Hosting for the Holidays? Things to Consider…
The holidays are upon us! It's a time of year that definitely impacts our homes. From decorations to holiday entertaining, how we live is changing temporarily.
If you love to host, you’ll want to take that into consideration when designing your home. When we onboard a new client, one of the things we ask about and need to understand is how they want to use the spaces we are designing. Gaining insights into how often our client entertains at holiday times and how many people that includes is crucial to a successful design project.
Here are some thoughts on how we help clients navigate the holiday season:
Living and Family Rooms:
Think about past holiday gatherings. Do you have a large extended family that you host each year? Then consider your day to day living. Is there a big differential in how many people gather in these two scenarios? If you have the space, it is easy to design for large groups. But if space is limited, you will need to have some flex options. We often utilize small stools and benches that can do double duty- you can use them both as ottomans, and as additional seating when needed!
We occasionally get asked to design around where the Christmas tree will go. Our rule of thumb is to design for the way you live most of the time. You can always move a chair or other item to a different room for the holiday season to accommodate the tree. It's also a great idea to remove some of your regular accessories like family photos, vases, and objets d'art from surfaces so that you have room for garlands, greens, and other holiday decor.
Dining Rooms:
How many people do you host for sit down dinners over the holidays? Do you want everyone to sit at the same table? These days, most families don't use the formal dining room on a regular basis, but having one with a large table and leaves can be wonderful this time of year. Think about the maximum number you will have and what will fit in your room. Ideally, you want at least 24" for each chair at your table. Purchase a table that fits the room best most of the year, but that you can expand with leaves to meet the needs of large sit down dinners at this time of year. Or, if you only plan to use your formal dining room on holidays, buy a table based on that.
Do you like to serve family-style or do you like to use a separate surface for food and drinks? Extra surfaces like buffets and consoles can be a great way to accommodate extra dishes.
Get creative with your table scape as well! If you have a buffet, you can load up your table with trees, glass containers with sparkly balls, greens and other seasonal items.
Overnight Guests:
Where will everyone sleep? It's fun to have a full house on Christmas morning! Having a sleeper sofa can turn any room into a spare bedroom this time of year. If you have a home office, a daybed or even an inflatable mattress is a great way to turn it into a temporary bedroom. Basements are also great for guests, since they offer a bit of private space away from the rest of the family. Be thoughtful about what things your guests may need while visiting. Placing extra boxes of tissues, a water carafe and glass, and night lights can really make your loved ones feel at home.
Transforming your home for the holidays can be a lot of work but so worth it! Your memories and photos you'll look back on reinforce the spirit of the season.
Happy hosting!