Party planning is about so much more than constructing an impressive cheese board. It begins with a considered home design that sets the mood, gets people talking, and allows you to flow through the space with ease.
Achieving all this is no mean feat but it can be so satisfying when it all pays off at that very first gathering. Perhaps you’ll be hosting a housewarming, an engagement, a baby shower, or any old excuse to throw a party. Whatever the occasion, the team at Regional Home Builders live for building homes where you can celebrate life year in and year out.
We want to create spaces where your kids can celebrate their 18th birthday in the same room as you received their first cot. But it can’t all happen this way unless a home is designed for the occasion.
So how might we achieve all this in just one home? We’re here with some party-themed renovation inspiration!
Conversational Furniture
No we’re not referring to chairs that talk – just as a lazy Susan isn’t what it sounds like.
Many homes can fall victim to a couch that faces the TV, killing all conversation and hurting your neck if you do feel like a chat.
That’s why we always recommend centring your lounge room around a coffee table with several seats facing the middle. When you’re hosting a party, let your TV take the night off and the conversation take centre-stage. If you’re hosting a loud party with music and dancing, remember to keep these chairs close together so the loungers can hear each other clearly.
Open Plan with Alfresco
As you browse our range of floorplans and home designs, you’ll notice that many of them include an open floorplan in the kitchen/living/dining room.
No one wants to stay for long at a party in cramped confines. If we wanted spilled drinks and no personal space, we’d visit the nearest pub or club. Instead, an open floorplan allows for a seamless flow of guests as they move about for food, drink, toilet breaks and fresh air.
This is the beauty of an alfresco area where guests can spread out on a warm summer night. Add some comfortable outdoor seating and you’ve got yourself another beautiful space to call home.
Defining Space for Work & Play
Not every part of the home should be devoted to party planning. Every homeowner needs that one room that’s just for them to escape, take a breath and recharge.
Defining this space is a simple question of decoration and layout. In the spaces where you’d like guests to occupy, style your home with fun artwork and knick-knacks of interest. These are your conversation starters and signify that this is where the party is.
In your private areas, more productivity-centric items like calendars, stationary, textbooks, and inspirational posters will let guests know this area is for work and focus.
If you want to go one step further and keep guests well away from your space, a divider like open shelving or sliding glass doors can clearly definwe the space. Of course, you may simply prefer to keep all this in a separate room with a closed door – that works too!
Ambient Lighting
Harsh lights can only signify one thing – it’s time to go home. Set the mood of your party with warmer tones and dimmer lights. Rather than turning the big ceiling light on, decorate the space with decorative lamps.
Not only do these lamps set the mood, but they reveal the best spots for stopping and chatting. This further defines the party spaces without using furniture or separate rooms. Just make sure you include some lighting outside so people know the backyard is in play.
Storage
“I’m so sorry, the house is such a mess,” your host says as you look around a perfectly clean home.
How many times have we all been on both sides of this experience? If only we were content with the storage options in our homes, we could all relax and enjoy the party.
That’s why storage is never an afterthought for our designers, as we consider options like hollow day beds, secret drawers, in-couch storage, and ample cupboard space.
When your storage is considered, it’s easier to keep the house in order and declutter before a party. It’s okay to leave a few talking points lying around the home during a party, but too much mess can bog you down and put a dampener on the event. Make storage a priority!
Contact RHB
If your dream home is full of fun, friends, and fantastic parties, then the first thing you should do when designing said home is to contact Regional Home Builders.
We know how to throw a great party and it all begins with that first blueprint. So, get in touch for a conversation with our expert team and thank them later once the post-party debrief is complete.