The Shop at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York is one of the best sources we know of for reasonably priced, useful house gifts (good to keep in mind for summer weekends).

Above: Aluminum Olive Oil Dispenser from Portugal; $28.

Above: Kamenoko Tawashi Scrubber made of palm fiber; $6.50.

Above: White Marble Mortar and Pestle by Magnus Lundstrum Design; $60.