As the holidays approach, today’s blog is for those who love to entertain in their home. Whether it’s large family gatherings, dinner parties, or casual get-togethers with friends, creating an inviting and functional space is key.
As an interior designer, when working with clients who love to entertain, it’s crucial to ask the right questions. How many people do they need to seat regularly? Do they enjoy cooking? The answers to these questions will guide the design process and ensure the final result aligns perfectly with the client’s lifestyle.
Let’s explore some essential elements for crafting the perfect interior design for the entertainer’s home.
Dining Room Dinner Parties
For those who love to throw a dinner party, the centrepiece of any entertaining space is undoubtedly the dining area. It’s where memories are made, laughter is shared, and stories unfold.
When we are deliberating dining room design we always consider the number of guests our clients will be hosting regularly. Tables that can extend or accommodate additional seating are a wise choice, as they can adapt within the space depending on the number of people, whether that’s an extravagant dinner party for 20 or a quiet family dinner for 4.
Soft lighting and a pendant over the table create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Coordination is key to creating a sophisticated cohesive design, ensuring that everything, from the table and chairs to the dinnerware and decor, complements each other seamlessly.
Summer Entertaining – The Great Outdoors
As the warmer months approach, for the entertainer, it’s always a good idea to take advantage of outdoor spaces. Whether it’s a patio, deck or garden, consider extending your entertaining area to the great outdoors. Choosing weather-resistant furniture and creating a space that seamlessly blends the indoors with the beauty of nature is the perfect place to entertain your summer guests under the stars this summer.
When creating outdoor spaces, as with designing the interior of a home, a strong client brief will direct the design. It’s important to maintain the integrity of the original home, ensuring that the outdoor entertaining space combines elements of the inside of the home, creating a seamless transition. Read more about Outdoor Interior Design.
The Heart of the Home – the Kitchen
The kitchen isn’t just for cooking; it’s a social hub where guests tend to gather. If you enjoy entertaining in the kitchen, it’s important to ensure there’s enough counter space, a well-designed layout for free movement, and easy access to all the tools and equipment you need.
Having a large island in the centre of your kitchen is an area that isn’t just useful for preparing food, but can double as a space to entertain small intimate gatherings, creating a more relaxed, less formal atmosphere than eating in the dining room.
Elevate Your Entertaining Game
If you love to entertain at home, there are different ways that you can easily elevate your entertaining game. Adding areas such as a butler’s pantry can create more space for storage and preparation, keeping things out of sight and out of the way while you entertain your guests.
A wine cellar not only adds a touch of luxury to your space but is incredibly useful for those who love to indulge in fine wines. If a wine cellar doesn’t fit the bill, adding a well-designed bar area and bar fridge not only adds functionality but also creates a sense of sophistication, especially when stocked with beautiful glassware or other essentials you need to impress your guests.
Setting the Scene – Details Matter
It’s the small details that make a big impact. Invest in quality hurricane lamps, candelabras, and scented candles to create an intimate ambience. Don’t forget about the essentials like selecting beautiful handwashing soap and cream. For a touch of elegance, use white serviettes as hand towels during gatherings rather than hand towels (and I would use fabric serviettes as opposed to paper at the table).
When it comes to table decor, opt for low floral arrangements, allowing guests to easily see each other across the table. Flowers add a pop of colour, a scent and natural beauty to the space. You can always mix in some fresh herbs for a unique and aromatic touch.
Storage Solutions – a must for the avid entertainer
For those who love to entertain frequently, ample storage space is a must. A well-designed kitchen should include convenient storage solutions to keep everything organised. Somewhere to store plates, cutlery, placemats and even spare chairs, that can be easily pulled out when the occasion arises.
We take into consideration all of these elements when we are designing a kitchen space for our clients, ensuring that the design isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, but incredibly practical for their lifestyle. Entertaining is stressful enough, the functionality of your spaces shouldn’t have to be.
Storage solutions aren’t exclusively for the kitchen space either, they can be included in a dining room too. A buffet, whether bespoke fitted joinery or a standalone piece of furniture is the perfect place to store (and easily retrieve) everything you need to be the perfect host. Add a little touch of luxury by lining the drawers with velvet, leather or felt, a great place to store your cutlery. Or taller cabinets can equally serve well to store bigger items like chairs.
From all of the team here at Marylou Sobel Interior Design, we hope that you have a wonderful time during the holiday season. And if your spaces don’t seem to work well for you this year, get in touch and see how we can create perfect spaces for entertaining any time of the year.
0 Comments