Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Hacks & How-to's
  3. Evergreens

4 secret design tricks to make your home perfect for entertaining

By

When it comes to entertaining, some people just seem to know how to do it right. But, their secret may be less about their amazing hosting abilities and more about having a home that’s ripe for entertaining. Believe it or not, the way you set up your yard or home’s interior can make the difference between a party that rocks and a party that flops!

Think you don’t have what it takes to make your home party central? By making a few simple adjustments, to what you already have, you can turn your home into a place where guests feel welcomed, relaxed, and able to enjoy every minute of your hospitality. 

fire pit in seating areaEntertaining home design for your outdoor space

Every outdoor party works better when people have spaces to chat, places to play, and beautiful things to look at. Follow our steps below, and you’ll have all three!

Create a space that invites conversation

Arrange outdoor furniture for cozy conversation and take full advantage of trees for shade or that sweet-smelling flowering bush for a colorful backdrop.

A fire pit is a natural centerpiece for your outdoor seating area, whether a custom-built one made from rock or brick or a small portable one that can be taken out when needed and packed away in the shed when it’s not (after it’s completely cooled down, that is). Place a few chairs around the fire pit for cozy fireside chats. 

Add an outdoor game area

Games are not just for kids, so whether you have children in your household or not, having a designated spot for backyard games will give your outdoor entertaining an added jolt of fun. If you have space, create a permanent bocce ball court, horseshoe pit, or set up a regulation net for volleyball or badminton.

Related

If you don’t have unlimited space, pull out the games just for parties and designate a section of the yard for corn hole, spike ball, or water balloon tosses.

Put up a privacy fence

Do you love outdoor entertaining but don’t love the lack of privacy? Consider a privacy fence—whether store-bought or homemade. You can even DIY a privacy fence that showcases your green thumb, with an array of pots and holders for your favorite flowers, plants, or herbs. These fences instantly add privacy and style to your backyard space.

party in a small spaceInterior home design for parties

The biggest factor in creating a home interior that’s conducive to entertaining comes down to how you arrange your space. Keep in mind that what works for you and your family in your everyday life may not necessarily work when you’re entertaining.

  • If you’re expecting a small group, ensuring that the sofa and chairs are arranged for conversing may be all that’s needed to get your place entertaining ready. Making sure you have end tables conveniently located near seating for placement of cocktail and wine glasses will make the evening more pleasant for guests. Using a dimmer switch to lower lighting, or lighting a few candles for ambiance, will also help set the stage for entertaining. 
  • If, however, you’re having a large gathering, you may need to rethink the placement and number of furniture items in your living spaces. When using your dining table as a staging area for appetizers and charcuterie, having chairs around the table will be an unwelcome distraction. People tend to gravitate towards the food, and having access blocked by chairs—whether empty or filled with snacking guests—will make it difficult to access. Instead, pull the chairs away from the table and place them against the walls of the dining room so your guests can easily access your food and then find a chair to sit on while eating. 
  • When it comes to your living room, take a look and decide how many people can find comfortable seating in your living room the way it is normally arranged? Keep in mind that not everyone will be in the same location all at once—some may be in the kitchen, the dining room, standing up and chatting with others, etc. Furniture pieces like ottomans, sofa tables, and coffee tables work overtime during parties as improvised seating and placement for drinks or appetizer plates.
  • One of the most important—and simple—things you can do to get your living room party ready is to declutter. Before guests arrive, take a few minutes to pare down the number of tabletop photos, knickknacks, and vases to free up valuable table space. Your guests will appreciate having a place for drinks and plates so that they can have a free hand.

Becoming the host—or hostess—with the most is all about mastering the little things. Signature cocktails, that one special dessert everyone looks forward to having, and of course, a setting that encourages conversation, laughter, and most of all, fun!

Topics

Editors’ Recommendations

How to Style a Coffee Table That Feels Collected, Not Cluttered
Plant, Furniture, Table

A well styled coffee table can make your formal living room stand out and should feel intentional, considered and appropriately arranged. The goal is balance, and it should support the room rather than compete with it.

Start with a foundation. Use one or two large books to ground the arrangement. Choose books with substantial covers that reflect the palette of the room, whether neutral or tonal, and complement the space. Stack them rather than spreading them out. This creates structure and gives everything else a place to sit.

Read more
Flowers From the Garden: A Summer Centerpiece Method
Flower, Flower Arrangement, Plant

A simple, season led approach to summer florals, built on what is in bloom rather than what is in stock.

There is a particular generosity to summer that no other season offers. The garden is full and the flower markets overflow. The roadside stands begin to set out buckets of zinnias and dahlias by mid June and July. The backyard, once an afterthought, begins to feel like an extension of the home itself. The question is no longer whether to bring flowers into the house, but how often.

Read more
The Easiest Way to Set the Table
Cutlery, Fork, Spoon

Have you ever wondered why the fork sits on the left and the knife on the right? Or why Europeans eat “Continental style,” holding the fork in their left hand and the knife in their right, while Americans cut, switch hands, and then eat? It turns out there’s a reason for all of it, and once you understand the history, setting the table suddenly feels far less mysterious. Before beautifully layered place settings and Pinterest-worthy tablescapes, dining was far more practical. Medieval feasts were less about etiquette and more about survival. Plates were often shared, forks were nonexistent, and eating with your hands was the normal standard. Tables were filled with trenchers (pieces of bread used as plates), and the idea of “proper placement” simply didn’t exist.

By the mid-to-late 1800s (around 1860–1870), European dining evolved again as meals began to be served in courses. This shift introduced what became known as the Russian style of dining, where utensils were laid out intentionally and used from the outside in. The fork stayed in the left hand, the knife in the right, and the table itself began to reflect structure, rhythm, and order. This approach eventually became the “Continental style” still used across much of Europe today.

Read more