The hottest hangout in town may be your living room. According to a recent survey, more than three out of four Americans (aged 21-39) prefer to spend an evening with friends at someone’s home rather than at a bar or club. While 84 percent of those surveyed feel that entertaining at a friend’s home is more enjoyable than going out, if it’s your house that has become the destination for the evening, preparing for the party can be anything but relaxing.
“Everyone stresses about having company, but by making just a few preparations and using everyday furnishings in new and different ways, the perfect party can take place in even the smallest of living spaces,” says Penny Eudy, director of upholstery merchandising for La-Z-Boy. “Whether having the family over for Thanksgiving dinner, hosting a cocktail hour or inviting the neighborhood over for game night, smart furnishings can adapt from everyday décor to the changing needs of guests in a snap.”
Create Conversational Clusters
The typical living room is set up for comfortable viewing of the family television. But how do you rearrange to entertain guests, when the television isn’t the center of attention? Encourage guests to mingle with conversational configurations, suggests Eudy. Sectionals that feature modular pieces finished on all sides that can be arranged and rearranged, to offer dozens of options and endless opportunities for conversation.
Long, bench ottomans and small chairs come out from the wall on special occasions to form intimate groupings for friendly conversation. “Combine ottomans and small chairs with larger furnishings to create groupings throughout a space, with furniture facing each other,” says Eudy. “These conversational groupings will encourage guests to sit and relax, instead of flocking to the kitchen, as we’re always so tempted to do.”
Maintain a Friendly Flow
While creating extra seating for guests is important, maintaining open space for impromptu gatherings, dancing and simply milling about also is vital to the life of a party. “When rearranging furniture for a gathering, consider the flow of traffic through the room and where crowds will congregate,” recommends Eudy. “Sizeable walkways between furnishings and clear paths to buffets, bars and seating areas promote friendly mingling and make guests feel more at home.”
Avoid Clutter Chaos
Organizing your everyday clutter and cleaning house for company can cause quite a stir after all is said and done. Keep clutter out of sight, but close-at-hand, with storage ottomans. Not only do ottomans hide everyday messes, they offer even more seating for your guests and can be moved throughout the evening to spur conversation and create seating for board games and the occasional euchre match.
Adjust the Atmosphere
Ambience is key to any gathering. Create the mood, whether fun and funky or calm and serene, with adjustable lighting. Well-placed table lamps and floor lamps make light quantity and quality easy to control. And of course, strategically placed candles always add a special glow to a room. Place lighting on side tables that will also lend themselves as resting places for beverages and plates of hors d’oeuvres.
“By making just a few easy adjustments to your space and keeping a party’s theme and menu simple, anyone can become the ‘hostess with the mostest,’ no matter how often your home becomes a hot spot on the social scene,” says Eudy.