Entertaining at Home: Food, Wine, Friends and Family

Beautiful white party table setting with splashes of yellow flowers.

image courtesy of googleusercontent.com

Hosting a Party:  Home Entertaining Ideas

In a city with enough restaurants to be able to dine somewhere new every night, most of us resort to entertainment outside of our homes.  With accessibility to so many options, culture and convenience you’re probably wondering, “Why would anyone even think about entertaining in their apartment?”

Well, why not?  Just because we live in New York City doesn’t mean we should resign ourselves to the idea that we can’t comfortably host a dinner party or game night.  As someone whose passion in life is creating a home, I think there is nothing better than an intimate evening with friends and family.  It’s a great way to bring together those you love, share some of your favorite recipes and traditions, and spawn memories that turn an ordinary apartment into a warm and inviting home.  Plus, you won’t have to shout across the table, deal with someone rushing you to pay the bill, and more importantly, you’ll save a bit of money. 

Apartment Organization Ideas:  Getting Ready for a Dinner Party

So, how can you transform your home into a comfortable space that is well-suited for hosting a party?  Here are several ways to design and organize your apartment so that you can live comfortably every day and at the same time, optimize your space for the occasional evening in with friends.

1) Murphy Beds – While they may not seem like the most glamorous solution, Murphy Beds have come a long way in recent years with designs so modern you won’t even know there’s a bed in the room.  Today’s Murphy Beds will provide increased floor space, along with seating and more storage (think clothing or home office).  Murphy Beds can be customized to include built-in sofas, workspaces, dining tables, and more. This old style solution now packs a modern day punch that will work in almost any setting and at most price points. The Murphy Bed is an easy-to-use apartment organization idea that is movable, and most importantly, extremely comfortable.      

A collection of murphy beds closed and open.

images courtesy of Morespaceplace.com

2) Expandable tables – A common item in most homes across America.  These old standbys have experienced many transformations and now come in a variety of styles, which have the ability to expand from being a console table to a table for eight in a snap, making it far easier to host a dinner party.

An expandable table for small apartments expands for large dinner parties.

images courtesy of  resourcefurniture.com

3) Plain dishes – Entertaining at home doesn’t necessarily have to entail fine china.  While many of us grew up with the mindset that the Wedgwood should be pulled out for special occasions, it’s simply not practical for those residing in New York City.  Save yourself the storage space and invest in a good set of basic, white, everyday dinnerware (the white will also make your food look better).  With the addition of cloth napkins, place mats, or a tablecloth, you can easily dress up your table setting.

White dinner plates, bowls and mugs from Crate and Barrel.

image courtesy of Crate and Barrel

4) Accessorize – Bring in color and/or a theme to your space when preparing for a party by accessorizing with current seasonal items. Think about using items that are disposable so you won’t need to worry about storage later (e.g. flowers, fruit, candles, ribbon, place cards and/or inexpensive holiday decor).  If you want to invest in special occasion accessories, think about things that are versatile and easy to store (e.g. cloth napkins, napkin rings, candle stick holders, etc).  Don’t be afraid to have fun with it.

By utilizing some, or all, of these simple home entertaining ideas and solutions, you’ll soon be able to host that fabulous dinner party you’ve been dreaming of.

About the Author:

Professional organizer and designer, Jeffrey Calandra is the founder and president of ocd4life, LLC (Organizational Concepts Designed 4 Life). A full service professional organizing and design company, ocd4life specializes in bringing refreshment to their clients’ spaces and lives by creating organized and stylized environments through custom-built solutions. 

Web: www.ocd4life.com

Email: Jeffrey@ocd4life.com

Phone: 347-829-4623Skype logo347-829-4623

Posted in Apartment Living NYC | Tagged