Hosting guests in a small home is not impossible – it just takes a little creativity. If the interior living spaces in your home tend to be short on square footage or if you have a small backyard, then you may want to consider a buffet style party. This way you only need a minimum of seating space and guests are more likely to socialize with each other.
There are ways to make entertaining in a small home run smoothly, and it all begins with decluttering and cleaning the space of unnecessary items on tables and in common areas. Temporarily removing most of your family’s everyday items will go a long way in making a small space look larger. Here are more holiday tips for throwing an amazing party in a small space.
How to Throw a Party in a Small Space
Move Furniture to Create Gathering Spaces
If you have opted for a buffet style meal, then you should move sofas, tables, and chairs towards the walls which will create distinct areas for relaxing or moving around to socialize. Keep the seating places together to encourage conversation and interactions. Even the kitchen or dining room table can be shifted towards a corner, and serve as the party’s eat and drink stations. Then use those dining room chairs around the perimeter of the room for guest seating.
Don’t Overdo Holiday Decor
Keep your holiday decor simple, and if you are throwing a large party in a small space, then you may want to forgo setting up the Christmas tree until later. By all means, use your wall space to drape pine cones, hang wreaths on exterior doors, and consider some of these Gorgeous Christmas Garland Ideas along stairs or hanging from above! Keep your table centerpieces simple, so they don’t hog the precious space needed by your guests.
Include the Kitchen for a Casual Area
Everyone wants to be in the kitchen with the cook, so why not open up your kitchen as part of your entertaining space. When you host a large party in a small space, you need to use all your available space. Consider speaking with a home improvement profession that can complete one of these small remodeling projects just in time for the holiday season:
- Open up a shared wall between the kitchen and living spaces
- Install a kitchen corner niche with bench seating and a small table
- Have a kitchen island counter installed to serve as a buffet space
- Add vertical shelving above counters and over appliances for storage
Increase the Light for an Open Air Feel
No matter what size home or apartment you have, interior designers know how to maximize space for a party with the illusion of light and mirrors. Plenty of natural lighting will create an airy and light feel to what is normally a small and cramped room. Also, hang large mirrors on the walls or even consider an entire mirrored wall to create the illusion of a larger space.
When natural lighting is limited, or you are hosting an evening event, use brighter light fixtures for serving areas and softer, incandescent lights for dancing and conversation. Use your table lamps, floor lamps, and wall sconces to separate spaces with light. And don’t be afraid to go bold with a red or blue bulbs or even color-changing light bulbs to enhance the holiday festivities.
Take-Aways
- Begin with decluttering and cleaning your spaces of unnecessary items
- Move furniture to create gathering places and open floor space
- Consider a kitchen remodel that increases living and entertaining space
- Lights and mirrors can project the illusion of more space and create ambiance
Contact us at RWC Windows, Doors, and More, serving the West Caldwell, NJ communities with professional kitchen installations, bathroom remodeling, and replacement windows and doors. We’ve been relieving homeowners of the stress around home improvements since 1959. Talk with one of our design consultants about how we can help you with your home entertaining challenges through the holiday season.
