Whether you love to entertain or hardly have people over, you want guests to think of your house as a fun place to spend time. Even if you don’t have many parties, your home can still be an entertainment house that allows you to spend time with your closest family and friends. Whether you’re renovating your home to have more space or you’re looking for simple ways to make your home better for parties, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few ways to create the best entertainment house. 

Consider Curb Appeal

When guests arrive at your home, they want to see curb appeal. If you plan on having a party, you’ll need enough parking space in front of your home to give your guests easy access without annoying the neighbors. You should also have good lighting from the street to the porch and a beautiful driveway and walkways that are inviting and won’t cause accidents. 

A Place for Shoes

Not every house has a mudroom, but not every house needs one. However, when entertaining guests, you must have a place for shoes, boots, jackets, and coats. Since people don’t want to track snow, mud, salt, and rain into your home, you may have to tell them where they can put all their belongings. If you don’t have tons of space, you can lay down plastic or a tarp to protect your flooring or carpet. You can also give them a coat rack for hats, coats, and jackets and use an umbrella stand. 

Seating Space

Your guests need somewhere to sit when they’re not standing and mingling with others. Luckily, you have options. Couches, chairs, benches, and floor space should give everyone the chance to take a seat if they want. However, depending on how your home is set up, you may have seating in different rooms to offer more private conversations among friends or let everyone stay in the large family room to get to know each other. Always ensure you have enough seating for all of your guests so no one has to stand if they don’t want to. However, remember your seating space should not limit movement, so you shouldn’t place a chair by the bathroom door or near a hallway. 

Mobile Bar

Most homes don’t have wine cellars where your friends can go get themselves a drink. However, you can use a mobile bar where you’ll keep ice, soda, wine, alcohol, and glasses. While a mobile bar isn’t a must-have for entertaining, it can make it more convenient for your guests to get a drink whenever they want instead of heading outside to a cooler. Additionally, consider getting a caterer or plan a menu for guests who may get hungry while dancing the night away.  If hosting your party outside, provide a space for the bar so guests don’t have to go inside to restock on drinks. 

Bathrooms

Every house has at least one bathroom. However, if you have multiple bathrooms, ensure they’re all in working order so no one has to wait in line to use the facilities. Additionally, your bathrooms should be clean and inviting. Don’t leave old bath towels on the floor or soap scum in the sinks. Instead, have your bathrooms stocked with plenty of toilet paper, paper towels, and soap dispensers, and clean your counters to give guests space for their purses. 

Outdoor-to-Indoor Flow

If you have a party in the summer, your guests will likely want to spend some time outside, especially if you’re barbecuing. However, they’ll also want access to air conditioning, especially if your gathering is in the hot afternoon. People like having the option to step outside to get away from the party or to join outdoor activities, so your house must allow easy indoor-outdoor flow. If you don’t have a sliding door, you can clear a space for guests to use your garage door or backdoor, depending on where you’d like to lead them. You can also keep coolers and other types of entertainment outside. 

If you do plan to have guests spend time outside, always ensure there’s enough seating for them. Depending on the style of your party, you may be able to get away with folding chairs and other outdoor accessories, or you may need to invest in quality outdoor seating like an outdoor couch. 

Use Lighting

Lighting can help you set the mood for your party. For example, most parties that take place at night have just enough lighting to let everyone mingle. However, when the bright lights come up, that’s a signal for everyone to get ready to go home. Ambient lighting can help you create a relaxing and inviting atmosphere inside or outside. And, of course, if you plan to have a party outside at night, you need lighting to help everyone see where they’re going. Not to mention, it is important you have strong internet connectivity so you can play your favorite festive songs or have something displayed on the television. Consider installing lights that change alongside beat of the music for added effect. 

Decorations

How you decorate your home can also make it more inviting and entertaining. Consider your decor. Does it spark joy in others, or is it simply for you and your family? Depending on your party, you may need to change your decor to fit the mood. For example, consider taking down your everyday decorations and replacing them with holiday-themed decorations during the holidays. You can use custom photo canvases to evoke certain emotions, such as joy. You can also go to your favorite party store and pick up cheap decorations to help you set the right mood. 

Space for Children and Pets

Sometimes adults want to entertain their adult friends, but they can’t always send their pets and kids out of the house. Instead, you can create a space for pets and kids to hang out when there’s a party. You can even allow your kids to invite their friends over during the party to keep them occupied. Consider giving them space in the basement where they can hang out and play video games or board games. You should also consider what to do with pets. Some pets may get anxious during gatherings, so you may choose to keep your pet in a separate room with the children or give them their own sanctuary space where they can get away from the noise. 

Final Thoughts

Creating the best entertainment house isn’t about the size or layout of your home. While an open floor plan definitely makes it easier to entertain, you can allow guests into as many rooms as you’d like and let them hang out and get to know each other. What’s most important is setting the mood and letting guests talk amongst themselves. 

Ashley Nielsen

Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.