An anniversary gift of the house where you started

Which house?

Most couples have one house that stands for the start of it all. It might be:

• The first home you bought together, for the anniversary of the closing date or the move-in.
• The first place you lived together, if it was a house: the rental with the tiny kitchen that you still talk about.
• The house where you got engaged or married, or a parent’s house where the families first met.
• The house you live in now, for a milestone anniversary: ten years, twenty-five, fifty.

We currently design simple detached houses with rectangular walls and a gable or flat roof. If “where we started” was an apartment building or a row of townhouses, we can’t design it yet; complex houses may need design review, and if we can’t make a design from your photos we tell you and refund you.

A paper anniversary that becomes a model

Paper is the traditional first-anniversary gift, and the instruction book is exactly that once you print it: a book made for one house, yours. Print it, wrap it with a note, and add the bricks (or the promise of them). On the day you give the book; over the following weekends you build the house together.

Building side by side is a good shared project for couples who like puzzles, cooking from a recipe, or anything with a satisfying “done” at the end. Split the book: one person sorts the pieces for the next pages while the other builds, and swap every few steps.

Getting the photos

• If you still live there: photograph the front and each side on a bright day. 4–12 photos give the closest likeness; one photo of the front is enough to start.
• If you’ve moved on: look through your own photos from that time for a clear, straight view of the front. The designer follows the photos you upload, so pick photos of the house as you remember it, and note anything that has changed.
• Only use photos you took or have permission to use. We design from the photos you upload, not from Street View or map imagery.

Choosing a size

Every size costs $19 for the design; the size changes the detail, the brick cost and the building time.

For a first build together, a smaller size keeps it to a weekend or two. For a milestone anniversary on display for years, the larger sizes show window frames, porch railings and the garden. Estimates are planning figures before tax and shipping; BrickLink is often cheaper. Full cost comparison

Timing

• The design: Most designs are ready in about an hour. We deliver within 24 hours after payment (and your photos).
• The bricks: LEGO® quotes about 5 days for Pick a Brick Bestseller pieces and 28 business days for Standard pieces in the US (LEGO® Help, as of October 2026). If the date is close, give the printed book on the day and build when the bricks arrive.
• The build: anything from a weekend to several, depending on the size you choose.

What’s in the design

• An illustrated, step-by-step instruction book (PDF), made for your house.
• A complete parts list with every piece, part and color.
• Ready-to-upload shopping files: a LEGO® Pick a Brick upload list, a BrickLink wanted list and a Rebrickable parts list.
• A 3D model of your design.
• Not included: the bricks. You buy them separately, or use pieces you already own.

Other occasions: a housewarming gift for friends who just moved, or the family home when parents sell it. Brick wall art from a favorite photo, such as the two of you or your dog, is also $19: photo to brick art.