2022 and its developments are not exactly the kind one would celebrate, but many of us are gearing up to host parties, be it for Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year’s Eve. But how does one host a party of 10 or more in a compact one-bedroom home, without the guests feeling like they’ve been packed in like sardines.
We asked the experts, these are the interior designers we love and the decor influencers who you turn to for inspiration on Instagram. They have some rather ingenious ideas on how to make every nook and corner add to the fun times!
If you have a small dining table and a bigger gathering switch to buffet style lunch/dinner instead of a sit-down. Don’t put everything in one spot to avoid crowding. Turn your console into the bar area, main meal at the dinner table and desserts on your kitchen counter or maybe bring out the dessert in the end to the coffee table. Add additional seating in your living room in the form of floor cushions, pouffes, stools or a bench. Most importantly, create an ambience to make the guests feel comfortable at once. Make sure your home smells inviting and feels cozy. Use scented candles, ambient lighting and good music.
Raina of the Shalom Home
As a first step, always start by decluttering the space and keep functionality in mind...Change the seating layout depending on the number and type of guests. In my previous 2-bedroom apartment the balcony drew a lot of attention and my guests loved spending time there. So, I turned my sofa facing the balcony so as to make it a comfortable conversation area. Opt for more foldable and compact furniture like a set of nested tables, take out all the pouffes and ottomans for mobile seating options. Keep side tables with minimal accessories and place essentials like coasters and tissues at hand. In terms of serving food, I prefer keeping 2 to 3 zones, for more guests the table is set up buffet style, my bar top has glasses and filled water bottles in a tray ..I also try and keep a water Dispenser on one side , sometimes that's used for cocktails! The kitchen counter is also used as the space to refill snacks that go around the room...by allocating different serving zones the foot traffic keeps moving and the space seems less crowded. Use your vertical space for decor - Use shelve tops, add trailing plants or hang a string of lights or flowers, lanterns from your curtain rods...these help in creating an understated festive vibe and free up space on tables and consoles.
Lighting plays a big big role in creating the right ambience, so switch off overhead lights and keep the table lamps on to create that warm and inviting glow. Small spaces also tend to get stuffy so make sure there is good ventilation by keeping windows open to let in fresh air.
I always love adding seasonal touches to my decor and I try using foraged finds. Making my own wreath and tabletop Christmas tree gives me great joy every year!
Let’s just be honest, in every home, there is always a need for more space. Regardless of how small your apartment or how large your villa is, we all seek the need for maximizing space for hosting guests to make our homes feel spacious and more welcoming. I personally follow these two tricks whenever I have a large group of guests over. For starters, Try out different layouts! Including the fact that a good amount of space is always required for guests to interact and socialize, moving the big pieces of furniture out of the way and to the corner is an excellent option to increase more seating space as well as moving space for the guests.
Another great tip is to keep the entryway organised and clean even after the guests have arrived! While guests come in, they usually require so much to hand out and keep. If you don’t have enough space for a bench like me, ensure you have wall-mounted hooks or open shelving to place coats or knick-knacks. While living up to these ideas I have had quite a lot of fun and experience and if I had to say, I’d just stick to the words: NO REGRETS!!
Most of us here in Mumbai live in compact spaces and have to combat this issue on a daily basis. For festive decor, what I like doing is creating multiple corners and tiny nooks around the house instead of just one in the living room that might look cramped up. I let the guests have something for each one of them so they can float around, find their space and have a good time around the house.
Vinithra Amarnathan
Having a central piece to anchor things like a coffee table or dining table allows you to gather guests around it! Using a console/ credenza as a buffet to lay food or drinks and making for additional seating by way of floor seating around the coffee table or extra chairs around a dining table are simple ways to maximize space! Last year I decorated our home using tons of gold and white all over for the festive season! I kept everything clean but brought in tons of gold in multiple layers like soft furnishings, votives, candles, string lights etc. to create a light yet festive atmosphere!
