I’m a self-admitted HGTV-addict, have piles of home magazines and coffee table books from various designers. I have Pinterest boards full of home decor inspo and I know I’m not the only one. You know your bestie/girlfriend/mom/sister/brother/anyone loves interior design and you want to find a gift that matches their hobby and main interest but don’t know where to start? It doesn’t help that home decor is something that can be really personal – that’s why I’m here to help!
Here are my top gifts for the interior design lover on your shopping list this year! These home decor gifts are sure to please!
Home Decor & Interior Design Books
Books are one of my favorite gifts to give and receive and most of my faves right now are written by interior designers. Some of the books that I’m sharing were released pre-2020 but are worth mentioning because they’re so great. I find that a book by a designer that someone loves to follow makes a really thoughtful gift – plus they look so great on a coffee table, console or bookshelf. Here are my faves right now:
The Martha Manual & Martha Stewart’s Organizing: I am a huge Martha Stewart fan and I love to have these books on my shelf for reference (they are SO incredibly handy!). I have The Martha Manual and have referred to it countless times for advice, and I’m definitely adding Martha Stewart’s Organizing to my own Wishlist this year!
Make Life Beautiful: I have been a fan of Studio McGee for years and now they have their own Netflix series (so well deserved). This book is full of more than design advice – it’s a great blueprint for success in life, too.
The Home Edit & The Home Edit Life: This is another pair I’ve followed long before they had a series on Netflix. As a self-proclaimed superfan of The Container Store and all things home organization, this is right up my alley. I pre-ordered their first book The Home Edit and have added The Home Edit Life to my holiday Wishlist!
Make Something Good Today: I love HGTV’s Home Town and so when Ben and Erin Napier released a book, I knew I had to have it! Their love of community and improving their own home town is inspiring for everyone!
Live Happy: The Best Ways To Make Your House a Home: Another of my fave HGTV shows is Masters of Flip and I might be a bigger fan because Dave and Kortney Wilson are Canadian, like me! It’s one thing to design a house, but making it feel like a home is extra important, so advice like theirs is invaluable. This is also a great read for friends who love using colour!
How To Style Or Stage Your Home For More Beauty Or A Quicker Sale: This e-book by Calgary designer Monique Shaw is a great last minute gift (because it’s an e-book) and really helpful for those who don’t know where to start when it comes to staging their home for sale, or for loving the home they’re in. Even for the most savvy interior design lover, this is a great gift!
The Lonny Home: If you’re looking for a way to make your home feel Pinterest-worthy but for our own style, then this is the book for you. I love that they help readers find their own authentic style and create the perfectly designed and styled home around that.
Homebody: A Guide To Creating Spaces You Never Want To Leave: There is something so special about creating a space that you never want to leave (as this book’s subtitle suggests). If there’s one thing I’ve learned by binge watching every episode of Fixer Upper (more than once) is that creating spaces that make you feel comfortable and happy at home are everything.
Current Issues of Design Magazines
I love magazines. There is something about the flipping through them, gazing at home inspo on a weekend morning over a cup of coffee that I just love. I also find that magazines make great stocking stuffers – especially the fancier ones (think Domino, Magnolia Journal, Veranda, Elle Decor, Vogue Living, House Beautiful or Architectural Digest) or special editions (Style at Home Kitchens & Baths, etc.).
Know someone who loves magazines? Why not buy them one paper issue and then sign them up for a year subscription? It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Luxury Candles
I love the gift of luxe candles! They are lovely to use for decorating shelves, coffee tables, bathrooms and more. And when I say luxe candles, you know I don’t mean “that peach candle” LOL. My biggest advice here is to stick to neutral packaging and be cautious with scents. I personally don’t like anything floral or too overpowering but rather stick to things like vanilla, cinnamon, or anything that smells like cookies or maple syrup! My fave candles for gifting are:
VOLUSPA Nine Piece Votive Candle Set: This is a great set to be given as one large gift or to split up among multiple recipients. These glass votives are really pretty!
VOLUSPA Vanilla Mini Tin Candle Set: I love these little mini tin sets and often pick them up for stocking stuffers. I like to split them up as add-ons for multiple gifts!
VOLUSPA Spiced Pumpkin Latte Glass Candle: Everyone seems to love PSLs so why not gift them a candle that feels warm and festive like their favourite drink!
VOLUSPA Goji & Torocco Orange Decorative Tin Candle: These large tin candles from VOLUSPA are always great gifts! I love their multiple wicks!
VOLUSPA Santal Vanille Home Diffuser: I love giving diffusers as gifts, just like candles. This neutral vanilla set is sure to please.
VOLUSPA Santal Vanille Glass Jar Candle: I love glass jar candles – and this one is a bit ornate making it perfect for the holidays!
Jo Malone London Lime, Basil & Mandarin Candle: I love Jo Malone London candles – they have gorgeous scent blends and are so so pretty on a shelf or table!
NEST New York Grapefruit Candle: blah blah blah. NEST also makes stunning reed diffusers, too!
TOM FORD F*cking Fabulous Candle: This one is a bit of a splurge but you know it’s going to make an impact! Tom Ford does not disappoint when it comes to scents and this candle leans more masculine in that department, which I appreciate.
Jo Malone London Valentines Day Travel Candle Collection: This is another great set to gift as one or to spread among multiple recipients. I like to keep these on hands for hostess gifts as well!
Jo Malone London Orange Bitters Home Candle: One thing I love about Jo Malone Candles is that so many of them are available in travel sized as well. It’s not to say that you’d travel with a candle, but it’s nice to have the mini option available!
Create a Wish List For Your Home
Giving people gifts for housewarming or for their home in general can be tricky. It’s particularly difficult for new couples, newly weds or even those couples that you want to gift something nice to but aren’t sure what they want or what they already have. This is why I love the WishSlate app so much – it fixes this problem entirely! I love it because literally anyone can create an account and add items to a wish list for any reason or occasion! You can follow your friends and family and see what’s on their wish lists! It really helps reduce gift giving anxiety, too! Download it here!
