The 2022 gift guide includes iconic design gifts for each room.
The bathroom is a wildly intimate room of the home, full of items that are equal parts luxurious and commonplace. The most iconic bathroom accessories are the ones that stand the test of time, give us a sense of relief, and hopefully also a boost of confidence.
The best items for the bathroom are sure to build the perfect atmosphere to chill out and sink into comfort. From stocking stuffers to home improvement must-haves, here are Sixtysix’s top picks for the most iconic bathroom accessories:
1. String Shelving System
The versatile String System is not necessarily confined to the bathroom, but its modularity, slim silhouette, and moisture-friendly materials certainly suit the space. Since 1949 the String Shelf has been a peak example of Swedish functionalism. Designed by Nisse and Kajsa Strinning, the shelves incorporate plastic-coated wire from an earlier dish drying rack design. The design won a global shelving design contest hosted by the Bonnier Folk Library in 1949 and is a go-to even 70 years later.
2. Smith’s Rosebud Salve
Smith’s Rosebud Salve is so popular you might even have it yourself. The ideal stocking stuffer or gift-topper, this salve is reliably moisturizing and smells fantastic. Dr. George F. Smith founded the Rosebud Perfume Company in 1895, and the classic salve is a cult-favorite even today. If your gift recipient is worried about healthy ingredients, this product is made with only four—all easily pronounced and without carcinogens or concerning chemicals.
3. Trudon Cire Classic Candle
Many candles smell good, but how many can trace their history to 1643 and the Imperial Court of France?! Trudon does both. Royal Manufacture makes both candles and perfumes today. Inside Tuscan glass modeled after champagne buckets, absolute Beeswax (Trudon’s motto is “Deo regique laborant,” which means “they (the bees) work for God and the King”) is scented with top notes of bergamot, waxed wood, and honey.
4. Oxford Striped Bathrobe
The Oxford shirt from Ralph Lauren is the definition of preppy cool, a staple of the Polo look since the brand’s inception. But the fabric itself goes back to a 19th-century Scottish fabric mill, where a forgotten textile manufacturer created four fabrics named for elite universities. Only the Oxford remains a must-have today—and you can even have it as a robe, lined with terry cloth and emblazoned with the signature Ralph Lauren pony.
5. Mason Pearson Styling Comb
This unassuming classic has 130 years of craftsmanship behind it, believe it or not. Mason Pearson handcrafts combs in Switzerland using traditional techniques. The combs are finished in a nice tortoiseshell style with smooth teeth and rounded tips gently ease tangles. Perhaps better known for originating the “pneumatic hairbrush,” the company remains in the Pearson family today.
6. Artek Aalto Stool 60
The smooth, curved wood of the classic Artek Aalto Stool 60 is instantly recognizable. Another prime example of functionalism (a philosophy also behind the designs of Philippe Starck), the stool was designed by Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto in 1933. Through cutting and steaming, Alvar manipulated birchwood to form the stool’s signature L-leg. Stackable and beautiful in its simplicity, the stool is available in many colors.
