Household Tips

I have started planning our annual (?) Christmas open house. We live in a historic district, and every year our district hosts a tour of homes, supplemented with luminaries. It’s quite lovely. A couple of years ago, I decided that this was the perfect night to host an open house, and so it began. We generally have about 30 people in our 2,400 square foot house. It’s pretty packed. We open up the outdoor seating areas, too, which helps. But it isn’t perfect!

That’s why I was excited to see these tips from furniture.com. I can actually USE some of these! Maybe they’ll help you, too?

– Make Small Nooks for Small Talk: Create cozy conversation areas by arranging nesting tables to hold guests’ food and drinks. And after the festivities, these space-saving tables will serve a million more uses, for snacks, games, craft projects, and more.

– Don’t Crowd: Face the facts: Ten guests won’t fit around a dining table made to seat four, no matter how you try. Either upgrade to a larger table, or spread out with a more casual buffet. Or, consider a bistro-style dining set to evoke a social atmosphere. The taller-than-standard table height makes it easy for guests to serve themselves drinks, buffet dinner, or even make their own desserts!

– Mix & Mix: Matching all the furnishings within a room is design passe. Experiment. Mix sizes, scales and textures to give your rooms a unique — rather than a retail showroom — style.

– Create Walls of Inspiration: Give the walls a fresh new color, border, or mix of textures for visual interest. Express who you are with a new piece of artwork that encourages conversation. The most harmonious arrangements take cues from the room. For instance, try hanging pictures in a rolling up and down grouping over a camelback sofa.

– Add Color: A little bit of color can go a long way. Bright accent pillows, bold frames and coordinated candles in decorative candleholders can make a dull or sterile room more attractive and welcoming.

– Light Up Your Life: Bring a new look to a room by updating the lighting. Coordinate the look by making sure lamp heights are equal throughout, and all have the same color shade.

– Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize: Arrange accessories symmetrically for a formal look, or asymmetrically to get creative. Highlight a special item by placing it against a contrasting surface. Reflect the seasons and bring nature indoors with arrangements of leaves, stones and fresh flowers.

– Don’t Stress: Forget perfection. Anything “out of place” makes a home more cozy and charming. Go for what feels right. It’s your house — above all else, enjoy the party.

For more guest entertaining info, read this post!