Summer is here and let’s be real…even if you’re not in school, there is a certain excitement that surrounds this time of year. Maybe it’s having the kids free from homework every night or simply knowing that your weekend will be spent by the pool. Regardless, it’s definitely a reason to celebrate. To appropriately ring in this season of freedom, bring your close friends together and display your beautiful home while having a memorable evening. You heard me right…throw a dinner party!
Environment plays a huge role in every party, so let’s talk about ways you can make everyone comfortable enough to enjoy their time spent in your home.
- Establish a theme. When considering a theme, think more along the lines of a feeling rather than a place or thing. When you’re throwing a party to celebrate the season, it doesn’t take much to run with for favors and decor. Play off of the themes you’ve already instilled in your home! Don’t take away from the projects you’ve been working on this year, the color scheme you so carefully selected, and the feeling you’ve worked on creating within your walls. Words like rustic, modern or elegant might describe your current decor…go with it!
- Define the areas around your home. You need 2-3 spaces that are easily accessible for guests to eat, drink and conversate. Check your RSVP list and ensure that you have an abundance of seating. If you have the space, try to arrange your couches, benches, stools, and chairs in a way that allows for groups of 4-5 to gather comfortably. Don’t hesitate to bring furniture from other areas of the house, but remember to stay true to your theme! Once your seating is established, define a clear space for serving food and for engaging in the actual meal as well. Keep in mind the direction people will naturally flow and plug that information into where you place drinks, utensils, etc.
- Introduce new decorations. Since we encouraged you to stick with the current theme of your home, you might be asking what more you can do to decorate. The answer is…make it flashy, but not too flashy. These will be items that you wouldn’t keep out permanently, but they will elevate your home just enough to make it special. One easy way to set the tone is to eliminate the need for overhead lighting. Anywhere you can put a lamp or string of lights to brighten the space while still adding ambiance and not just a glaring fixture overhead, do it. This separates your “regular” home from the environment you’re creating for the party. Another easy option is to incorporate some sort of florals or greenery. You can make vases out of anything these days…do some research online and see what you come up with! If you’re lacking a pop of color, vases with small flower arrangements make for a great addition. If you need something neutral to balance out your existing color scheme, greenery is almost always a nice touch. You can do this in vases as well, or simply laid out in multiple areas. Who knows, you may end up liking some of these elements so much you keep them out all year!
Don’t forget to have some background music playing. Queue up a playlist that you know your friends will love, without distracting too much from conversation and company.
Lastly, make these changes at least day in advance so you can do a test run the night before the party. Have dinner in your “dinner-party ready” home, keeping in mind the areas your guests will be drawn to, and see if you’ve created the environment you were hoping for.
Happy summer and good luck celebrating!