Celebrate in style, no matter the size of your new home. Interior design expert and Dream Team member Jennifer Adams shows you how to go from cramped to cozy with a few great tips for your housewarming party in the latest edition of Ask a Pro!
Q: “I just recently brought my new condo/townhouse. It has 2 beds, 1 full bath, 1 partial bath, a basement, and it is 986 Sq. ft. I am going to host a house warming this spring and would like to know how do I fit 20 – 30 guests in my small home?”
— Nancy J
A: Congratulations on your new home! It’s so fun to get settled into a new space and create a home for yourself that you love. And how wonderful to have a great group to help you enjoy it. Here are a few of my tips for entertaining your friends and family for any gathering.
Expand outdoors! Add festive lighting and consider inviting the neighbors so they won’t mind your friends spilling out onto your driveway. Rent or borrow a pop-up canopy if it’s going to be hot or rainy. Have some spare throw blankets nearby if some of the seating is outside and it’s going to be chilly.
Set up the bar/beverages area accessible but separate from the food. Your kitchen is going to be packed no matter what, so having the beverages further away will keep your gathering a little more spread out. Consider someplace where spills are not very consequential but still social, perhaps in the back yard or garage if you have one.
Push the major furniture pieces toward the walls. You’ll need the extra room for people to mingle. Turn the dining table sideways or place in a corner to make even more room, and remove all your breakable accessories. The table surfaces and seating are still going to be useful for food and mixing up conversations groupings, so don’t hide it all. After the party you can re-arrange your furniture how you like it for daily life and smaller gatherings.
Keep the food prep and beverage service simple. With that many people, there will be that many extra drink glasses and plates! Serve mostly finger foods that are easy to eat while standing up. Pre-plan an obvious place for garbage and the empties, so your guests can more easily clean up after themselves.
Invite your closest friends and family a little early to help you set up. That way there will be people at your home when the rest of the guests arrive! It’s kind of awkward to be the first guest to show up at a party set up for a big event.
Remember, you don’t have to have everything perfect! In fact, nothing has to be perfect. Plan ahead, but if you run out of something, you can send somebody to go get more. Invite a casual atmosphere, and everyone will have a great time, including, yourself!
— Jennifer Adams