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Whether you’re preparing for a holiday, dinner party or movie night, there are some simple things you can do to prepare your house for guests. The editors of Your Home magazine have collected some Do’s and Don’ts to help make entertaining easy and fun.
Do: Move furniture to open up your floor space and allow guests to move around freely. To experiment with layouts, try our Room Planner.
Do: Arrange accessories either symmetrically for a more formal look or asymmetrically to show off your creative side. Highlight a special accessory by placing it on or against a contrasting surface.
Do: Bring nature indoors with arrangements of leaves, stones and fresh flowers.
Do: Mix sizes, scales and textures to give your rooms unique style. However, keep an eye out for anything that might make guests uncomfortable, such as side tables that are too low or small to reach when seated.
Do: Encourage relaxation at your movie night or game party by giving everyone a comfortable seat in front of your home entertainment center. Consider a sectional sofa that offers plush seating and maximizes floor space.
Do: Continue your party’s theme from room to room to give an uninterrupted flow to the ambiance.
Do: Hang artwork that expresses who you are and encourages conversation. The most harmonious arrangements take cues from what’s around them, such as an up and down grouping over a camelback sofa.
Do: Take a good look at your home from the perspective of who you are now. Could it be you’ve outgrown your décor from five, ten or twenty years ago? If you’re unsure, ask a trusted friend to give you the honest truth.
Do: Update your lighting to bring a new look to a room. For a coordinated look, make sure lamp heights are equal throughout the room and all lamps have the same color shade.
Do: Try one of today’s hottest party themes:
Progressive dinner party: Share the responsibility of entertaining with your friends. On the night of the event, guests move from house to house, enjoying a different course of the meal at each home.
Coed wedding and baby showers: Encourage new husbands and fathers to be involved with the house and kids by including them in the showers too.
Community event or fundraiser: Bring awareness to something you’re passionate about by sharing it with friends and asking for their support.
Learn while you socialize: The popularity of book groups has inspired parties for all ages that center around learning. Host a cooking, yoga or singing lesson with the help of an expert, while sharing a fun experience with friends.
Don’t: Decorate around an item you don’t like. If you’ve always winced at the sight of your sofa, table or carpet, get rid of it.
Don’t: Be afraid to paint the walls a fresh new color or mix textures for visual interest.
Don’t: Try to achieve perfection. Anything that’s “out of place” will make your home feel even more cozy and charming.
Don’t: Crowd ten guests around a dining table made to seat four. Either upgrade to a larger table or spread people out with a more casual buffet.
Don’t: Be afraid to go for what feels right, even if it’s the opposite of everything you hear or read. After all, it’s your house and your party. Enjoy!
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