20 Best Gifts for the Home, According to a Professional Interior Designer
Updated: Jan. 14, 2024
From the cheese lover to the tech-obsessed friend, loved one or colleague, there are gifts for the home to fit every personality.
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It’s tricky to source gifts for the home from an outsider perspective. You strive to gift something that fits your recipient’s functional and aesthetic needs, but with so many products on the market, where do you start? The good news is that there are a few top household items to add to your gift list that will stand the test of time no matter which personality you’re shopping for—including gifts for new homeowners.
We’re sharing gifts for the home that are categorized by type of receiver. Each item is just as practical as it is elegant, and guaranteed to make your friend, family or loved one smile.
For the Cheese Lover: Deluxe Charcuterie Board
Whether you fancy cured meat, fruit, nuts or sweet pickles, a charcuterie board’s colorful display of delicious treats makes it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. For a speedy appetizer, your favorite cheese lover won’t be disappointed with this charcuterie board, which includes a customizable monogram that’s engraved into the bamboo wood.
For the New Gardener: Herb Garden Starter Kit
This entire DIY culinary indoor plant kit is United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-certified organic and makes for a fun gift. Since it’s an indoor herb garden kit, your gardener can grow each plant on a windowsill, countertop or balcony. Plus, organic elements, like fresh greenery and flowers, add beauty and visual texture to a kitchen space.
For the Candle Collector: Homesick State Candle
With 60 to 80 hours of burn time, the candle lover in your life will appreciate adding this Homesick state candle to their collection. Each state has its own scent to remind them of their home state or favorite vacation spot.
For the Game-Night Family: Monopoly Bookshelf Edition
Ditch the typical board game box and opt for the display-worthy Monopoly bookshelf edition. On game nights, break it out to play with the whole family. And when it’s done, pack it up and show it off on your bookshelf. is one gift that will never disappoint. You can also shop the Yahtzee and Scrabble games, among others.
For the Bookworm: Agate Bookends
Made of pieces of semiprecious stone sliced to 90 degree angles, these bookends infuse luminous color into a bookworm’s space and hold their collection upright to make for a neat display. Agate slices are a designer-favorite, as they add a dose of natural beauty and come in a variety of hues to complement most decor styles.
For the Constant Cleaner: Bissell Handheld Cordless Vacuum
This handheld vacuum by Bissell gets into all the nooks and crannies other vacuums can’t properly clean. Tell the recipient to use it on their countertop, in their car or on their keyboard for a truly deep clean (without a whole lot of effort on their part).
For the Laid-Back Friend: Velvet Square Pouf
Poufs are a versatile design piece you’ll often see in professionally-designed spaces—and for good reason! You can use poufs—like this one that comes in six colors—to prop up your feet or as an extra seat, and they also make cool “finishing pieces.”
For the Self-Proclaimed Interior Designer: The Soul of the House Coffee Table Book
Like art, interior design is be subjective. So for the decorator, we recommend gifting a versatile and safe option, like this coffee table book, which dually serves as an excellent decorating tool and great read).
For the One on the Go: Canvas Zip-Top Tote
This charming tote is one of the best gifts for the home because it’s customizable, can be used for a range of occasions (think grocery trips or beach days), is made from 100% canvas and looks stylish even when it’s not in use (imagine it hanging from a wall hook or sitting in a nook). Choose among two sizes and six colors.
For the Tech-Obsessed Friend: Linen Wireless Charging Block
This is a smart accessory for the person in your life who has tech gizmos and gadgets, but doesn’t always remember to charge them. This chic, weighted charging block is fully covered in Belgium linen, so it may trick you into thinking it’s an accessory tray (which we don’t mind, since black charging stations don’t always make the prettiest displays). Plus, this device can be monogrammed and works with various Apple and Samsung devices.
For the Homebody: Cashmere Blanket
When searching for gifts for the home, we always recommend cotton or cashmere blankets (and avoiding wool as it may irritate sensitive skin). We adore this 100% cashmere jersey knit blanket, which dually serves as a design staple you can use to dress up the arm of a sofa or accent chair and the ultimate snuggle sidekick. Best part: cashmere is super lightweight, so it feels incredibly warm without the chunkiness of a big, weighted blanket.
For the Zen Friend: Smart Essential Oil Diffuser
With Wi-Fi, Alexa and voice control capabilities, this is the only essential oil diffuser that will do. The smart product can also serves as a light, so you’ll have a beautiful-smelling space and a functional gadget so you don’t have to turn on the room’s main light source.
For the Home Baker: Non-Stick Baking Pans Set
Whether they’re known for their holiday baking or can be found whipping up a new recipe on the weekends, this baking set guarantees they have the right pan for the job. The dishwasher-safe set includes an air fry rack, baking sheet, muffin pan, square baking pan, loaf pan and roaster pan that all stack together for easy storing.
For the Spiritual Person: Five-Year Keepsake Journal Set
They can record five years of thoughts, memories, daily reflections and affirmations in this boxed set of hardcover journals. Each volume is wrapped in a book cloth and embellished with metallic gold-foiled lettering. The aesthetics alone can instantly jazz up a bland area (and form an eye-catching display sitting on a bookshelf or table).
For the New Homeowner: Egyptian Cotton Sheets
When searching for gifts for the home—especially if your recipient is a first-time homeowner who may need to stock up on the basics—you can’t go wrong with these 100% Egyptian cotton sheets. For a safe bet, stock to a solid, neutral color that foregoes any wild patterns. This brand has Cotton Egypt Association accreditation and comes free of harmful chemicals.
For the Coffee Enthusiast: Clear Coffee Mugs
These transparent mugs keep beverages warm while also keeping the outer surface cool to the touch. One of the best gifts for a coffee lover, these mugs stylishly hold any beverage from hot cocoa to mulled wine and tea. Plus, this set of two mugs is microwave-, dishwasher- and freezer-safe.
For the Organizer: 100% Bamboo Drawer Organizers
No matter your recipient’s design style, these drawer organizers work just about anywhere. Think: kitchen junk drawers, bathroom cosmetics and nightstand organization. This option is constructed of 100% bamboo, unlike other iterations that come with an medium-density fiberboard (MDF) base (which is then covered with a bamboo photo sticker).
For the Fashionista: Little Guides to Style Book Collection
This book collection, Little Guides to Style, features an iconic books for fashion lovers. With Dior, Gucci, Prada and Chanel in this set, these books showcase hundreds of stunning imagery and text offering inspiration and guidance to luxury style.
For the Music Fan: Framed Lyric Artwork
These custom art canvases come in various colors with ready-to-hang frames crafted from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood. You can ask your music lover their favorite artist or song and have it displayed in this beautiful piece of artwork that moonlights as a memory capsule.
For the Mixologist: Mixology Gift Crate
If you’ve got a passionate cocktail maker in your group, this is the ideal gift for them. This mixology set comes with a stainless steel shaking tin and cocktail picks, plus artisanal bar ingredients like orange bitters and dirty martini juice. And you don’t have to spend one minute arranging this gift since it’s already packaged in a reusable wooden crate.
Originally Published: August 22, 2023
