It’s now got to that time in the year where the nights are drawing in, and those cold winter evenings don’t make you want to venture out at all, so you start to think about entertaining yourself at home. And while there are plenty of box sets to get stuck into, why don’t you have a dinner party instead? It’s a great way to have friends over, it is fun, and of course, it is cheaper than your average night out by a long way! So here are some ideas to make your home a staging area for a fantastic dinner party.
Get The Basics Right
This has to be a priority, do you have guests that have specific dietary requirements. For example, are they allergic to nuts? It’s a good idea to check this before you make a meal with satay sauce, but also think about the cooking implements you have. It’s always handy to invest in a good quality non-stick frying pan; not least it won’t result in your food, and your guests’ food, having bits of black in their meal. People cannot get by without the basic cooking tools, and this will make life a lot easier, and less stressful, when you are trying to entertain while also cooking your meal.
Should You Splash Out?
Yes new furniture can be expensive, but if it’s for a purpose like a dinner party, you will end up using the furniture as much as possible, which is how you are going to save money over time by not going out socializing, having people over will be the new “going out” for you. There are suppliers like Corndell furniture who supply furniture of different sizes. It’s also a great way of giving your space a bit more style, but if there are issues when it comes to storing items, for example, if you just have things piling up everywhere, you may want to invest in a matching sideboard. It looks great, and it helps tidy items away.
Picking Your Guests
You may think that it’s a simple solution, but if you want an entertaining evening, not one that can be painful and boring, you’ve got to pick the right people who are a right match. If you want to have a good laugh, it can be very difficult in an intimate setting if there is one person who is somewhat awkward, or isn’t as integrated socially as others. While you can spend a lot of time focusing on the conversation to make it flow, it is something just to be aware of in case you are inviting people over that you don’t know particularly well.
The Small Touches Make Big Impacts
Think about the ambience, so things like music. Do you plan on having soft jazz or a more upbeat choice of music? The lighting is another thing to think about; if you have a dimmer switch this can help, but also are you planning on having candles instead of overhead lights to add to that more intimate setting? Also, if there are wine drinkers, you may want to think about pairing the wine with your choice of food. These are little things that will be remembered, and will inspire others to host their own dinner parties, and invite you over, which will save you a bit of money!
A dinner party is a great way to entertain, and it’s the great approach to making the most of a dining space.
