Hosting a party? Here’s how you can make your guests feel special

Having friends over for lunch or dinner is always a good idea. It allows us to spend some time together while making our friends feel valued, thus cementing our bond. We spend a lot of time working on the menu. It has to be perfect. Good food is the key to a great time. But we often underestimate the importance of fun, party décor unless it’s a birthday or anniversary celebration.

 There’s more to décor than balloons and streamers when you are hosting. Small things can liven up the atmosphere of your home, making your guests feel at ease and put them in a peppy mood. Here we share some of our favorite décor ideas that are sure to make your house party a fun and wholesome event and make you the talk of the town (in your friend’s circle, at least).

Harness the flower power

Flowers, real or faux, can brighten up a space with minimal effort. But rather than just a bunch of flowers on the dining room table or the coffee table, consider breaking it up and having a few stems in different places around the house. Don’t forget to place some in the guest bathroom as well. Pair it with a lit candle if your bathroom doesn’t get natural light during the day. You can also use artificial flowers but be careful not to overdo it and try to stick to ones that look as natural as possible. You can also put some rose petals in an urn and place that at the entrance along with some floating candles. It will give your space a cozy yet regal vibe.

Display the essentials

Bring out the cutlery, napkins, and toothpicks and display them in an interesting manner—on trays, flower vases, small candle holders etc. You can get pretty, printed napkins these days or if you want to be sustainable, opt for cloth napkins, complete with metal napkin rings. Put a water jug and glasses on a large tray, along with an interesting décor accessory like a flower vase, candle, or a random figurine and have it ready on the dining table. It can be an interesting yet functional display. Display your glassware on the bar and coffee and tea things on the kitchen counter for easy access as well as practical décor. The idea here is to put things you will need in the course of entertaining on display and make it a part of the party décor.

Put up some lights

String lights are a charm to your space. Most of us keep this décor accessory stowed away for Tihar or Christmas. But you can actually use them all year round. They are cheap, easy to maintain, and look great when lit. We recommend warm lights instead of cool or multicolored ones but the choice is yours. String these up at the entrance or in the living or dining space for an instant festive feel. It will lend your space a peaceful ambiance. If you are entertaining in the evening, turn off the overhead lights and put on lamps or light candles. Light some scented candles in different areas of the house—this will brighten up yourspace while making it smell great.

Make some noise

What’s a party without good music? Create a party playlist depending on when you are hosting, who are the guests, and what the day or night is like. There is perhaps nothing good music can’t solve. If you want your guests to wind down with a drink, play some soothing tunes. If you want them to feel upbeat, put on some house music. The only rule here is that the playlist has to be long enough to last the course of the party. You shouldn’t have to keep getting up to change the tracks. If you are having an outdoor party, we also suggest you put up some windchimes. Hang them up from the tree, if you have one, or put up a few wherever possible to be soothed by some tinkling sounds as your friends sit around chatting.

Focus on fabulous food arrangement

Good food can taste even better if it’s rightly displayed and served. We feast with our eyes first before we sit down to eat, don’t we?  So, take out your best serving bowls. Serving food in cooking utensils is a big, resounding no. Use cake trays to serve finger foods. Get creative. Turn an old bucket into a bright, chic drink receptacle. Spray paint it a funky color and write down ‘Drinks’ on it to create a cool beverage chiller. Think vertical displays. If you have small racks or stools that you can put on countertops or tables, bring them out, drape a fancy napkin or cloth over it and use it as a place to serve drinks or desserts.