Dinner Party (Photo credit: ex.libris)

Having guests over to your house doesn’t have to be a stressful. Besides good food and conversation, the most important element of a successful dinner party is providing a space that is inviting and comfortable for your guests. Taking the time to prepare your home for your dinner party will be well worth the effort, and will take a lot of pressure off. The following are a few things you need to do in order to prepare your home for the arrival of your guests.

Tidy Up

A cluttered home will make it hard for guests to sit down and feel comfortable, plus it creates an atmosphere that is all wrong for a formal dinner party. You want your party to be fancy and elegant. So clear away the clutter and start cleaning. If you are running short on time, then the minimum you should do includes: cart some boxes of things to hide in the basement for the night, clean the floors and – this one is important – clean the bathroom! You want your guests to feel at home without being distracted by all your stuff, so do your best to tidy up.

Get Your Rentals

Do you have a vision in mind for your ultimate dinner party but your own furniture doesn’t make the cut? You can always hire some furniture for the night to make your home picture perfect. A fancy lounge, armchair and table with chairs may be just what you need to realise your vision. In addition, you can also hire out dining sets, wine glasses, decanters and linen to complete your table setting. It’s just not a fancy dinner party without matching place settings!

Decorations

Dinner party decorations can be anything from balloons and streamers to flowers and a table centrepiece, but they should always reflect the style of dinner party you are throwing. Decorated vases, folded napkins or candles also make for great decorations in a pinch. Don’t forget that it’s not just the living and dining rooms that the guests will be seeing throughout the night. The kitchen, bathroom and hallway should be equally as decorated to ensure consistency of the party theme.

Create Ambience

The ambience in your home is more than just cleanliness and furniture. To make guests feel like they are getting the special treatment, include the following when establishing the ambience:

1. Music. The background music makes all the difference when setting the scene for your dinner party. Make sure you have a play list planned out with songs that are easy listening,  flow well together, and don’t have any abrupt pauses or transitions throughout. Keep the volume to a minimum: you want your background music to be pleasant but to stay in the background.

2. Lighting. The lighting in your home is important for the mood of the party. You want the lights to be low, but not so low that guests can’t see what they’re eating. Bright lights are too impersonal and offensive; but moderate, glowing light will improve the feeling of intimacy in the room. If you can, avoid using direct overhead lights and opt for lamps, chandeliers or wall sconces instead.

3. Scent. Some people don’t like strong scents, but everyone can appreciate a room that has a fresh aroma. Things like flowers, fresh herbs and light scented candles can give the air a moderate perfume that will be pleasant to your guests without being overwhelming.