What to Buy for the New Homeowners on Your List

Considering how many people have made big moves over the last year, housewarming gifts are more relevant than ever.

Grace Han/Thrillist
Grace Han/Thrillist
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As millennials continue to leave cities in droves, home ownership has replaced the allure of latex parties hosted inside out-of-commission train cars as a means to happiness. The problem with buying a new home (aside from, you know, buying a new home) is finding the right accoutrement to appoint your space in a way that doesn’t scream “recent college grad.” Ikea furniture? Out. Bean bag chairs? Out. Those long trippy posters of mushrooms that glow in the dark? Unsurprisingly out. Whether you’re gifting these to a friend, loved one, or yourself, here are the 11 items that can easily help transform any house into a home.

Grace Han

For the Kitchen

Price: $449
Why it's a great gift: Made for the Guy Fieri wannabe, HexClad’s hybrid cookware is made from a nonstick, stainless-steel laser-etched hexagon design for an oven safe, induction-ready, scratch-resistant piece of cookware that can handle anything from eggs to steak. Easy to use, easy to clean, and very heavy–so you know it’s gotta be good.

Grace Han

Price: $179
Why it's a great gift: You don’t often see coffee makers that utilize the objectively more delicious pourover method, but Brim isn’t a normal coffee company; it’s a cool coffee company. A specialized shower head-like design utilizes “pulse brewing” to evenly distribute water throughout your grounds at a constant temperature of 197.6°F to 204.8°F for a perfect bloom that’ll get you up and out the door. Combined with a laser-etched permanent filter and auto shut off, this 8-cup pourover is the best thing to happen to mornings since the invention of the sun.

Grace Han

Price: $69
Why it's a great gift: If you can ignore the pricepoint long enough to stifle those childish titters, I can let you in on the secret of The Governor. Ideal for the foodie of the family, this award-winning olive oil is harvested early and milled by experts in Corfu, Greece for a bright, robust, and peppery taste that’ll instantly hoist your salad or pasta (or pasta salad) to flavorful new heights.

Grace Han

For the Home Bar

Price: $299
Why it's a great gift: Where would we, as a species, be without the expert guidance of stores like West Elm? This stunning mid-century bar cart is a triumph in style and design. Pulling from the minimalistic clean-lined look of the ‘50s and ‘60s (you know, the middle of the century), this kiln-dried solid eucalyptus wooden cart comes equipped with two shelves and a set of wheels that’ll keep your booze safe and sound.

Grace Han

Price: $95
Why it's a great gift: Save for harnessing the cutting-edge and very real technology from
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and sticking a tiny, mustachioed Brooklyn-based mixologist in your pocket, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better cocktail-making assistant than the Barsys Smart Coaster. Not only does this Bluetooth-connected system tell you exactly how many ounces you’re pouring with the accompanying app, but users have access to thousands of cocktail recipes with the push of a button. Well, probably two or three button-pushes. The coolest feature is the electromagnetic mixer that automatically stirs cocktails as you add ingredients.

Grace Han

Prices vary
Why it's a great gift: Distilled in the mountains of Utah (where apparently alcohol is legal?), High West Whiskey is some of the best booze you’ll ever drink. I definitely recommend High West Campfire for the smokey that sweet toffee and smoke flavor that tastes especially good around a… well, around a campfire I guess.

Grace Han

For the Living Room

Price: $1,395
Why it's a great gift: Now here’s a sofa you can really sink that ass into. Built by the masterful designers behind the aptly-named Burrow, this customizable sofa is made from a tight olefin fiber weave for a stain-proof and scratch-resistant cushion that can stand up to your midnight snacks. A built-in USB charger & 72” power cord comes standard with the Slope Sofa, while a sturdy frame made of Baltic Birch ensures a crash-free sitting experience.

Grace Han

Price: $120
Why it's a great gift: One of the silver linings of this hellish year working from home during a pandemic is the chance to really make your home office shine. I love everything Grovemade puts out, but this monitor stand truly lessens the sting of those 12-hour workdays.

Grace Han

Prices vary
Why it's a great gift: Am I biased because there’s a regal portrait of my 12-pound Dachshound/Chihuahua mix, Sybil hanging in my dining room? Who knows! Here’s how it works: you send a couple of pictures of your pet to the team at Crown & Paw and a few weeks later you’ll get an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind portrait (or phone case or blanket or throw pillow) that’ll garner some serious attention.

Grace Han

For the Bedroom

Price: $535.50
Why it’s a great gift: There’s no shortage of DTC mattress companies popping up across the internet, but Tuft & Needle cracked the code on comfort. Each mattress is made with two layers of open-cell foam that uses graphite and cooling gel to pull heat away from your body while keeping you comfy and cozy. Naturally, they’ve got plenty of bedding to choose from; the only hard part is choosing just one.

Grace Han

Price: $250
Why it’s a great gift: As weed continues to break free from the antiquated laws of the past, the means in which we inhale our legal jazz cabbage go far beyond the glass pipes and apples from our youth. The Pax 3 was made for the bedroom; portable and discreet without sacrificing quality. Twenty seconds is all you need from packing to vaping, allowing users to indulge in the post-work (or mid-work, let’s be honest) high that we all need in such objectively shitty times.

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