The month of November is often looked upon as the official start of the holiday season and with it comes home entertaining. Whether you are having a few friends over to watch the big game or the entire family for Thanksgiving dinner, providing enough seating can be a challenge. Your comfortable home for four becomes a cramped space for fifteen. This year, put away the folding chairs and follow some of these clever tips to make sure that everyone is comfortable without sacrificing your style.
Consider repurposing furniture from the private spaces of your home to use during large gatherings. Slipper benches can be used year round in a bedroom and easily pulled out when extra seating is needed. Ottomans are another great example of practical, multifunctional pieces. With some diligent measuring an ottoman can easily be slipped under a coffee table to ensure you don’t have to choose between seating and surface area. If you are purchasing a new piece, or reupholstering a well loved piece, consider using a neutral or coordinating fabric to your living room, both will look like they have been there all along.
Your lifestyle and likelihood to entertain guests is important to consider when decorating your home. When choosing a sofa, pay close attention to the length and depth. Deep sofas are very comfortable for casual relaxation but do not provide a practical seating option for hosting. Consider using deep sofas in great rooms or formal spaces. Sofas with three specific seating cushions may limit itself to just three guests. Choosing a sofa with a bench cushion instead may come across as more inviting to the fourth person, even if both sofas are the same size.
For your dining area, mismatched furniture adds character to this daily living space. However, it also allows for a chair from your living room to easily blend in when extra space is needed. One of the wing-backed chairs typically used as seating at the head of the table can be moved to the living room for the lively football fan.
With a touch of careful planning, you can take one more thing off of your to-do list this holiday season. Being mindful of whole-house design and shopping for multifunctional pieces can help you execute the dinner party your family will be talking about for years to come.
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