Home/Collections/Housewarming
Collection

Housewarming party invitations

The first party in a new house, which makes the invitation partly an announcement.

A long outdoor table set in terracotta, clay and cream

A housewarming invitation is doing two jobs at once. It is inviting people to a party, and it is telling everyone your new address, which is genuinely useful information they will save. That dual purpose is why the address deserves more design attention here than on any other invitation.

The tone tends to be relaxed. These are rarely formal events, most of them are open-house style with people coming and going, and the invitation should say that clearly so nobody arrives at seven expecting a seated dinner.

The nicest ones I have made used a simple line drawing of the actual house. It costs a little more because it is real illustration, but it turns a party invitation into something people put on the fridge, and it makes a lovely first Christmas card later.

Design notes

What changes for this one

The address gets prominence, because half the purpose is telling people where you now live. If the party is open-house rather than a fixed start time, that window has to be unmistakable or people will treat it as a start time.

Timing

When to send

Two to four weeks. Long enough that people can plan, short enough that you have actually unpacked.

Palette

Colours that work

Warm and architectural. Clay, bone, ink, a little olive. Something that suggests a home rather than a party.

Questions people ask about housewarming invitations

Can you draw our house?

Yes, and it is the thing that makes these memorable. Send me two or three photos from the front, ideally in decent light, and I will do a simple line drawing. It adds $85 to the project and you keep the drawing for cards and stationery afterwards.

How do we say no gifts?

"No gifts, just bring yourself" works. If people insist, a line suggesting a bottle for the house is easier than a registry, which reads oddly on a housewarming.

Is it an open house or a party?

Whichever you want, but the invitation has to be explicit about it. If it is a window, say "drop in any time between two and six" rather than listing a start time, or half your guests will arrive at two and the other half will feel late.

Demand

5,400

US searches a month for housewarming party invitations, measured rather than guessed. Nearly every page here targets a term almost nobody is defending properly.

  • invitation to housewarming party — 6,600/mo
  • open house invitation — 590/mo

How to have this made

Digital and paperless invitations

Designed to be texted, emailed or posted. Not an Evite template.

From $225

Announcement design

New baby, new house, new name, new chapter.

From $165

Custom invitation design

Designed from nothing for one event. No template underneath.

From $285

Start with a First Look

$45 for one finished concept designed for your event, back in three days. It comes off whatever you book, and if you do not love it you keep the file and owe nothing.

Nearby occasions

People who booked this also asked about