How to make your house welcoming for guests
With preparations in full swing for seasonal get-togethers, you may be questioning whether your home is as welcoming as it could be to visitors. For most people, how an environment makes them feel dictates how likely they are to enjoy themselves. Indeed, they may even return more readily if they’ve felt comfortable from the start.
Likewise, from a hosting point of view, there’s nothing quite like being proud of your home to give you a boost. With so much to gain for guests and hosts alike, making an effort to level up your home will pay off both every day and when the time comes to entertain.
Focus on the entranceway
The walkway to your home is the first chance you get to impress your guests. Put up outdoor lighting to illuminate the path outside for a sense of drama. On the front door, consider placing a seasonal wreath for a friendly approach that sets visitors at ease immediately.
Once they’re inside, the hallway or entrance space will cement their first impression. Make them feel like they’re stepping into a festive movie with a warm ambience created by Christmas decorations. Select string lights and fresh winter foliage for a sense of soft authenticity that will charm your guests instantly.
Provide an atmosphere
We all base our reactions and feelings in part on the stimuli and information that we get from our senses. You can use this to your advantage by considering what your guests will perceive with all five senses.
Sight: The kind of light used in a room can make or break an atmosphere. Enhance your home with perfectly balanced ambient lighting using high-quality lampshades to create a warm glow. In terms of decorations, ensure you include enough colour to raise spirits for joyful celebrations.
Smell: Bake cookies just before your guests arrive to fill the house with a comforting sweet smell. Alternatively, place scented candles or diffusers around the common areas of the home. Select seasonal scents, such as cinnamon or pine, to match the occasion.
Taste: Have a cup of mulled wine ready for your visitors’ arrival and place sweet treats within reach. Food is often the easiest way to win over a visitor, after all!
Touch: Select textured soft furnishings to set your guests at ease. If they’re staying over, make sure the bedding is comforting and sets them up for a good night’s sleep.
Hearing: Play music in the background that matches the nature of the event you’re hosting. This shouldn’t be so loud that your guests feel overwhelmed or can’t communicate with you.
Declutter and organise
For better or worse, your home is a reflection of who you are and how your family lives. A messy space may create the impression that you have a messy mentality in life or that you don’t care for your home, which could make your guests uncomfortable.
Take the time to clean shared rooms, declutter the house and organise your things in advance of anyone’s arrival. This will also make it infinitely easier to host without battling untidiness.
