Making A House A Home
There’s nothing that says everlasting love like a house full of items dedicated to your lifetime commitment to one another. If a giant “his and hers” sign isn’t your thing, there are countless ways to keep memories of your relationship in a way that looks good to you and your partner. If you need gift ideas or want to do something sweet for your loved one, read on.
1. Engagement Map
Many services offer to make a personalized map of where you got engaged, and they can come in a variety of styles. It also doesn’t have to be of your engagement - it can be your first date, your first home, or your wedding venue!
2. Pregnancy Cast
A popular trend in the past few years has been for new parents to take a plaster cast of the mother’s torso. After it hardens, you can paint or decorate the cast, so you can have an adorable memento of this beautiful time of life.
Suzanne Schroeter on Wikimedia
3. Night Sky
Like the engagement map, many companies offer a snapshot of the night sky on the day you had your first date, got engaged or married, or any other significant date you may share as a couple. This one is usually a simpler design, which can be great for any couple that leans towards minimalism.
4. His-And-Hers Shelf
If you and your partner have different interests, a fun way to show off your favorite trinkets is a his-and-hers shelf. This will also likely limit arguments, as you don’t have to worry about what should go where, as each person is responsible for their own decor space.
5. Double Duvets
Double duvets, or Scandinavian-style bedding, have been quite popular in recent years. While having two duvets can really fluff up your bedding, it can also be a great way to make sure nobody is stealing blankets in the middle of the night.
6. Custom Blankets
Who doesn’t want a blanket with their face on it? Custom blankets are a popular way to feel the love of your significant other, your pets, or your family, even if they aren’t physically present. Plus, it’s always a fun gift to give someone something with your face on it.
7. Gallery Walls
This one might be obvious to most, but a gallery wall of you and your partner’s most treasured moments can make any house feel like a home. It’s also a relatively cheap way to show off your favorite memories, as you can thrift and decorate frames however you want.
8. Handprint Stepping Stones
If you have a patio or a yard, handprints of yourselves and/or your kids are an adorable touch to any home exterior. You can show it off in a plant garden, or you can add it to a stone walkway if you prefer.
9. Family-Themed Ornaments
Ornaments are something that you tend to collect rather than buy outright, but this may be the exception. Getting an ornament of animals, silhouettes, or even a photo of your family makes any Christmas tree feel special.
10. Custom Lego Sets
If you and your partner are on the nerdy side, you can actually order custom LEGO figurines of yourselves. However, you could also get a LEGO set of flowers, roses, or an item from one of your favorite films and build it together. It’s exactly like a representation of the life you’re building together!
11. Make Your Own Pottery
A pottery date night is a special way to make your very own decor for your home. You could make mugs, vases, serving plates, or any other tchotchkes to decorate your space with. You can also recreate that scene from Ghost, if you want.
12. Touch Lamps
While normally used for long-distance relationships, touch lamps can be used within your home, or as a cute way to communicate between partners when they’re at the office. These little lamps will change color if you or your partner touches them, so you can know that they’re thinking about you, wherever they are.
13. Figurines
A personal figurine of you and your partner is incredibly romantic, or incredibly cool if you want it to be. Many artists on Etsy offer services to make you and a loved one look like a character from your favorite film, video game, or TV show - and what’s more romantic than having matching light sabers?
14. Custom Painting
If you really want to go all out, a custom painting of you and your partner is a beautiful way to add elegance to your home. Even better, you can get a painter to capture a moment of your wedding day, which you can then hang up to love for the rest of your life.
Renée van den Kerkhof on Unsplash
15. Photo Album
A thick photo album likely won’t fit your coffee table, but a cute, tiny album of your favorite photos of one another will. Companies like Staples or Walmart will do these themed photos for pretty cheap, or you can make your own.
16. Personalized Funko Pop
Like LEGO, the well-loved company Funko Pop gives you the option to make a personalized character, and it can feature accessories from your favorite movies or TV shows. While they’re only available in the United States, it’s still a great option for any Funko Pop collector.
17. Flipbook Frame Machine
This little wooden mechanism contains several photos of you and your loved ones, which you can filter through using a small hand crank. Some of them even come with a light, so you can see the photos in all their glory.
18. Custom Wedding Song Photo
Like the date location or night sky, many companies will do a personalized print of your first dance song. Many of them go with a record idea, using the lyrics of a song as the record grooves, but you can customize it to your heart's content.
19. Homemade Quilt
What says love better than a handmade quilt? These versatile blankets can be a mix of your favorite colors, a pattern that your s/o really loves, or even a design of the family pet. Really, the world is your oyster!
20. Pokémon Cards
For the video game lovers out there, getting personalized Pokémon cards is a fun way to show your love to the world. Customize the title, photo, abilities, and border to make it yours. You could even keep each other's card in your wallet!
