Home Features Wish List for Holiday Entertaining
Home Features Wish List for Holiday Entertaining
Home Features Wish List for Holiday Entertaining
Hosting guests for the holidays can be both fun and exhausting. A lot of work and planning goes into hosting a fantastic holiday shindig. For those that entertain guests frequently, having a house with features that lend themselves to parties can make the event truly amazing and seemingly effortless! Check out these top “dream home” features for those that love to entertain:
- Kitchen Congregation – Everyone loves to sample the food at a party, so it makes sense that a kitchen is always a place where guests spend a lot of time. Having a free flowing kitchen with ample counter space and an island where guests can sit, stand and chit chat without feeling cramped is critical for a hostess style kitchen!
- The Bar is Open – Once the folks are ready for an adult beverage, it is off to the bar! Not all homes are equipped with a built-in wet bar, but having a serving station that is spaced away from the food area is optimal so guests are not all bottle-necked in the kitchen. The sky is the limit with the bar construction—it can be plumbed with a sink and built into a nook or it can be a stylish mock built-in piece of furniture. There is also the option of creating a bar area for the event itself that is not a permanent fixture.
- Guest Comfort – This isn’t so much a home feature as a way to set things up, but it is worth mentioning nonetheless. Guest’s comfort is paramount for hosting a picture perfect soiree, so plan and arrange furniture with your guests in mind. Make sure seating options are plentiful and arrangements are flexible.
- The space itself – Open concepts are great for entertaining, but not everyone has that option with the setup of their homes. As long as the rooms are opened up and lit up brightly with ample seating and walking room, any space can be setup to accommodate guests. Just make sure the space flows in a complimentary way, so there are no areas that are unwelcome to guests.
- Self-Clean Mode – So, how awesome would it be if a house was so smart it could clean itself? I know I dream of the day! Until that day comes though, there are options to help with your post entertaining woes. A central vacuum system is a home feature that makes party cleanup (and daily life) a bit easier.
- Party Spot – Some properties are lucky enough to have a “party barn” area that is an area solely for entertaining. However, even if you don’t, you can create it by utilizing garages, porches, patios, storage buildings, etc for the party purpose and then transforming back to their original use once the entertaining is over. Multi-purpose spaces are always a favorite!
- Premium Parking – One can never have enough parking (or closets…am I right?!), whether or not you are a big entertainer. This isn’t as fancy as having a huge private parking lot, but entertaining means parking will be something to think about. As long as there is room somewhere for your guests to park, you’ll be all set!
Being a hostess (or host) with the mostest is a lot easier if you have a home with features made for entertaining. Unfortunately, most of our homes don’t have ballrooms, conservatories or formal parlors, but you can personalize and get creative with your home to fit your entertaining needs and make it work perfectly for your next get together. Happy Hosting!
Lisa Priest is not quite ready for the houseguests (yet) and is an East Texas Broker/REALTOR® with Picket Fence Realty, Inc. You can reach her via phone or text at 903-948-3343 or read more at BuyPalestine.com
