Searching for a gift for someone who owns or loves old houses? A tough-to-buy-for friend or family member for birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah or Mother and Father’s Day? Or maybe a housewarming gift for a young couple who just bought their first old house? Here’s a list of unique gifts for old house enthusiasts and homeowners that they will appreciate and cherish.
This post contains affiliate links, including but not limited to, Amazon Associates. As such, I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure located here.
What’s SO Great About This Gift Guide?
Why do I love about this list of unique gifts for old house enthusiasts? Lots of reasons, but mainly these 3 things:
1. Unique
Many of the gifts listed below are personalized, which puts a unique spin on a gift that commemorates a beloved home. Personalized gifts packs that “wow” feeling reflective of a thoughtful and special gift.
2. Wide Range of Budget
This list of gifts run the gamut of cost and budgets. Few gifts are over $200, the majority is under $100.
3. Fun for the Whole Family
This list also contains ideas for the pets and children of old house enthusiasts. Shouldn’t we consider everyone who lives in the old house?
4. Small Business
Admittedly, some of these gifts are linked to larger retail outlets. But the majority of these gifts are small businesses. And who can’t get behind supporting small businesses?
I’ll update the list as I come across more unique gifts for old house enthusiasts. So bookmark this page and every few months, be sure to check back for even more creative ideas!!
Gifts for Old House Enthusiasts for 2023
1. Hand-Painted House Portrait
Katie at KatieHarrisArtStudio hand draws and paints stunning replicas of homes on heavy watercolor paper with artist grade watercolors.
What’s great about Katie’s portraits? By being “completely hand-painted, my home portraits can be recreated from old photos….omit[ting] unsightly items like air conditioning units and power lines. I have painted from old photos homes that have since burned down, and strive for historic detail.
Another option? Chris Fisher is a landscape painter specializing in old houses. He creates gorgeous museum-quality house portraits with amazing landscapes. Check out this commissioned portrait of the Charles Watson House based on the provided photo. I love the addition of the old car!
2. Pen House Portrait
Charles (aka Chaz) is a Cincinnati based portraitist who focuses on crosshatching and Micron pen Enthusiast. He created this amazing house portrait of an American Foursquare house, my favorite type of house. Chaz takes commissions through Instagram.
3. Digital House Portrait
If looking for a more affordable portrait option, consider a digitally created watercolor from Jennifer Mitchell at PenNPixel. This is a digitally created watercolor and is not actually a painting, but still a high-quality creation.
4. Wooden House Portrait
Instead of paper, capture a replica of home with a 3/4″ thick wooden heirloom keepsake by Faline Jones at the Cat’s Meow Village. Casper, her trademark black cat, will pick a nice cozy spot to reside on your keepsake!
5. Holiday Ornament
Surprise the homeowner with a portrait of their home hand-painted on a glass ornament. This creative gift for homeowner of an old house is perfect for the holidays. Laurie at CarolinaDelight hand-paints home portraits on a 4″ glass ornament.
6. Tiles and Plates
Another non-paper option for home portraits are plates and tiles from MagicMarkingArt.
House portraits are hand-drawn and personalized with name, address and year. Plates can be square (11″ L x 11″ W x 1¼” H) or round (11.5″).
7. Ceramic Vase
Katie Lauffenburger at Wonder City Studio creates handmade ceramics inspired by architecture (especially bungalows) are utterly amazing.
Katie is passionate about supporting historic architecture. A portion of the sales on the ceramic vase shown here went to the Chicago Bungalow Association to support their work helping vintage home owners in the city.
8. Architectural Prints
Katie’s husband Phil also at Wonder City Studios has created a Home Style Series, dedicated to the essential home styles of his hometown Chicago and New Orleans.
In addition, he has prints specific to Bungalows, Victorians, Foursquares, and Worker Cottages.
Phil also accepts commissions for pen and ink home portraits.
9. Circa Old Houses (CIRCA)
10. Commission a Home History
If your old house enthusiast hasn’t researched the history of their home, why not reach out to a local professional home genealogist and inquire about a commission?
Not sure where to start? Check out my database of professional home genealogists.
11. Historic House Plaque
Let your old house enthusiast show off pride of home with this genuine reproduction historic house circa signs hand laid and lettered using traditional singing methods by the Hand Painted Sign Shop.
For a different style, check out the metal circa house plaques by Majestic Metals Shop.
12. Time Capsule Kit
This is a fun one. This time capsule from Key Witness Journal connects current and future homeowners.
