You’re best friend just moved into their very first studio apartment and now, they’re wanting to throw the ultimate housewarming bash with all of their friends and family. Should be fun, right? Totally! But you can’t forget about the housewarming gift. Housewarming gifts aren’t always a must, but it sure is a fun way to surprise a new apartment owner with unique gifts, art and gadgets to deck out their new home. When it comes to studio apartments, we wanted to give you a list of gift ideas that would accommodate this apartment’s distinctive floor plan. So, check out 10 practical gift ideas for studio apartment owners below: 1. Wall Art No, you don’t have to spend oodles and oodles of money on a unique piece of art for a housewarming gift. Instead, shop locally at coffee shops or search online (Craigslist, eBay, etc.) for artists in the area. Studio apartments give apartment owners tons of wall space to do what they want with, so wall art is an appreciated gift. You could also look for other wall furnishings such as a mirror, a large wall clock or movie posters to help cover the wall in the apartment. 2. Light Fixtures One thing about studio apartments is they provide an open layout, which means lots of lighting is a must. Find an eclectic pair of lamps for two end tables, a vintage desk lamp or a sophisticated floor lamp that goes along with your friend’s overall apartment theme. Or if their new apartments have a patio that you know they’ll be spending lots of time on, find some fun outdoor lights or lanterns that they can hang up outside. 3. Cleaning Supplies Placing essential cleaning supplies in a decorative basket could be one of the most thoughtful housewarming gifts, especially for a first-time studio apartment owner. You can never go wrong with having too many cleaning supplies! Plus, the basket can be used for extra storage to accompany the studio apartment. Some of our favorite green cleaning brands include method, Mrs. Meyer’s and Green Works. 4. Doormat All apartments can use a friendly doormat to greet friends, family and guests. Look into places such as World Market, Overstock.com and Bed Bath & Beyond for mats that can serve two purposes, showcasing your friend’s personality and/or design style and be used to wipe and clean off dirty shoes. 5. Organizing Containers Know your friend’s favorite color? If so, why not spring for a few fun and colorful containers for their desk or underneath their bed? Places such as Target and The Container Store have an array of organization options for apartments. And since studio apartments don’t have a lot of extra storage options to begin with, we promise you’ll receive a ton of “thank yous” for this one! 6. Hideaway Furniture Another gift adaptable for studio apartments, hideaway furniture that can double as storage is a fun and reasonable gift. If you know your friend’s décor taste or can easily find out, look at places like Ikea and Target for hideaway furniture that can be used anywhere from the living room to the bedroom. They’ll be able to store odds and ends inside of the piece of furniture, such as board games, holiday décor and extra blankets, while also using it for extra seating or as an ottoman. 7. Rug/Carpet Since studio apartments are often more open than traditional apartments, any piece that can break up a room would be a good gift for owners. Find a one-of-kind rug or carpet that your friend might like to use to break up the living room from the kitchen or the study from the dining area. Garden Ridge is a good place to find carpets, both big and small. 8. Accent Pillows Within the layout of studio apartments, guests can see into almost every room. A few quirky or polished accent pillows may help to liven up each room and make rooms more visually pleasing. Ask your friend what color or colors their using to decorate their studio apartment with (this can be good to know for every décor gift you decide to give, too) so you can be sure to find pillows that match. 9. Slow Cookers The kitchen area in studio apartments doesn’t always provide the space an inspiring chef may want and/or need, so utensils with multifunctions can be the perfect housewarming gift. A blender or slow cooker can be used to make a variety of meals in one convenient tool. This way, they can try out fun and easy recipes found on Pinterest or by their favorite food blogger, but do so in a smaller space. 10. Gift Certificate After hunting and hunting and hunting for the perfect housewarming gift and having no luck, why not pick up a gift certificate to home furnishing places such as Ikea or home improvement stores such as Lowe’s or The Home Depot? Your friend will be able to pick out exactly what they want to make their apartment truly a home. What housewarming gifts have you given in the past? What are some of your favorite ones that you’ve received? Let us know in the comments!
Back to Blog Home
Apartment Life
10 Housewarming Gifts for Studio Apartment Dwellers
by
Jason Ernst
Sep 6th, 2012
share this post
Related Blog Posts
apartment life
ByBarb Bauer
Mar 11th, 2025
The Best Early Spring Cleaning Hacks for Apartments
apartment life
ByColleen Ford
Mar 7th, 2025
Thoughtful Gifts For Long-Distance Family & Friends
apartment life
ByBarb Bauer
Mar 4th, 2025
Organize Your Home Office With These Simple Tips
apartment life
good eats
ByColleen Ford
Feb 21st, 2025