Photography: Kate Enno
Moving into a new home is a milestone worth celebrating, but it takes time to transform a space into something that feels truly lived-in and welcoming. When our nearest and dearest cross the threshold of a new place, a thoughtful housewarming gift can be just the thing to help them feel settled.
My brother and sister-in-law recently purchased their first home. It’s a charming townhouse with an open-plan kitchen and breezy alfresco lounge perfect for entertaining with friends and family. Ever since they picked up the keys, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect present to say ‘congrats’.
The secret to an excellent housewarming gift? Consider the new homeowners’ lifestyles — how they live, entertain, and decorate. A present that reflects their personality and habits will always resonate more deeply than a scented candle or sparkling wine (though a bottle of bubbles will never go astray, trust me).
Still stuck? The best way to ensure you’re buying a housewarming gift that will be appreciated (and used) for years to come is to heed the advice of those who have come before. And lucky for you, here at Home Beautiful, we’ve been given and also gifted a LOT of housewarming presents over the years. We’ve combined our anecdotal evidence with hours spent scouring Australian homewares brands online, comparing price points and researching various gifts.
The results? We know the best presents to add to cart. For my brother, I picked up a few pieces from the ‘Italian Words’ collection by cult dinnerware label In The Roundhouse to remind him of his recent Roman holiday, while setting him up for many memorable dinner parties to come.
With that in mind, here’s a non-exhaustive list of the most thoughtful housewarming gifts to make any new space feel like home.
2026’s TOP HOUSEWARMING GIFTS IN AUSTRALIA
- Recipe Journal, $64, Papier (here’s why)
- ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’-inspired bread, salt, wine goodie bag (here’s why)
- Everyday Glass Gaiwan, $30, T2 (here’s why)
- Dinosaur Designs resin salad bowl and servers, $435 for both, David Jones (here’s why)
- Hand-drawn custom house illustration, $42.51, Etsy (here’s why)
- White bath towel set, $150.50, Sheridan (here’s why)
The best housewarming gifts we’ve ever received
01
Recipe journal in Pink Jacobean Florals
$64/hardback, Papier
Brittany Smith, Home Beautiful Category Editor says: I gave this recipe journal to a friend and was so enamoured by it that I bought another for myself. It ticks so many boxes.
I am trying to lower my screen time and declutter my home. I often get recipes from Instagram. When I use this journal, I’m reading from a book instead of a screen. So my digital addiction? Improving. The decluttering issue? I own many cookbooks but rarely use more than a few recipes from each. This journal allows me to cherry-pick the highlights, keep them in one book then donate the leftover cookbooks.
Plus, a recipe journal is heartfelt. I wrote two of my favourite recipes, with handy advice, in the journal I gifted my friend. I knew she’d enjoy them so it had that element of personalisation, connection and shared experiences.
Key features:
- Free personalisation available
- Hardcover (but also available in spiral bound)
- Available in colourways pink and charcoal.
- Sections include: breakfast, lunch, dinner and treat recipes
- Space for 85 recipes
02
Serving paddle, sea salt flakes, wine and mesh bag
Left to right: $47.95, Temple & Webster; $7.99, Harris Farm Markets; $30, Liquorland; $12.99, Amazon
Diana Moore, Home Beautiful Digital Editor says: My favourite housewarming gift of all time comes from the classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. George and Mary Bailey gift new homeowners Mr & Mrs Martini the following: “Bread, that this house may never no hunger / Salt, that life may always have flavour / And wine, that joy and prosperity may reign forever”. I usually package it all up in a string bag with a rustic timber bread board.
1. Menara rectangular acacia wood serving paddle, $47.95, Temple & Webster
2. Mesh grocery bags, $12.99/set of 2, Amazon
3. Olssons Sea Salt Flakes in Stoneware Jar/250g, $7.99, Harris Farm Markets
4. Penfolds Max’s Pinot Noir 2024, $30, Liquorland
Key features:
- Serving paddle is available in 2 sizes
- Serving paddle is made from acacia wood
- Sea salt flakes are hand-harvested
- Pinot noir has juicy red berry and cherry notes with a touch of spice. Pairs with mushroom risotto and herbed chicken.
03
Everyday Glass Gaiwan and Gong Dao Bei
$30/glass Gaiwan (top of image); $25/glass Gong Dao Bei (bottom of image), T2
Rebecca Hooton, Home Beautiful Managing Editor says: I have a friend who is really into all things holistic and wellness. She was a beauty therapist and had just moved into a new town, opening her own little beauty studio. I gifted her a Chinese tea set that I thought would be beautiful for her to use personally but that also had potential for use in her new studio. What sets a great gift apart from an average gift is how much you considered the person’s interests and potential needs (especially when it comes to the small, oft-forgotten items).
