How to Host a Big Dinner Party in a Small Home
Whether you’re entertaining 6 guests in a studio or 16 in a small house, here’s how to make your dinner party a success
Perhaps you’d love to have everyone over for Diwali, Christmas or another holiday meal, but you’re not sure you have enough room. Don’t write off the idea too fast. With a little planning and creativity, you can host a holiday feast in your small or average-size home. Follow these seven steps to prepare for a holiday gathering that everyone, including you, can enjoy.
2. Arrange your space
Consider traffic flow
Give your guests an easy path through the party. When they arrive, they will want to stash umbrellas and purses, deliver the gifts they brought for the party and seek out a drink.
Plan your layout accordingly
Designate a place for people to put their outerwear and bags. Clear a table or an area for gifts. Set up a bar cart or drinks counter away from busy cooking areas and out of pathways. Open up space by pushing furniture against walls and removing knickknacks from tabletops.
Here’s how to set up a food and drinks station for parties
Consider traffic flow
Give your guests an easy path through the party. When they arrive, they will want to stash umbrellas and purses, deliver the gifts they brought for the party and seek out a drink.
Plan your layout accordingly
Designate a place for people to put their outerwear and bags. Clear a table or an area for gifts. Set up a bar cart or drinks counter away from busy cooking areas and out of pathways. Open up space by pushing furniture against walls and removing knickknacks from tabletops.
Here’s how to set up a food and drinks station for parties
3. Get creative with your dining area
Beg, borrow or buy
You may need more dining tables and chairs than you have on hand. You’ll want to allow at least 24 inches of elbow room for each guest. If you want to add to your furnishings permanently, you can buy extras. Or you can borrow what you need from neighbours, family and friends or rent from a party rental company.
Mix it up
Unless you’re hosting a formal meal, it’s perfectly fine to blend different kinds of tables, chairs and benches. Just be sure to have comfortable seating for anyone with physical limitations.
Beg, borrow or buy
You may need more dining tables and chairs than you have on hand. You’ll want to allow at least 24 inches of elbow room for each guest. If you want to add to your furnishings permanently, you can buy extras. Or you can borrow what you need from neighbours, family and friends or rent from a party rental company.
Mix it up
Unless you’re hosting a formal meal, it’s perfectly fine to blend different kinds of tables, chairs and benches. Just be sure to have comfortable seating for anyone with physical limitations.
Pull everything together
Line up your tables to create smooth transitions in height and width. Then unify them visually by covering mismatched tables with matching tablecloths, table runners, placemats, candles, centrepieces and napkins. Decorate the backs of chairs with bows or other decor to further link them. Or you can go in the other direction and embrace an eclectic look with a variety of complementary linens and decorations.
See home decor products on Houzz
Line up your tables to create smooth transitions in height and width. Then unify them visually by covering mismatched tables with matching tablecloths, table runners, placemats, candles, centrepieces and napkins. Decorate the backs of chairs with bows or other decor to further link them. Or you can go in the other direction and embrace an eclectic look with a variety of complementary linens and decorations.
See home decor products on Houzz
Use a different room
Maybe your guests won’t fit in your dining room or you don’t have one. If your living room is large enough, or if you live in a studio apartment, push aside furniture and put the dining table in there. If your dining room opens to another room, you can run the table or tables between them. You also can place multiple small tables around both rooms.
Improvise
If extra dining tables aren’t an option, put other seating areas to work. People can sit on the sofa or an armchair to eat, or even pile onto pillows on the floor. You can put slipcovers or inexpensive throw blankets over any upholstery you want to protect from spills.
Consider turning your outdoor spaces into lounge areas too
Maybe your guests won’t fit in your dining room or you don’t have one. If your living room is large enough, or if you live in a studio apartment, push aside furniture and put the dining table in there. If your dining room opens to another room, you can run the table or tables between them. You also can place multiple small tables around both rooms.
Improvise
If extra dining tables aren’t an option, put other seating areas to work. People can sit on the sofa or an armchair to eat, or even pile onto pillows on the floor. You can put slipcovers or inexpensive throw blankets over any upholstery you want to protect from spills.
Consider turning your outdoor spaces into lounge areas too
Dine outside
If you live in a warm climate and your patio or porch is roomy, you could enjoy your holiday meal outdoors. The fresh air and views may give the table a more spacious feel.
If you live in a warm climate and your patio or porch is roomy, you could enjoy your holiday meal outdoors. The fresh air and views may give the table a more spacious feel.
