You’ve deep cleaned your house, your guest bathroom is sparkling, living room sofa pillows are plumped and your kitchen looks spanking clean. Bring your home to the next level with these quick and affordable final touches so that your guests leave with a lasting impression. These are 5 of my favourite tips for you that I’ve used over the years, and which always impress my dinner guests. Best of all, they each require items that you already have in your home.
These are 5 of my favourite tips for you that I’ve used over the years, and which always impress my dinner guests. Best of all, they each require items that you already have in your home.
Contents
1. Light Up the Scented Candles
Placing fragranced candles strategically in your home, creates a warm welcoming glow and sets the perfect mood for your guests.
Your Entry Way
The entry way is often overlooked but it’s one of the most important parts of your home, as this is where guests first enter and where they say their goodbyes: first and last impressions! Consider using earthy, natural, woody or festive aromas. Go for scent notes such as coffee, fig, cinnamon, ginger or cedarwood. You may even want to use a fresh baked scent such as oatmeal cookie to complement your cooking. These will have your guests heading straight to your kitchen!
Your Guest Bathroom or Powder Room
Most guests use your bathroom, and many do so as they first enter your home. In these days of heightened appreciation of the need for handwashing, many will head for the bathroom before having a glass of wine or digging into your tasty appetizers. A scented candle in a decorative holder is perfect for adding a fresh aroma to greet guests as they open your bathroom door. Citrus and floral fragrances feel clean and work beautifully in this space.
Your Living Room or Deck
Aside from the kitchen, your living room or deck is the main entertainment centre of your home and happens to be the place where your guests will be spending most of their time. You will want to spruce up those areas with scents that are relaxing and subtle so that they don’t distract your guests from the delectable food that you’ve prepared for them. Soft floral scents such as rose are perfect. Candles also enhance your décor so if you want to make a stylish statement, place a couple of jar or pillar candles on your corner table or mantle. Decorative lantern candles are best on a deck or patio.
Your Dining Table
Turn those overhead dining lights off or dim them! There’s nothing like candlelight at a dinner table. It just adds that special glow to your guests faces and brings warmth to the conversations. Try unscented candles that will not compete with the meal. If you want to throw in a bit of décor, go for colourful candles that tie in with your centrepiece or tablescape theme.
2. Add Natural & Earthy Elements
Garden Greenery or Flowers
It goes without saying that incorporating little bits of nature, brings brightness, life and freshness to your home.
For your entrance area, greet your guests with a plant or floral arrangement, as this helps to set the tone for your entire home.
Flowers make lovely centrepieces for dining tables, and you can switch things up by using other natural elements such as traditional baskets filled with pears, green lemons or apples. If you prefer using branches, herbs or green leaves from your own garden, these also make outstanding showpieces.
Adding garden greenery or flowers can also elevate your kitchen, guest bathroom and living room. The simplest additions often deliver the best results such as a single plant; you don’t need to go overboard. Look for the tried and tested seasonal bloomers that will hold up well while packing a lot of colour in your arrangement. Ferns, Tulips, Hydrangea, Sunflowers, Dahlias and Roses are reliable and affordable options.
Herbs
Your garden herbs can also be a beautiful addition to your floral bouquet. The needle like spiky shaped leaves of Tarragon and Rosemary with or without their tiny flowers will add textural variation, aroma and a spot of greenery to your arrangement. Don’t be shy about using green leaves, bushes, vines and branches from your garden such as lemon leaves; they are the perfect symbol of nature and can give your arrangement a lush, balanced and full appearance.
among other things.
Seashells or River Rocks
Seashells from your last beach vacation or hand-painted river rocks are also other natural and charming elements that you can use to accentuate your bathroom, tables or shelves within your home.
Cacti
Cacti and succulents are great anywhere in your home. Use succulents with different textures and shades to create variation and a stunning visual impact.
3. Throw in a Cake, Pudding or Pie in the Oven
There’s nothing more inviting than greeting your dinner guests with the smell of fresh-baked pastries. It certainly goes a long way to getting the senses stimulated and excited for dinner. Aside from the smell, freshly baked pastries make a delightful homemade treat for your guests. About 10 minutes or so before your dinner party is scheduled to start, slip a cake, pie or pudding in the oven.
4. Brew Fresh Coffee
Your guests will know that they are at an elegant dinner party, when you offer freshly brewed coffee. Not to mention the wonderful burst of aroma, as it brews.
A large French press is my absolute favourite for serving party guests. Pod coffee makers or expresso machines while perfect for your morning coffee, might not be ideal when entertaining, as they take a bit of skill and attention to operate. It’s so important to keep your coffee warm after it’s been brewed. You can do so by keeping a reserve in a thermos or rinsing your coffee mugs with hot water before serving.
If you are running errands on the weekend and spot an open house, seize the moment and stroll right in!
5. Display Your Favourite Cookbooks
Whether you want to display them in your built-in area, on an open shelf or against your backsplash, good old-fashioned cookbooks will add character to your kitchen. Not only are they aesthetically appealing to the eye, but they make great conversation starters for your guests whether it’s about your favourite chef or one of your best-loved recipes passed down through generations.
Perch a small potted plant or glass bowl with flowers on a stack of your favourite books or show them off in a vintage basket, easel or book stand. A simple option is lining your books along your countertop against your backsplash using decorative bowls or other items as bookends to hold them in place. You might want to find a spot on your counter top that is out of the way to prevent your books from getting messy but still within sight of your guests.
For more tips on how you can stylishly display your cookbooks, feel free to check out the the Spruce.
Let me know what you think of these tips. Is there anything else you want to know? If yes, drop me a comment.
Author
Monique Abbott
Hi, I ’m Monique, founder and editor-in-chief of Yes2Yolo, travel addict and lover of home makeover projects.
I’ve explored over 60 countries with my husband Nick. Together we’ve partnered on some truly exciting projects such as creating and running a successful Airbnb business, chairing condo boards, purchasing fixer-uppers and renovating them from scratch on our own while balancing all of this with full-time jobs and family.
While my personal passions are travel and home décor, I am, by profession, a lawyer with over 17 years experience.
Love these tips Monique, especially the cookbook and plants. I’m going to try these when I next entertain.
Thank you so much Kalima! Really appreciate you dropping us a comment! Cheers!
Great tips Monique! Looking forward to having the space to implementing them all. Soon!
Thank you so much Elizabeth! Fingers crossed, you will have your space soon and when you do, you’ll be so excited! I’m here if you need any tips.