PARTY PREP

Home decor

PARTY TIPS

and ideas

Scroll through this website and be taken to different sections of the house. Within each room please click on the red arrows to see the interactive features.

Before guests arrive, clean up your house a bit. It should be neat but still have a lived-in look.

Think about a theme. You could do “Memory Lane” and ask everyone to bring their favorite photo.

Stock your sofas and lounge chairs with plenty of soft pillows adorned with a favorite photo or saying.

Make introductions all around so your friends can meet new people.

Provide comfortable seating, but just enough — you want to encourage people to mill about, so people get to know each other.

Set up a DIY bar. Put out a variety of spirits, mixers and wine — and make sure there‘s plenty of ice.

Consider serving a meal of simple appetizers rather than an elaborate dinner. Finger foods are typically easier to prepare and will encourage more mingling and conversation than a four-course dinner.

Use landscape photos to create one-of-a-kind drink coasters.

Make sure you have enough of the essentials for your guests: napkins, plates, and silverware.

Keep a cheat sheet with key instructions, like when foods should be brought out or the name of your friend’s new boyfriend.

If you’re using a bedroom for people’s coats, make sure your bed’s made and clothes are put away. Consider placing some photos from a recent trip or a new family portrait out on an end table as a conversation-starter.

Check with your guests on their food allergies or sensitivities and also label the foods you’re serving; people want to know what they’re eating.

Use custom plates with the word “eat” or you can use a monogram.

Document the day by taking lots of photos.

Have a few simple ornaments made with your family photos and hang them from branches on a tree. You can also decorate the tree with some string lights to add a festive touch.