Home Decor & Party Decor: A Perfect Pairing for Festive Fun
Summer is the perfect time to host a party. If you have a birthday or anniversary to celebrate, there’s no better way to do so than to gather some friends for a dinner or barbeque. And if you don’t have a specific occasion to celebrate, make one up! ‘Saturday’ is just as good a reason as any to host a get-together with friends.
As you plan your party decor and essentials, you’ll have some obvious items on your to-buy list: balloons, banners, and other temporary decorations are all staples for a soirée. But you can also utilise some of the best home furniture and accessory picks to ensure festivity success. Read on for our best party decor tips on using your home favourites to be the host with the most.
Pull up a chair for everyone
One of the most important elements of party decor is seating. Yes, your guests will want to move and mingle, but as the night wears on, people are going to want to kick back and relax. Having ample seating for everyone is key, and ideally you’ll want an array of options to suit every sitter’s style. Bench-style seating can accommodate more behinds, but choose some chairs with backs as well for those who need extra support.
To keep your room from looking cluttered until the seating is in use, choose pieces that you can tuck away discretely and pull out as needed. A stool or ottoman can sit beneath a console table, and cushions can be stacked in a corner or closet.
If you’re choosing party decor and seating for an outdoor space, you can supplement your outdoor seating with chairs from indoors for a fun, mismatched look — blending outdoor and indoor decor is also a top trend for summer so it makes for perfect party decor style.
Hosting a more formal dinner party? You may want to consider a seating chart. It may seem like overkill — surely people will find their own seats, right? — but adding place cards to your party decor can avoid awkward situations and keep the evening running smoothly.
Celebrate in cosy style
We’re all familiar with Irish weather. Even in summer, warm temperatures are never guaranteed. And no matter how toasty the weather is during the day, you can be sure it’ll get chilly as the evening comes. When you’re planning your party decor with the help of your home accessories, you’ll want to be sure your guests won’t be shivering into the night. Kit out your chairs with comfy cushions and cosy throws, and you not only bring warmth to the space but you also have the opportunity to bring a playful pop of colour or pattern to your party decor.
If you’re outdoors, a well-placed bioethanol fire can keep things cosy even as the sun sets. We even have options you can bring indoors when you decide to go into the house, keeping the party going seamlessly in warm and welcoming style.
Indoors, you can use your fireplace or stove — whether it’s lit or not — as a focal point for your party decor. It gives people something to gather around, without defaulting to staring at a television (unless the purpose of your party is to watch a sporting event or Love Island, of course!). Some electric fireplaces can also be lit without giving off heat, making them perfect for use in any season.
Keep snacks close at hand
Party decor is important and all, and entertainment is nice, whether it be games, trivia, or music, but let’s be honest: one of the most important elements of a party is good food and drink. And as a party guest, there’s nothing worse than staring longingly across the table at the bowl of crisps just beyond arm’s length.
As a host, you should always make sure that your guests can reach their favourite snacks, and you can turn your home decor into party decor to do just that. When you’re laying out your table, make sure there’s a bowl within reach of every seat. They can be filled with different things — there’s camaraderie in passing snacks around the table — but every guest should be able to access at least one type of treat. For even more convenient snack distribution, you can opt for a tabletop like the one in our Hawaii garden set, with a lazy susan that rotates to move bowls around the table with ease.
Bar carts are popular additions to sitting rooms and dining areas, often as stationery, decorative and storage devices. They’re also ideal options for party decor; many have wheeled bases so you can use them to bring drinks around the room in style.
Let there be (plenty of) light
Particularly for outdoor events, it’s easy to think about lighting up a space with colourful party decor while forgetting to actually light up a space. It’s easy to be enjoying a few drinks in the afternoon and not notice the sun going down until you and your guests are sitting in the dark and squinting to see each other. Outdoors, extra lighting will definitely be needed, and indoors you may want lights that set the mood rather than too-strong overhead options.
As with seating, a varied combination is the best choice for party decor lighting. An array of floor and table lamps lets your guests turn them on and off as needed as people enter or leave a room, avoids glare on screens if you’re gathered to watch a film or TV event, and creates a soft, warm atmosphere that is ideal for an inviting party vibe. For a dinner party, flickering candles — either real or LED — are a classic pick to set the mood.
The important thing is to keep in mind that eye strain can make you tired, so if you want your guests to be able to party late into the night, good lighting will be an important element of your party decor.
When you’re planning your party decor, it’s easy to focus on the special occasion pieces, but it’s the little details that really make a get-together a success. With the perfect home decor accessories in your festive arsenal, you can ensure your guests will be comfortable, well-fed, and having fun.
Give your celebrations a boost with the best home furnishings from Corcoran’s. Whether you’re planning for a soirée or for the everyday, we have everything you need to spruce up your space, indoors and out. Get in touch with our team today and we’ll help you find your party and home decor must-haves. Don’t forget to send us an invite!