For the next couple weeks our favorite daily special will take a break. After 250 products we found for you this year, we need a few days off to prepare for the coming year. We’ll be back in action starting January the 7th! Have a happy holiday!

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, Soupe du Jour

Can you say luxury? Today’s set is a quick tour in spoiling yourself, your hubby or your home. 3 different sets, all designed to represent an exquisite curated selection. We have chosen some of today’s most inspiring work, with pieces by Tobi Wong, Fredrikson Stallard, Jimmy Jane and Citizen Citizen to name just a few. Everything we assembled for this ultimate surprise package is of amazing quality, most of the items come in very limited editions, some have been made especially for us, just what you need to make your holiday a very special one!
What’s inside? We can’t really tell you, it’s supposed to be a surprise, remember? But the Home set features half a dozen beautiful pieces to enhance your home, the Lady’s set is packed with shiny sexy things that can be very distracting and the Guys set is filled with beautiful craftsmanship and some tech goodies.
Price: $1000 / 750€ plus shipping

Technorati Tags: accessories, Charles & Marie, gifting, Soupe du Jour

Want to enhance your living-room? Then today’s set is the perfect combination of products to do just that. We curated some of the best products we could find to enhance your pad. We obviously can’t tell you what’s inside, that would defy the whole idea of a surprise package, wouldn’t it, but here are some hints: Everything from unique lamps to rugs to limoges vases and candles have been selected.
Today’s box is also a little bigger in size than our average set, so make sure you have plenty of room under that tree of yours!
Price: $650 / 475€

Technorati Tags: accessories, Charles & Marie, contraptions, gifting, Modern Living, Soupe du Jour, tableware

We are sure that you understand that we had to present the sexy surprise kit for her yesterday, but today is all about the guys. Today’s curated selection of gifts strikes the perfect balance between tech and style, elegance and boldness. It’s refined and distinguished and bold and somewhat in your face at the same time: Think John Wayne meets David Niven…
Some of the pieces have just been released, others are only available in Europe again others we have just flown in from Asia. Everything is beautifully designed and all the pieces are bound to make a statement.
Can we say more? No, not without giving it away, which would be a shame… But as usual, you’ll receive everything beautifully wrapped in one big box, ready to be placed under the tree.
Price: $450 / 320€

Technorati Tags: accessories, Charles & Marie, gadget hip, gifting, Soupe du Jour

Another set of beautiful curated products awaits you, and today it’s all about ‘your favorite girl’. Now don’t get us wrong, we completely agree that spoiling yourself is an absolutely viable proposition, so don’t over-interpret ‘your favorite girl’… but today’s curated selection is definitely not for guys, let’s just make that clear. Unless they give it to you, that is…
Without giving to much away, that would spoil the fun bit, let’s see if we can describe what you might find in today’s box: More than one piece will be from a limited edition collection. Some pieces aren’t even on the market yet, others come to you straight from Europe and again others will be sport shiny objects, that can easily distract you… It’s a very sexy collection for ‘your favorite girl’…
All of this weeks sets are beautifully wrapped and we wont tell you what you’ll be getting - and you can’t bribe us either. So you’ll just have to be wait until Christmas until you know what’s inside…
Price: $350 / 250€

Technorati Tags: accessories, Charles & Marie, design, gifting, Marie’s closet, Soupe du Jour

Today we have the first of a series of curated surprise gift boxes that we’ll bring to you all throughout this week. Every set consists of 5 - 8 gifts, all beautifully wrapped, centering around a specific idea - like food today. We won’t tell you what’s in them, that would spoil the fun, but we have curated some of our best products, and some products that you won’t even find in our selection yet…
So today’s set is the perfect set for any foodie. Anybody who is into food and the presentation, making and consumption of it will really appreciate the gifts we have selected here. The gifts feature crisp scandinavian design, whimsical illustrations, ingenious details, luxurious glasswork and subtle colours…
So if you are a foodie yourself, or want to spoil one, this set is bound to get the job done effortlessly.
Price: $250 / 179€

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, contraptions, design, Epicurean delight, gifting, kitchen, Soupe du Jour, tableware

Ahhh, finally, is all we can say! We first met Stephen Reed at 100% Design in London last year where he sold the first prototype of his ingenious mug at the Super Design Mart, but it took 15 months to get it produced and it is perfect! Read on and see for yourself:
Anyone who has ever opened a PC or worked on an engine will see a resemblance to the fins that are used to cool specific parts that shouldn’t get to hot. Well, the same applies here. Those fins – called heat sinks if you really want to know – cover the entire base of the mug, this way you can hold it without burning your fingers. Pretty nifty if you ask us… But don’t be fooled by the temperature of your favorite beverage, whilst you may be able to hold the mug, it does not imply that it’s ready to be enjoyed.
Next to the fact that it is a very cool idea, it is also a very elegant and good looking one and at 3.5″ (9 cm) wide and 4.5″ (11,5 cm) high, impeccably proportioned…
Price: $25 / 18€

Technorati Tags: accessories, beverage, Charles & Marie, coffee, Epicurean delight, mug, Soupe du Jour, tea

When we first saw the Font Clock in Milan in May, we knew that we witnessed the launch of an instant classic. Seeing it in person 6 months later we know that this is definitely a wonderful collectors item.
Designed by Sebastian Wrong whom you might recall from the spectacular WrongWoods series which he designed together with Richard Woods or the famed convex mirror which was launched 2 years ago and distributed by British design powerhouse Established & Sons this is one of this year’s highlights.
You all recall the classic pre-digital clock from the 70’s where a little metal plaque would flip over every minute, somewhat laying the foundation to the ubiquitous digital clock of the 80’s. Well, this is the same; the only difference is that the clock features 11 typefaces from the twentieth century and one from the 18th, creating a beautiful display of typographical design. Whether you are into typography or not, you will appreciate the beautiful contrast that some combinations evoke.
Amazing - is all we can say. Well maybe also that it is 11.4″ x 4.3″ x 5.5″ (29 x 11 x 14 cm) and is completely automatic and self-adjusting and comes with a battery. But that should definitely suffice…
Price: $450 / 310€

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, clock, design, hip home, Modern Living, Soupe du Jour

Whilst we know that smoking is pretty bad for your health, there still are quite a few out there, who do smoke, and depending in what part of the world you are in, the non-smoking fraction is definitely in the minority. In this part of the world though, the smokers are the minority and if you do want to light up, you gotta head outside. No biggie in the summer, but pretty nasty in the winter. Salvation is available though in shape of the clever smoking mitten conceived by no other than designer extraordinaire Tobias Wong.
It’s a one size fits all smokers - whether male or female, left or right handed - contraption with a clever metal eyelet the diameter of a cigarette that keeps your fingers warm. So if you can’t seem to get away from the nasty habit, at least make sure your fingers stay warm whilst you are down there freezing your rear off.
Price: $30 / 25€

Technorati Tags: accessories, Charles & Marie, Soupe du Jour, Tragically Hip

We seem to have a faible for votive candleholders - they are the easiest way to enhance any dinner table – so it’s no surprise we also liked those featured in today’s Soupe.
This whimsical 3 Butterfly Tea light holder fits any standard tea light, casts a great shadow on your table and is simply a wonderful little addition to any table. Whether you are serving up a massive feast or just having friends over for a spontaneous bite, these little thingies add just the right touch of style and whimsy to your table…
They are available in White or Black and are 3″ x 4.5″ x 4.5″ (7,5 x 11,5 x 11,5 cm).
Fun fun fun…
Price: $18 / 13€

Technorati Tags: accessories, candle, Charles & Marie, decoration, hip home, Modern Living, Soupe du Jour