4. Organise your kitchen
Declutter here too
As you did in your living areas, clear your kitchen work areas of anything that doesn’t contribute to the party. Tuck away nonessentials in a cupboard or closet to give yourself room to prep food and cook. Clean out the fridge to make way for party foods.
Dish it up
If you plan to entertain large groups frequently, consider investing in sets of inexpensive dishware, utensils and glasses you can reuse. Organise the dishes, flatware, glasses and serveware ahead of time to have everything ready to go, and set the table well in advance of the party. Place a tub near a utility sink or on the patio for keeping drinks on ice.
Follow these steps for a perfectly set dining table
Declutter here too
As you did in your living areas, clear your kitchen work areas of anything that doesn’t contribute to the party. Tuck away nonessentials in a cupboard or closet to give yourself room to prep food and cook. Clean out the fridge to make way for party foods.
Dish it up
If you plan to entertain large groups frequently, consider investing in sets of inexpensive dishware, utensils and glasses you can reuse. Organise the dishes, flatware, glasses and serveware ahead of time to have everything ready to go, and set the table well in advance of the party. Place a tub near a utility sink or on the patio for keeping drinks on ice.
Follow these steps for a perfectly set dining table
5. Keep the menu simple
Stick to the basics
If space in your kitchen and dining area is limited, focus on making a few delicious dishes rather than many different things.
Accept help
Say yes to guests who offer to contribute a dish, as long as they prepare it before they arrive and bring it ready to serve. Are there any items, such as dessert, you can buy prepared that are just as good as those you would make?
Or choose a different meal
If having people over for dinner seems like more than you can handle, consider inviting people for brunch, lunch or dessert instead. You can get away with offering fewer dishes, and expectations are lower too.
Stick to the basics
If space in your kitchen and dining area is limited, focus on making a few delicious dishes rather than many different things.
Accept help
Say yes to guests who offer to contribute a dish, as long as they prepare it before they arrive and bring it ready to serve. Are there any items, such as dessert, you can buy prepared that are just as good as those you would make?
Or choose a different meal
If having people over for dinner seems like more than you can handle, consider inviting people for brunch, lunch or dessert instead. You can get away with offering fewer dishes, and expectations are lower too.
6. Start preparing food early
Cook in stages
Plan out your cooking schedule and make as many dishes as possible before the day of the party. If you don’t have room in your refrigerator to keep everything, ask a neighbour or friend if you can borrow some space. Chop and refrigerate vegetables early; get casseroles ready to heat; bake desserts and breads. And clean up as you go. On the day of the party, you’ll have more time to enjoy your guests.
Cook in stages
Plan out your cooking schedule and make as many dishes as possible before the day of the party. If you don’t have room in your refrigerator to keep everything, ask a neighbour or friend if you can borrow some space. Chop and refrigerate vegetables early; get casseroles ready to heat; bake desserts and breads. And clean up as you go. On the day of the party, you’ll have more time to enjoy your guests.
7. Let go of perfection
Relax and enjoy
A perfect party setup doesn’t necessarily make for a perfect party. Sometimes the best parties are those held in snug spaces where guests can easily engage. If you approach your gathering with a light heart and a spirit of adventure, your guests will too. Friends someday may even look back nostalgically at the great time they had at your house.
This story was last published in 2018 on Houzz India
Read more:
Unusual Ways to Decorate Your Way to an Unforgettable Party
Tell us:
How do you prep your home for parties? Tell us in the Comments below.
Relax and enjoy
A perfect party setup doesn’t necessarily make for a perfect party. Sometimes the best parties are those held in snug spaces where guests can easily engage. If you approach your gathering with a light heart and a spirit of adventure, your guests will too. Friends someday may even look back nostalgically at the great time they had at your house.
This story was last published in 2018 on Houzz India
Read more:
Unusual Ways to Decorate Your Way to an Unforgettable Party
Tell us:
How do you prep your home for parties? Tell us in the Comments below.
Look at your home with fresh eyes
Imagine your living areas with your desired number of guests. Which furnishings and decor will make the gathering more comfortable, and which things will get in the way? Stash any unneeded objects in a closet or spare room for the party, file or recycle papers, and donate or sell anything you no longer need.
Give your home a good scrubbing
Wash windows and counters, vacuum or dust furniture and flooring, and wipe down bathroom surfaces.
Be merry and minimalist
Display only your best holiday pieces and favourite decorations everyone loves. Create a festive and cozy atmosphere with twinkle lights, flameless candles and throw pillows in seasonal colours.