“Gaiwan” translates to “lidded bowl” and is a tea brewing set that has been in use in China since the Ming dynasty. It consists of three parts: a lid (representing the heavens), a bowl (representing humanity) and a saucer (representing the earth). It is said that when you hold a Gaiwan together in your hands, you hold a small and harmonious piece of heaven, humanity and earth. For more on how to use this vessel, click here.
1. Glass Gaiwan, $30, T2
2. Glass Gong Dao Bei, $25, T2
Key features:
- 220ml capacity
- Made from borosilicate glass
- Also available in porcelain
- Gaiwan (traditional Chinese brewing vessel) and Gong Dao Bei (handleless decanter used in traditional Chinese Gongfu tea ceremonies).
04
Dinosaur Designs ‘Flow’ salad bowl and ‘Stone’ servers in Cappuccino
$310/31cm bowl; $125/30cm servers, David Jones
Alice Ierace, Home Beautiful Art Director says: My friends went in together on a housewarming gift for me that I absolutely love. It’s the most amazing salad bowl and matching salad servers from Dinosaur Designs. It’s a real treat because Dinosaur Designs is a gorgeous homewares brand and, in all honesty, I don’t often spend that much money on myself. Now I have this set which looks like a work of art in itself. Every time I use it, I think of my friends which is another lovely bonus.
1. ‘Flow’ salad bowl in Cappuccino, $310/31cm (L), David Jones
2. ‘Stone’ long servers in Cappuccino, $125/30cm (L), David Jones
Key features:
- Made from 100% resin
- Salad servers available in 14 colours. Salad bowl available in 3 colours
- Weight of bowl: 1.8kg
- Suited for cold food only
05
Hand-drawn custom house illustration
$42.51 (was $56.58), Etsy
Emily Murray, Home Beautiful Social Media Content Producer says: I love the idea of gifting something personal as a housewarming present, a special keepsake that feels thoughtful and sentimental. A hand-drawn portrait turns four walls and a front door into something far more meaningful and captures all the little details that make a house feel uniquely theirs. Whether it’s a first home, forever home or where they’ve brought their first baby home, a custom illustration is a beautiful reminder of the life unfolding inside. The best part? If you’re not great at drawing it yourself, there are many talented Etsy sellers that offer beautifully personalised home portraits custom made and framed, ready to be hung with pride on the walls of its new home.
Key features:
- Digital file that is ready to print
- Customisable and personalised
- Two striped background options
- Option to include names, address or a short phrase
- Etsy seller creates the digital file within 3-5 business days.
06
‘Orson’ towel range in White
$150.50 for full set, including two bath towels (was $301), Sheridan
Teneal Zuvela, Home Beautiful writer says: This was a gorgeous wedding gift I received from my mum but it works perfectly as a housewarming present, too. It’s lovely to get new towels and not have to buy them yourself (which can feel like quite a chore). They’re white as well, which is so timeless and versatile. They always feel soft to touch, turning basic hygiene into a little moment of luxury. It’s also a good present for all price points as you can buy the entire set, or only the bath towels, depending on how far your budget will stretch.
Key features:
- Set includes: face washer, hand towel, bath mat, bath towel, bath sheet
- Textured stripe design
- 2-ply backing
- 500GSM
- 100% cotton
- Designed in Australia
- Available in 8 colours
6 more housewarming gift ideas
We haven’t personally gifted or received the following goodies but they’ve got our tick of approval so it’s only a matter of time!
01
Clip Candle Care Kit in ‘Brass’
$275, Trit House
Best for: A touch of luxury
One can never have too many candles. But for a more thoughtful gift that lasts the distance, wrap up a candle care kit they can use time and time again. This luxe four-piece set includes elegant tools in powder-coated metal. A candle snuffer, wick trimmer and pick ensure less smoke and sooting, better burning and the cleaner extinguishing of flames, while the accompanying storage tray doubles as décor when not in use.
Colours: Black and Brass.
Materials: Brass, Steel and PVD Plating.
Key features:
- Includes: Candle snuffer, wick trimmer, pick and tray
- Dimensions: 220 (W) x 100 (H) mm
- 2 year warranty
02
World of Breakfast Loose Leaf Gift Pack
$89, T2 Tea
Best for: Kitchen essentials
The best housewarming gifts are both practical and stylish, and this breakfast tea set ticks both boxes. Inside a colourful recyclable cardboard gift box, six types of loose leaf tea are packed into limited-edition, reusable tins that bring warmth to any kitchen counter. It’s a household essential made chic, fit for early risers and tea lovers alike.
