Graduation Gifts: Comfort, Inspiration, Organization + Creativity
With late spring and early summer, we are likely spinning in a whirlwind of graduation season across the country, coast to coast! Most of us are no doubt in touch with a new grad of some kind, be it college, high school, or even, as in my case, middle school.
My oldest child, Hanna, will be branching out next year to a boarding school far from home. She will start her high school career without us. I realize I am experiencing the similar feelings of nostalgia and excitement that parents of older grads do. The bottom line is we want the very best the world has to offer for each of our kids in its own special way – a quality life experience that is uniquely suited to them as individuals. So I can go on and on in my philosophizing about life as a big picture, but what I am keenly aware of, and what seems even more important now, are the details we may not stop to notice everyday but that provide us things we need.
Right about now you may be asking yourself, what is she talking about? How does this have anything to do with graduation gift ideas to help me get through my to-do list? I promise it does but first I pose a challenge to you. Tell yourself that with the gift giving you do this season, you will think of why you chose a particular gift! With my own personal situation, I notice that what I want to impart to Hanna are things that will help her navigate through life — giving her feelings of comfort, inspiration, organization and creativity.
The comfort and coziness of home can be given with ideas like these….
Monogrammed pajamas, a set of towels, or sheet set, and to personalize it not only with initials but maybe even with school colors!
Staying organized ain’t always easy! Seems even harder for teens but here are some ways to help them along.
Dopp kits and toiletry bags can be the kind of gift that you can find a hundred uses for, guys and girls alike. Some may prefer to throw all their personal items into one or two kits, while others maybe more inclined to separate things more precisely: medicines/vitamins, hairbrushes, toothbrushes, jewelry, cosmetics, lotions and potions of all kinds.
A tote bag works as a great weekender — the kind of bag that can be used as a carry-on for easy access items you travel with, or throw an extra pair of flip flops and a towel in to just head down to the beach or pool.
Inspiration, excitement and curiosity are things we all yearn for our whole life long. There are so many things, places, people that can help develop creativity.
What a better way to start a young adult in the art of collecting things of beauty then through giving them with a piece of art to commemorate this milestone in their lives. Such a sophisticated way to say “look at how grown up you are now, go out and take your turn in life!”
- About the studio
Alex Deringer and Courtney Cox combine their formal training in design and fashion with their renowned sense of style in Ivy Lane, a full-service interior design firm that curates casually elegant family dwellings that are elevated by a unique spark. Whether an entire house renovation or a one-room makeover, Alex and Courtney’s extensive experience and collaborative dynamic inform a successful design philosophy: thoroughly understand the client’s lifestyle, bring a thoughtful spatial perspective, and enliven the space with the freshest aesthetic interest.
309C Cameron Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
studio@ivylaneliving.com
703.566.6582