How does it work? Current homeowners complete the journal and leave behind within their house when they move. Future residents then find and add their own personality stamp to the next chapter. Over the decades a wonderful piece of art work is created to pass down from homeowner to homeowner.
13. Gift Certificate
If you own an old house, then you are likely always tinkering around the house. And that takes money. Consider agift card to a vintage hardware store, such as Vintage Hardware and Lightening or vintage decor on an online source like Antique Farmhouse.
14. Bird House
This is a unique one! How about a bird house customized to match your old house? There’s a few artists (like Your House Bird House pictured here or Bird Your House) that will create a custom replica birdhouse of a house based on photos.
15. Preservation Membership
Connect your old house loving friend to other like-minded folks with a membership to a preservation or historical house group. On a national level, try the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Or look locally. For example, near my there is the busy Historic New England.
16. Old House Swag
A practical yet still stylish gift for the old house enthusiast, especially if they love American Foursquare architecture!
I designed this bag and currently have for sale on my Etsy shop – along with many other gifts!
17. Old Home Love
This coffee-table book is filled with stunning images of more than 15 renovated vintage homes was written by the duo Candis and Andy Meredith, current stars of the Magnolia’s Network “Home Work”, renovating a 20,000 ft2 historic school into their family home.
Old Home Love will inspire readers to discover the history and beauty behind their own homes, regardless of location or style, as well as do-it-yourself renovation tips and guidance.
18. Restoring Your Historic House
This best-selling 700+ page book is the authority on how to accommodate contemporary life in a historic house. It features what can be achieved when a historic home is renovated with a desire to rehabilitate or restore as much historic character as possible.
It contains hundreds of step-by-step photos, illustrations, charts, and decision-making guides to help new homeowners tackle any renovation of their new old house.
19. Magazine Subscriptions
Who doesn’t love a good magazine subscription? My favorite subscriptions are Old House Journal and This Old House.
Written for people who are passionate about restoring, renovating, decorating and maintaining America’s wealth of old homes in a manner faithful to their architectural heritage. Magazine give old house enthusiasts education, resources, tips, and inspiration to tackle and enjoy every step of the restoration process.
20. The American House: Architecture Coloring Book
Yup, a coloring book of historic houses. Kinda kooky, but kind of fun. Think of it as a perfect for an owner of an old house to wind down in the evenings after a long day hammering and restoring.
This particular coloring book details the evolution of residential American architecture. Arranged chronologically (and accompanied with educational captions), are pages of home exteriors ranging from the saltbox house to the contemporary style.
21. The Victorian House Coloring Book
This coloring book is slightly different than the other because it focuses on just one style of house – Victorian. This book also dives past the exterior and provides a complete household tour. Coloring pages depict the exterior, attic, front hallway, parlor, library, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom (including a water closet), and basement.
22. Pacifier
Now onto gifts for the younger ones. This pacifier proves that you can’t foster the love of old houses too early!
Available through Old House Guy, the text can be modified with the baby’s name.
23. The Old House
We read this book to our oldest daughter a few years ago (and loved). It’s about an old house neglected for decades. Its friends (i.e. the birds that find shelter in its eaves) try to comfort and rally the house, but nothing works. When the old house thinks all is lost and is doomed for demolition, a family moves in and breathes new life into it.
24. The House That’s Your Home
This book, meant for ages 3-8, highlights all the love and joy that make the girl’s world her very own, from the tree that stands in her yard, to the swing that swings her right up to the sky, to her bed that’s a ship to the moon.
25. Dog Sweater
This dog sweater, also available through Old House Guy was just too cute NOT to include in this list. This sweater is guaranteed to be a conversation starter with neighbors and other pet owners.
26. Artisans List
This web site is mostly an online directory and community for old home restoration, BUT there is also a recommended product guide where you could find unique gifts for old house enthusiasts.
NOTE: As of January 2024, this website seems to be down. I’ll keep checking and updating as more information comes available.
Bookmark this Page!
Make sure you bookmark this page since I’m continuously updating this page with more great finds every few months.
And need more gift ideas for old house enthusiasts? Check out my Pinterest board on Creative Gift Ideas for Homeowners of Old Houses.
Related Posts
Want to be the first to know about new posts? Be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter of even Etsy! Or better yet… Subscribe below!
My monthly (admittedly sometimes more, sometimes less….) emails are like receiving a unexpected letter from an old friend WITHOUT needing to put on your slippers and walk out to your mailbox…. See? I got ya, my friend!)
[Note: My posts are proudly connected to these amazing link parties full of DIY ideas and inspiration!]