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Tired of wasting a weekend getting your home ready for the holidays? A little annoyed about getting your home ready for a big event? Classic Inspirations and our team of designers can decorate for you!
Classic Inspirations will provide the same attention to detail that we pride ourselves on. With home staging to decorating services available your home will be ready to entertain for the holidays or that big event. We have an eye for design and can make any space beautiful. |
ENTERTAINING IDEAS
Welcome your guests. Clear the entrance so your guests can make a smooth entry. Clean a closet for your guest’s coats. Add a bar cart with essentials (plus flowers and a kooky conversation piece) is a friendly oasis, and it frees you to scurry back to the kitchen if needed. Try to offer bar access from more than one side, to prevent traffic jams. Stock generously (chill white wine two hours in advance) so guests won’t need to come looking for anything—ice, glassware, bottle opener, garnishes—but reserve some surface area for mixing drinks. Nobody wants to whip up a Manhattan in midair.
Ample appetizers. Place flat breads, crudités, and other hors d’oeuvres in the living room with your guests. Have plenty of low-key nibbles you would find in a classic bar: small bowls of nuts, wasabi peas, and olives.
Guests go where the action is—besides, they want to hang out with the host. Be ready before they arrive!
Welcome help. If guests arrive early and you’re not quite ready, offer the sorts of tasks you could give to an older child: setting out dishes and silverware, plating hors d’oeuvres, filling the water pitcher, trimming green beans, putting rolls in a basket, and ferrying sides to the table.
Hide signs of stress. If anything makes a guest feel guiltier than watching the host do dishes after the meal, it’s watching her do them before the meal. If you’re in a big rush (imagine that!), use the dishwasher as a hiding spot for dirty pots, even those you’ll ultimately wash by hand.
Manage moods. At holiday time, people tend to arrive hungry (and ready to indulge), so don’t make them wait too long for the main event.
Make a scene. Capture the magic of the holidays, use a white tablecloth, white dishes, and just one or two rich accent colors of that holiday (say, cranberry and amber). Flowers and centerpieces should be tall enough to talk under or short enough to talk over.
Be present. Each time you get up to fetch something; you essentially abandon your guests. A host’s primary duty isn't to feed people (really!) but to spend time with them. Serve family-style, and forget cleaning up mid event. Carrying plates to the kitchen is one thing; but once you turn on a tap, you've doused the festivity. Walk away from the dinner detritus with everyone else. It makes guests feel relaxed and lets you seem chill, even if you’re not or hire help! Teenagers are always looking for a few extra dollars. Can you hire someone to do the kitchen clean up for you?
Relocating for sweets and coffee lets guests stretch their legs and switch up conversation partners.
Pretreat. Really spoil guests by setting out a warm-up to the dessert course—fancy chocolates or salted caramels—while you ready the baked goods. (Don’t forget the desserts that guests brought!) Sweet cheeses, fruits and nuts with a dessert wine are perfect for those who want to go easy on sweets.
Set the sideboard. Set up the sideboard with desserts—plates, napkins, forks, carafes of water—on a side table before the party. In the kitchen, stash a filled creamer in the fridge and have the coffeemaker ready for action. Serve mini desserts—cupcakes, brownies, or cookies—that guests can serve themselves easily.
Cheers. At the holidays, Champagne after the meal is a nice surprise. It’s one of those delightful little touches that people remember.
Ample appetizers. Place flat breads, crudités, and other hors d’oeuvres in the living room with your guests. Have plenty of low-key nibbles you would find in a classic bar: small bowls of nuts, wasabi peas, and olives.
Guests go where the action is—besides, they want to hang out with the host. Be ready before they arrive!
Welcome help. If guests arrive early and you’re not quite ready, offer the sorts of tasks you could give to an older child: setting out dishes and silverware, plating hors d’oeuvres, filling the water pitcher, trimming green beans, putting rolls in a basket, and ferrying sides to the table.
Hide signs of stress. If anything makes a guest feel guiltier than watching the host do dishes after the meal, it’s watching her do them before the meal. If you’re in a big rush (imagine that!), use the dishwasher as a hiding spot for dirty pots, even those you’ll ultimately wash by hand.
Manage moods. At holiday time, people tend to arrive hungry (and ready to indulge), so don’t make them wait too long for the main event.
Make a scene. Capture the magic of the holidays, use a white tablecloth, white dishes, and just one or two rich accent colors of that holiday (say, cranberry and amber). Flowers and centerpieces should be tall enough to talk under or short enough to talk over.
Be present. Each time you get up to fetch something; you essentially abandon your guests. A host’s primary duty isn't to feed people (really!) but to spend time with them. Serve family-style, and forget cleaning up mid event. Carrying plates to the kitchen is one thing; but once you turn on a tap, you've doused the festivity. Walk away from the dinner detritus with everyone else. It makes guests feel relaxed and lets you seem chill, even if you’re not or hire help! Teenagers are always looking for a few extra dollars. Can you hire someone to do the kitchen clean up for you?
Relocating for sweets and coffee lets guests stretch their legs and switch up conversation partners.
Pretreat. Really spoil guests by setting out a warm-up to the dessert course—fancy chocolates or salted caramels—while you ready the baked goods. (Don’t forget the desserts that guests brought!) Sweet cheeses, fruits and nuts with a dessert wine are perfect for those who want to go easy on sweets.
Set the sideboard. Set up the sideboard with desserts—plates, napkins, forks, carafes of water—on a side table before the party. In the kitchen, stash a filled creamer in the fridge and have the coffeemaker ready for action. Serve mini desserts—cupcakes, brownies, or cookies—that guests can serve themselves easily.
Cheers. At the holidays, Champagne after the meal is a nice surprise. It’s one of those delightful little touches that people remember.