Colours: Limited edition, coloured tins.
Materials: 100% sustainably sourced tea leaves.
Key features:
- Includes: English Breakfast, French Earl Grey, Melbourne Breakfast, New York Breakfast, Singapore Breakfast and Sydney Breakfast
- Dimensions: 22.2cm x 8cm x 16cm
- Recyclable cardboard gift box
03
‘Sardines + Bread’ Art Print
$65/A4, Libby Haines Art
Best for: Artwork
Hand-pick a limited edition artwork for homeowners’ to make their walls one of a kind. We love still life artist Libby Haines’s print reproductions (limited to 25 editions per size), which capture scenes of everyday life — such as cooking and flower arranging — in rich colours and textures. Bonus points if you choose a piece that reflects their favourite food or drink, or suits their new abode’s colour scheme.
Key features:
- Sizes available are A4, A3, A2 and A1
- Printed on demand on textured Fine Art Paper
- Includes a Certificate of Authenticity, hand signed and numbered
04
Good Cooking Every Day by Julia Busuttil Nishimura
$44.99, Dymocks
Best for: Cookbooks
A cookbook is always a good idea, whether to spark inspiration in the kitchen or simply add a pop of colour in a shelfie. Good Cooking Every Day is an especially good idea, as it’s all about simple food and creating seasonal, memorable meals. Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s collection of recipes includes a guide to creating menus for any occasion, from a celebration of summer produce to pure comfort food in cooler weather, a casual family dinner to a relaxed lunch with friends.
Materials: Paperback.
Key features:
- Dimensions: 22.8 x 2.4 x 28.9 cm
- 264 pages
- Language: English
05
Perfect Pot in ‘Blue Salt’
$149/Standard, Our Place
Best for: Cookware
Want to get them cookware but don’t know where to start? Try this 8-in-1 family-sized, stovetop-to-oven nonstick pot by cookware brand Our Place. With multiple uses, from boiling to baking, steaming to braising, this is an ideal present for those who love cooking sans the clean-up (read: everyone).
Size: Standard (5.2 L).
Colours: Steam, Char, Blue Salt, Sage and Spice.
Materials: Ceramic nonstick coating and aluminium interior for fast, even heat.
Key features:
- Includes: Large pot, lid with a built-in strainer and beechwood spoon
- Dimensions: 26.7 cm diameter, 14 cm depth
- Oven safe up to 230°C and induction compatible
06
Pomponette Vase
$159, Maison Balzac
Best for: Décor
This playful, handblown vase is the perfect centrepiece for any tabletop, adding a wallop of joy and personality to any blank space. Fill it with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for the happy homeowners and you’re bound to be welcomed back after your first visit.
Colours: Clear with Multi.
Material: 100% Borosilicate glass.
Key features:
- Dimensions: Height 21cm Diameter 11cm
- Handblown
- Hand wash with a soft bristle brush
What are the best housewarming gift ideas for new homeowners?
When searching for the best housewarming gift ideas for new homeowners, it’s important to choose thoughtful and practical gifts that make their new house feel like a home. Personalised gifts, such as custom art prints or engraved tableware, are sentimental with a functional purpose. For those who love cooking or entertaining, high-quality kitchenware like a premium knife set, designer serving platter, or an upgraded coffee maker is a great option. Combining style and functionality, these are the perfect presents for new homeowners.
Indoor plants, such as succulents, snake plants, or peace lilies, are another excellent choice. Not only do they brighten up the space, but they also purify the air in a new abode, offering both aesthetic and health benefits. A plush throw or cosy decorative pillows are ideal for making any living room feel inviting. Opting for high-quality fabrics like cashmere or linen ensures that the gift is both luxurious and practical. These gift ideas are the perfect blend of thoughtfulness, style, and practicality, ensuring that new homeowners feel truly welcomed and at home.
How much should I spend on a housewarming gift?
When deciding how much to spend on a housewarming gift, it’s important to consider your relationship with the homeowner and your budget. Typically, people spend anywhere from $20 to $100 on housewarming gifts. For casual friends or acquaintances, gifts in the $20-$40 range are often appropriate. For close friends or family, you may want to increase your budget to $50-$100 or more, especially if you’re looking for something more meaningful or personalised.
Keep in mind that the thoughtfulness of the gift matters more than the price tag. If you’re on a tighter budget, consider giving something handmade, like an edible gift or plant cuttings in a beautiful pot, which can still have a big impact without breaking the bank. For those with a larger budget, high-quality kitchenware, artwork, or a premium wine set are excellent options. The key is to select a gift that aligns with the homeowner’s tastes and needs, ensuring it will be appreciated and used.
