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Top 20 Products Dwell Readers Bought in 2021

December 20, 2021

Take a peek at the most popular design objects your fellow Dwell readers purchased this year.

We’ve always known that our readers are a design-forward bunch with good taste in home decor—and when we looked back over the past year to see the most popular products purchased within the Dwell community, our suspicions were confirmed. These are the on-trend—but still timeless— items that everyone added to their shopping carts in 2021.

In 2001, renowned design studio House Industries partnered with the estate of late architect Richard Neutra – whose notable projects include the Kaufmann House (1947) in Palm Springs, the Lovell Health House (1929) in Los Angeles and the Kronish House (1955) in Beverly Hills, among others – to create a set of fonts based on the geometric letterforms Neutra specified for many of his residential houses and commercial buildings. The resulting font family, Neutraface, became an integral part of the new millennium’s typographic landscape. Rendered directly from the Neutraface outlines, precision-crafted Neutra House Numbers (1930s) bring a piece of the Neutra aesthetic to any residential or commercial space. Designed for visibility, these robust house numbers mount approximately 0.75" off the wall to cast subtle shadows. Each includes extensive installation instructions and a full-scale drilling template to eliminate any guesswork, and the mounting hardware is hidden when installed properly. Made in China.

Designed to look like a neon tube, this long-lasting, energy-efficient light is made with an integrated LED. Hang it on a wall, place it on a table, or stand it upright in a corner to add dramatic atmosphere and colorful glow to any space. It’s available in a range of colors that can be mixed and matched to create an interesting light installation. Bulb: 12W LED. ETL Listed.

After living and working in Milan for Lissoni Associati, American designer Shane Schneck founded his own Stockholm-based studio in 2010. Since that time, his work has received international acclaim in the form of iF, Red Dot and Wallpaper awards. This watering can features a clean yet functional design, with a quick-fill intake that doubles as a handle and an elongated spout for easy watering. Wash by hand only. Made in China.

Weird to think we usually only see about half of an entire plant above the ground, while the interweaving, ever changing system of roots grows in every direction beneath the surface. Ilex Studio sheds a bit of light on the unsung hero of the plant world, giving you an in-depth look at the equally beautiful roots system thanks to their Avocado Vase. Built from premium glass and remarkably easy to use, this vase looks right at home on any desk or table. You’ll quickly appreciate the detailed intricacies that make plants so unique, all while helping the planet by growing another tree.

The Five Two Drying Rack rolls out, fits over your sink, and stows away in seconds. Silicone-coated stainless steel holds up under hefty pots and supports delicate glassware, while a perforated ledge and built-in utensil caddy makes room for all the extras. The rack and caddy are designed to promote extra air-flow, which makes for quicker drying times, too.

A complete retrospective of the Case Study Houses program. The Case Study House program (1945–1966) was an exceptional, innovative event in the history of American architecture and remains to this day unique. The program, which concentrated on the Los Angeles area and oversaw the design of 36 prototype homes, sought to make available plans for modern residences that could be easily and cheaply constructed during the postwar building boom. The program’s chief motivating force was Arts & Architecture editor John Entenza, a champion of modernism who had all the right connections to attract some of architecture’s greatest talents, such as Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames, and Eero Saarinen. Highly experimental, the program generated houses that were designed to redefine the modern home, and had a pronounced influence on architecture—American and international—both during the program’s existence and even to this day.

Book storage is difficult in small spaces. With a small footprint, and discreet frame, Story Bookcase was designed to make the most of your space and show off books and other collectibles. "We simply want to create things people won’t get rid of," says Story designer Chen-Yen. In creating the Story Bookcase (2017), they brought a new twist to vertical book storage. Story allows you to shift and rotate the shelves to suit your space's needs. Made in Taiwan.

Charge and power up to 5 devices at the same time via 2 USB ports, 2 AC outlets, and 1 USB-C port. With the AC outlets located on the side, you’ve got enough space for any size plug. Designed with a slimmer plug than other power strips, perfect for hard-to-reach outlets tucked away behind your bed or sofa. The child-friendly safety shutters prevent foreign objects from being inserted into the outlet, keeping you and your children safe.

An intricate waffle-tiled bath towel is exceptionally thick and cushy to provide incredible absorption right out of the shower.

Have a little bit of everything! This sampler pack of classic Milk Bar treats gives you a taste of the greats, from a 3-pack each of our dreamy rainbow-vanilla B'Day Cake Truffles and Chocolate B'Day Cake Truffles and one of each cookie to a single slice of ooey-gooey Milk Bar Pie—all packaged in a slick windowed tin.

Chunky wool blend socks keep your toes toasty and add a touch of classic style to any outfit. Pair these with your favorite boots, jeans, and a flannel, and you’ve got a certified classic fall outfit on your hands. Plus they’re functional—the wool blend keeps your toes nice and toasty whether the weather’s fair or foul.

A body polishing, skin cleaning towel made in Japan. There’s a reason our best ideas come at us in the shower. While our thinking brain relaxes into an automatic task, those background thoughts can free-associate all over the place. But that automatic task is still important—getting you clean. Which is why this towel from Japan is so genius. With a weave of exfoliating and lathering threads plus its generous dimensions, the Goshi Towel cleans, sloughs away dead skin, and gets at all those hard-to-reach spots. At the end of a shower, your skin is softer and cleaner than ever before... without you even having to think about it.

Achieve the ultimate beauty sleep with these soft and soothing sateen sheets woven from cotton that's blended with sustainable lyocell fibers for peace of mind.

Thoughtfully designed and crafted to elevate any sleeping space, this platform bed includes a natural walnut colored frame with a PillowBoard and cushion-coated slats.

Whether you're a coffee aficionado or a brewing beginner, Stagg EKG will be your countertop partner in the pursuit of a ridiculously good cup of coffee.

Endlessly comfortable and effortlessly cool—these are lightweight sweats for staying stylish and comfortable at the same time. The Quilted Sweats are designed with a dialed-in fit that never sags, and their breathable, lightweight build is perfectly suited for year-round lounging.

The compact footprint of this chair makes it a smart choice for cafes or just about anywhere you need to maximize seating. Its lack of ornamentation and unnecessary excess lends this timeless, Shaker-style chair a modern feel. Finished in a water-based opaque paint that really makes the chair’s profile pop, Salt is unpretentious, familiar, and made for everyday use.

Sliding into a pair of Greys slippers gives you the same satisfying feeling as a nice, steep pour of bourbon after a long day. A cozy wool blend keeps your feet nice and toasty, while the grippy rubber sole lets you take them beyond the bedroom—whether you’re venturing across the slippery kitchen floor or across the street to your local coffee shop. The shape is handsome enough to keep your neighbors from raising any eyebrows, while a thoughtful, stub-proof toe box keeps you from shouting expletives in public. Every pair is naturally moisture-wicking and odor-resistant, and comes with a leather pull-on tab to easily slip ‘em off (though we’re not sure why you’d ever want to).

Woven from handsome navy and natural cotton-colored yarn, the Classic Cotton Bath Mat is a perfect staple for the bathroom. The looped pile of this machine-washable mat provides comfort and durability free from rigid rubber backing. A Schoolhouse Original.

A modern compost bin that eliminates food waste and looks damn good in the process. For nearly everyone, food waste is an inevitable part of daily life. Rather than tossing it in the trash to get shuttled off to a landfill, the Composter is there to help you sort your food waste before tossing it in your compost bin or your own compost pile. The modern design and handsome construction allows the Composter to perfectly blend in on any countertop, and is built from dishwasher-safe bamboo for easy cleaning.

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