31 Brain-Stimulating Products That Double As Decor
Imagine your eyeball and brain high-fiving.
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. A gradient puzzle that'll be like, "yes, I am a challenging team activity but also catch me being a slick table setting."
2. A sun-catching block set, because if loving baby toys as decor is wrong then, goo goo gaga dammit, I don't wanna be right.
3. A wooden fractal puzzle that makes me want to relearn high school geometry after forgetting essentially all of it. (Sorry, Mrs. Nelson!!)
Promising review: "These puzzles are stacked and sitting on our counter in our kitchen. My intention here was so that when people came over to visit or cook or ... whatever ... that they could grab these puzzles and have a grand interaction with their mind and creativity. It worked. A friend was over the other day and she sat — enthralled and busy — while we talked and I reorganized my pantry. These are THE PERFECT family and friends gathering, interaction, sort of pieces to have sitting out for people to try. If this fractal company made 10 of these, I would purchase every single one!!!!!! NOT only are these puzzles capable of the well-needed mind challenge in today's world of smart phones and computer gizmos, but they make a rather simple, sophisticated statement of casual, elegant ART sitting out on my kitchen counter." —Puzzle lover
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $60.
4. A DIY miniature kit, because a house is not a home without a custom-built miniature home on your shelf that you spent hours meticulously crafting — I don't make the rules!
Promising review: "This was my first time building a miniature. My 10-year-old loves craft projects and these rooms looked cute. They also looked complicated and time-consuming. I wasn't sure if this was a good idea but decided to give it a try anyway. I purchased both the greenhouse and the art studio. My daughter and I spent one to two hours a day over a couple of weeks working on these together. I built the greenhouse while she built the art studio. We had a blast! They were incredibly fun and actually easy to build. The instructions were superb. My husband looked at the finished rooms and was very impressed. He thought they looked great. I have since purchased the library and sewing room. We haven't had a chance to start on these yet but are looking forward to it." —Ginger
Get it from Amazon for $31.84+ (available in nine styles).
5. A wooden laser-cut building kit that's just asking to be your new steampunk-y centerpiece.
6. A beautiful wooden chess board for hanging on your wall — you never know when the mood will strike. Could be today, could be a few ~knights~ down the road.
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $95.
7. Or, a skyline set can pay homage to the concrete jungle where dreams, and trash heaps, are made.
Promising review: "I sent this to my expatriate son in LA. He loved it. We lived in Brooklyn; went to every museum in NYC when he was growing up. So he loved the chess set and plays the game regularly. But he still wants to live there and not here. Darn." —Susanne F.
Get it from MoMA Design Store for $135.
8. A quirky brain-teaser puzzle your guests will definitely be eyeing.
Promising review: "Simple, elegant, funny, unforgettable. Art and a toy. Wonderful gift for kids and art lovers. Designed by the amazing artist Richard McGuire, who wrote the brilliant (and much-praised) book 'Here.'" —Leslie J. Roberts
Get it from Amazon for $22.46.
9. A wooden labyrinth game to somehow elicit feelings of both rage (while steering these marbles to their destination) and peace (while looking at the beautiful woodwork on your countertop).
Promising review: "Absolutely beautiful wood! As a novelty/decor item, this is going to go over well. Especially since the little balls can't get lost or separated from the puzzle. For the person on your list who has everything, it's a great addition. I have fallen in love." —KCGrigg
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $16.
10. A cork-crafting kit, because if you're going to leave corks out on your coffee table why not fully lean into some campy, cork-centric decor?
11. A Shengshou mirror cube if you're like, "no way could a Rubik's cube make for decent decor" — well have you met its silver-fox sibling?
12. A puzzle within a puzzle that just watched Inception for the first time.
Get it from Food52 for $40 (for a set of two).
13. A collection of pen and watercolor drawings from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat that'll sneakily get you thinking about the elements of cooking while you admire the shading on a summer tomato.
Get it from Amazon for $14.93 (for 20 prints).
14. A geometric wooden puzzle if you're into the idea of interacting with tabletop sculptures — not just admiring them from afar.
Promising review: "Great table topper that is also a fun and artistic adventure puzzle people will enjoy." —Susea
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $30 (available in asteroid or nemesis style).
15. A building-block kit to channel your inner architect — you can even get specific with style preference. Merry Christmas, Brutalism heads.
16. A mind-bending bottle holder in case you were thinking, "how can I possibly make opening wine even more difficult for myself?" (Worst case scenario: You give up and admire the beautiful woodwork encasing your vino.)
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $30 (available in "easy" or "difficult").
17. A cooking measurements conversion chart print to save you from a google while your hands are covered in cookie batter. (Bonus: great design!)
18. A mini food puzzle — your choice of anything from broccoli to gummy bears — that'll make you wonder why "snackwave" had such a tragically short run.
19. A set of periodic table element blocks that'll look He*lla Ti**ght on your bookcase. (*Helium, **Titanium)
Promising review: "Let’s be honest: These are more for the adults than the kids but they are still worth it. Bought for a toddler and he LOVED the colors, weight, and the nice deep sound made by tapping the blocks together. He actually plays with these over his traditional (lame) alphabet blocks. Plus, the adult drinking game potential here is endless ... after the kid goes to bed, of course." —Sarika
Get it from Amazon for $32.95.
20. A color theory chart-turned-puzzle used by writer Derek Patmore to explain color's important role in design — you know what I don't need explained? Why this puzzle absolutely belongs in your home.
21. A LEGO building kit of the Guggenheim Museum, because this just seems like the Frank Lloyd Wright decision.
22. A geometric sculpture game (take turns stacking its feather-like shapes with a partner) that elevates tacky summer-camp decor to become a chic adult accent piece.
Get it from MoMA Design Store for $84.
23. A set of "snake blocks" you can make other creatures with if snakes make your skin crawl.
24. A geode puzzle, because you just successfully navigated the IRS website to file taxes, so surely you're ready for any challenge.
Promising review: "We don't have a lot of space for a big tabletop puzzle, but this one was a great size. Also, I really like the smell of lasercut wood. The color options were good and it's a creative idea." —Heather
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $65 (available in blue, multi-colored, and pink).
25. A "four-across" game made of stunning maplewood that you'll have no shame in leaving out on a table as a permanent fixture.
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $60.
26. A two-sided Sol Lewitt puzzle — one side neon, the other monochromatic — so your decor can reflect the duality of your taste.
Get it from MoMA Design Store for $16.
27. Or a curvy, retro puzzle if your taste is just always: LOUD.
Get it from Amazon for $34.95.
28. A pack of eco-friendly (and antique-y) playing cards to give your coffee table a royal flush.
Promising review: "These cards are simply beautiful; the quality feel of Bicycle paper with the eco feel of the green ink on the jacks, queens, and kings. The pack comes with an informational card about the greenness of the product. If you want to make a statement about the things you care about, play with these cards. Product was just as described and securely packaged." —Astrid Hummingbird
Get it from Amazon for $5.21.
29. A Niels Bohr Atom mobile that'll trick you into thinking about physics when you swore you'd never look back after high school.
30. A patent print of Mickey Mouse to hang on your wall and pay homage to the labor that goes into animation.
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (for four 8x10 prints).
31. And a long-lasting wooden block toy to make an enviable addition to a kid's play den. (Or! On a grown-ass adult's desk at work.)
Promising review: "These blocks are even better than I thought they would be: huge, brightly colored, and so creative. All the kids love them, and honestly I want to play with them myself quite a lot ;). These are really well made and will last for many years and many families of kids." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $159.99.
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