Of course you want to have a wonderful home so that you will have restful sleep, tasty meals, comfy living & a place to keep your belongings. But don’t forget that once you have a happy place, you’ll probably want to have others over to enjoy your happy place with you! This blog entry will fill your mind with ideas for entertaining in all the areas of your domicile.
Ok, so some you may have already tried, some you might not want to try…but at any rate, start thinking outside the four walls of your dining room when it comes to throwing a bash!
~ WARM WEATHER MONTHS & WARM WEATHER PLACES
If you are lucky enough to have mild weather all year, there’s not much stopping you from hosting your daytime or evening events outside. Think beyond the BBQ grill…
Outdoor seating makes cleanup a breeze! Don't forget umbrellas...
This Mad Hatter Tea Party makes a great theme for a Ladies’ Luncheon or Girls’ Tea Party. The giant-sized chess game gives folks an activity as well as adds to the themed decor.
If you possibly can, why not build an outdoor dining room?
This home has the most specatcular gardens, fountains & a pond. The owners want to enjoy it whenever they can. This outdoor dining room is complete with electrical wiring which allows for fans, misters, chandelier lighting & music. What more could you want for an intimate dinner party?
With Valentine's Day coming up, wouldn't an outdoor bedroom be a romantic surprise?
Why stop at the outdoor dining room when you can set up an entire romantic “getaway” from your own bedroom suite? It might take a friend to help with the heavy lifting but I bet your sweetie would be very pleasantly surprised to find a wonderful oasis right outside on a private deck or patio!
~ COLD WEATHER MONTHS & COLD WEATHER PLACES
We are not all so lucky to live without the cold temps & snow but let’s take advantage & get cozy on a winter night…outside!
The traditional firepit is a big favorite of ours for impromptu get-togethers.
We keep a stash of cozy blankets, s'mores supplies & outdoor pillows handy all year...
When we have a few more guests, that’s when we get creative…
Three walls, a roof, a few chairs & some warm bodies make this a very cozy spot!
Sometimes we even throw our crazy kitchy costume parties in the garage!
~ MORE IDEAS
When it is just too darn cold to have a party outside, there are lots of great things to try indoors…Poker Tournaments are among our favorites. Everyone gets into the theme with a costume (Pirates, Gangsters, Rat Pack…) and the competition can get fierce! Keeping the whole crowd involved with practice rounds & prizes (even for the least experienced players) makes for a very fun evening. Try the dining room, rec room, garage — any place you can fit all the tables & seats you will need. Chairs need to be comfortable — everyone sits for a long time — and the lighting needs to be decent so everyone can see their cards.
One of our superstar robot builders with his prized creation
Obviously when it comes to kids parties, keeping them busy is a key ingredient as well, especially if they are all running around your house! We have hosted sledding parties, rock-star video-making parties, robot-making parties & the old school backyard olympics. Keeping them outside for much of the time helps keep the chaos in check.
One of the best tools I’ve learned for kid parties is face painting. This is so easy & unbelievably keeps kids busy for hours while they select, watch & wait to get their face painted. Online you can find lots of samples of the most popular “faces” that you simply copy with water-based paints, a sponge & a brush. (BTW, getting each face down to 5 minutes or less is key to keeping the kids attentive…)
If you are still looking for some unique entertaining ideas, check out this website: www.celebrationideasonline.com.
As I sign off for this week, I just want to share my very favorite new trend with you — the outdoor lounging bed. We are starting to see them everywhere from resort beaches & pools to hotel lobbies & nightclubs. Everyone can lounge around together & it makes a very nice juxtaposition of something you expect to see inside, outdoors.
The W Hotel, Chicago
Thanks again for visiting the blog for MarmotHomeDesign.com! Trying to keep it real, fresh & real fresh for you every month. Enjoy the space you’re living in!!!
Entertaining Inside & Outside your Home
Of course you want to have a wonderful home so that you will have restful sleep, tasty meals, comfy living & a place to keep your belongings. But don’t forget that once you have a happy place, you’ll probably want to have others over to enjoy your happy place with you! This blog entry will fill your mind with ideas for entertaining in all the areas of your domicile.
Ok, so some you may have already tried, some you might not want to try…but at any rate, start thinking outside the four walls of your dining room when it comes to throwing a bash!
~ WARM WEATHER MONTHS & WARM WEATHER PLACES
If you are lucky enough to have mild weather all year, there’s not much stopping you from hosting your daytime or evening events outside. Think beyond the BBQ grill…
Outdoor seating makes cleanup a breeze! Don't forget umbrellas...
This Mad Hatter Tea Party makes a great theme for a Ladies’ Luncheon or Girls’ Tea Party. The giant-sized chess game gives folks an activity as well as adds to the themed decor.
If you possibly can, why not build an outdoor dining room?
This home has the most specatcular gardens, fountains & a pond. The owners want to enjoy it whenever they can. This outdoor dining room is complete with electrical wiring which allows for fans, misters, chandelier lighting & music. What more could you want for an intimate dinner party?
With Valentine's Day coming up, wouldn't an outdoor bedroom be a romantic surprise?
Why stop at the outdoor dining room when you can set up an entire romantic “getaway” from your own bedroom suite? It might take a friend to help with the heavy lifting but I bet your sweetie would be very pleasantly surprised to find a wonderful oasis right outside on a private deck or patio!
~ COLD WEATHER MONTHS & COLD WEATHER PLACES
We are not all so lucky to live without the cold temps & snow but let’s take advantage & get cozy on a winter night…outside!
The traditional firepit is a big favorite of ours for impromptu get-togethers.
We keep a stash of cozy blankets, s'mores supplies & outdoor pillows handy all year...
When we have a few more guests, that’s when we get creative…
Three walls, a roof, a few chairs & some warm bodies make this a very cozy spot!
Sometimes we even throw our crazy kitchy costume parties in the garage!
~ MORE IDEAS
When it is just too darn cold to have a party outside, there are lots of great things to try indoors…Poker Tournaments are among our favorites. Everyone gets into the theme with a costume (Pirates, Gangsters, Rat Pack…) and the competition can get fierce! Keeping the whole crowd involved with practice rounds & prizes (even for the least experienced players) makes for a very fun evening. Try the dining room, rec room, garage — any place you can fit all the tables & seats you will need. Chairs need to be comfortable — everyone sits for a long time — and the lighting needs to be decent so everyone can see their cards.
One of our superstar robot builders with his prized creation
Obviously when it comes to kids parties, keeping them busy is a key ingredient as well, especially if they are all running around your house! We have hosted sledding parties, rock-star video-making parties, robot-making parties & the old school backyard olympics. Keeping them outside for much of the time helps keep the chaos in check.
One of the best tools I’ve learned for kid parties is face painting. This is so easy & unbelievably keeps kids busy for hours while they select, watch & wait to get their face painted. Online you can find lots of samples of the most popular “faces” that you simply copy with water-based paints, a sponge & a brush. (BTW, getting each face down to 5 minutes or less is key to keeping the kids attentive…)
If you are still looking for some unique entertaining ideas, check out this website: www.celebrationideasonline.com.
As I sign off for this week, I just want to share my very favorite new trend with you — the outdoor lounging bed. We are starting to see them everywhere from resort beaches & pools to hotel lobbies & nightclubs. Everyone can lounge around together & it makes a very nice juxtaposition of something you expect to see inside, outdoors.
The W Hotel, Chicago
Thanks again for visiting the blog for MarmotHomeDesign.com! Trying to keep it real, fresh & real fresh for you every month. Enjoy the space you’re living in!!!