Entertaining at Home: A Host of Party-Prep Ideas
Having company for Passover or Easter? Here's how to get your furniture, dishes, centerpieces and more ready for guests
There's always one busy weekend in spring when observant families across the country are in the midst of preparing for a Passover seder, a Good Friday meal or an Easter Sunday brunch. By this time, menus have been set and are likely being prepared, and the guest list has more or less been confirmed.
But is your house ready for entertaining? Whether you're having just two guests or 30, a quick run-through of the list below before anyone arrives can help boost your home's potential to make your guests feel as comfortable as possible.
But is your house ready for entertaining? Whether you're having just two guests or 30, a quick run-through of the list below before anyone arrives can help boost your home's potential to make your guests feel as comfortable as possible.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 1. Create multiple conversation areas. Take a look at your living room, dining room and any other communal space where you think you'll be entertaining. Is your furniture conducive to group conversation? Can guests have smaller, more private conversations but then join the larger discussion again with ease? More Ways to Create Multiple Conversation Areas |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| In this living room, Urbanspace Interiors created two distinct entertaining areas with the use of this Molteni & C Freestyle sectional, which can be reconfigured in a number of different ways. Instead of tables, the designers used ottomans for maximum flexibility and added seating when necessary, placing all the pieces relatively close to each other so that guests don't have to lean in too close to hear each other. As you can see, mixing and matching furniture from different parts of the house is absolutely fine and can actually make the room feel more intimate and lived-in. |
|
by Urrutia Design
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 2. Usher guests in with an inviting entryway. Your entryway is your guest's first point of contact with your home's interior. There's no need to make the entryway speak with high volume drama; in fact, the simpler it is, the better. Make sure entryway basics like a bench or a pair of chairs and a coatrack or closet are easily available to guests. Entryways Take a Seat |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
3. Offer a pleasant scent. Interior decorator Brynn Alexandra thinks how your house smells may be as important as how it looks. But as with everything that has to do with taste and preference, we all have different ideas of what does or doesn't smell fantastic. Home fragrance expert Marjorie Gubelman offers the following general guidelines for scented candle and diffuser use:
- Scented candles are great for small spaces, like bathrooms and powder rooms.
- Don't mix artificially created scents with food. Since dining is a sensory experience, the natural aroma of the meal should never compete with a scented candle.
- Stay seasonal with scents. Spring calls for floral scents; pick aromatic fresh flowers to add to a tablescape or buy a floral scent, like this orange blossom, lilac and jasmine diffuser.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 4. Do a clutter-clearing run-through an hour before guests are set to arrive. Put on some upbeat music, go through the areas of your home that are open to guests and clear the clutter. Houzz contributor Laura Gaskill says that her home always feels so much cleaner and lighter after these short "clutter-busting sprees." A few clues that this living room is guest ready: The coffee table has plenty of room for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, and the pillows are fluffed to perfection. Clutter-Clearing 101 |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
5. Take out your best china — but don't be afraid to mix it up with fun, casual pieces. Even if your dinner party is more formal than casual, add a note of levity to the gathering by pairing bold napkins with your delicate, wedding-registry china. And don't wait for another "perfect occasion" to break out the Noritake plates or Wedgwood tea seat — there's no better time than the present to treat your guests like royalty; show them by serving them their meal on your best dinnerware.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
6. Play with the centerpiece. This all-white Passover seder table makes a simple and dramatic statement with the floral centerpiece. The centerpiece height still lets guests seated across from each other talk with ease, and it looks like the vase can be easily relocated to another part of the dining area after guests have settled into their place at the table.
Keep in mind that centerpieces don't always have to be floral: Seasonal fruits, religious or themed decor, or a small grouping of vases or candlesticks makes for an affordable and aesthetically pleasing alternative. No matter how formal your affair, a centerpiece that's fuss free and low keeps the table conversation-friendly.
Keep in mind that centerpieces don't always have to be floral: Seasonal fruits, religious or themed decor, or a small grouping of vases or candlesticks makes for an affordable and aesthetically pleasing alternative. No matter how formal your affair, a centerpiece that's fuss free and low keeps the table conversation-friendly.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 7. Don't be afraid to dim the lights and create mood lighting. Dinner by candlelight can make any space feel intimate and cozy. If you've spent a large part of the night indoors and the weather permits it, switch to a more laid-back outdoor space for dessert and coffee, so guests can have a change of scenery and enjoy some fresh air. |
by Cynthia Weber
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
8. Add a touch of theme. You don't have to go overboard with your holiday theme. This Easter egg console centerpiece doesn't scream bunnies and pastels, but it does remind guests why they've gathered together in the first place.
by decordemon
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
9. Don't forget about the kids. We do so much to make grownups comfortable, but what about the children? As much as possible, seat kids in chairs that are low to the ground and around a table that doesn't have sharp edges. Arm them with crayons and paper or, if your table surface can handle it, let them draw directly on the table.
by schristen.com
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
This round coffee table could double as a kids' table easily: Just have the little ones sit on the floor or on plush floor cushions.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
10. Never underestimate the power of the powder room. I have a confession to make: I judge a house by its powder room. And I don't think I'm the only one. Interior designer Kelly Scheer says, "You can learn a lot about a place from the design of its bathroom."
Browse through thousands of powder rooms
Browse through thousands of powder rooms
by Habachy Designs
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
For such a small space, your powder room can really go the distance when it comes to making your guests feel comfortable and secure. Make sure that the lights are working and that soap is in abundance. A single hand towel can spread germs quickly, so provide a stack or tray of cotton or paper hand towels and a small basket for soiled towels nearby.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
11. Set the mood with music. A good dinner party or brunch always has an amazing soundtrack. Background music can also help put first-to-arrive guests at ease. For cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, consider elegant chill-out music, like bossa nova, old-school rhythm and blues, or acoustic guitar. Don't be afraid to change up the tempo and the music once dinner's been served: Ella Fitzgerald or Norah Jones makes for easy listening, and they're both general crowd pleasers.
12. Close off areas that you don't want curious guests to wander into. Whether it's a messy home office or your private master bedroom, you can politely direct traffic elsewhere by closing the door, hanging a Do Not Disturb sign on the doorknob or giving a limited house tour that lets guests peek into only the spaces that you want them to see.
More:
8 Elements of the Perfect Party Island
How to Arrange Your Room for Entertaining
12 Modern Dining Room Tablescapes
More:
8 Elements of the Perfect Party Island
How to Arrange Your Room for Entertaining
12 Modern Dining Room Tablescapes
Ideabook published on April 6, 2012.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
