Entertaining at home with friends and family is very exciting but sometimes stressful. To prepare for your guests’ arrival, you may be tempted to just clean the kitchen counters, toss a few extra towels in the guest bathroom and ignore the rest of the house. Instead, your visitors will enjoy the party more if they have full access to an open, organized and welcoming home.
Knowing where to start is the most important thing. Lifestyle guru Susie Coelho has provided entertaining tips for the home on HGTV, “Oprah,” “Today” and “The View” and knows just what to do.
Add simple decor to make a space inviting
When decorating the seating and buffet areas, Coelho suggested going simple with tea lights in glass votive jars and choosing a oneor two-tone color palette for dishes, napkins and flowers.
“For beautiful ambiance and magical lighting, arrange candles down the center of the table,” she said. “If you want to add some greenery among them for the holidays, you can, but keep it simple.”
In addition to the candles as centerpieces, Coelho also recommended making the food part of the display as well.
“Contrast is a buffet’s best friend and you can find it in different heights, sizes, colors of the food, dishes and accessories. I have used everything from fabrics, herbs and pottery to flowers, candles and vases turned over a dish to get height and used an odd container for display,” she said.
The more room, the merrier
As people start making themselves comfortable, they won’t just stay in the kitchen. Having all areas of the house clean and open will invite guests to gather and socialize, keeping the party going longer.
One room your guests will be sure to visit is the bathroom. Consider placing a decorative candle in the room to add a festive glow for ambiance.
Most importantly, be prepared for clogged drains in the bathroom and kitchen sinks, which could disrupt the flow of the party. “A clogged sink drain always comes at the wrong time,” said Coelho. “To avoid these inconvenient situations, I recommend keeping two products handy at all times: Liquid-Plumr Double Impact Snake + Gel System and Liquid-Plumr Urgent Clear. These products work great for both the bathroom and kitchen sinks to keep them running smoothly.”
Now that you had prepared your home for guests ahead of time, you can enjoy the fun and party the night away.
This article is courtesy of Brandpoint.