paint and glaze stay looking good for many years.

How many vases can I give as one gift?

Several customers choose to give two or three smaller vases together, for example a couple of Quail's animal vases or some of Kersten's colourful vases, so grandma can start or add to a small collection.

Is a vase a good gift if grandma already has many vases?

Yes, especially if grandma already collects vases, one more characterful vase is often a welcome gift, as long as it differs from the ones she already has, for example in motif, colour or material.

What size vase should I choose?

If the vase is to have a permanent spot on the dining table or a dresser, a large vase of 30 to 45 centimetres is a good choice. If it's going on a shelf or a desk, one of the smaller vases from Quail or Kersten fits better.

Does an animal vase suit every grandma?

An animal vase suits a grandma with a sense of humour and character in her decor best. If she prefers a more classic or calm expression, one of the striped vases from Kersten and GiftCompany or a glass vase from &Klevering is a safer choice.

Can the gifts be used as a hostess gift?

Yes, many of the smaller vases from Quail and Kersten also make great hostess gifts, if you're visiting grandma and want to bring something that doesn't take up too much space.