January and February are the top months for entertaining and dining at home. Photo credit: The Design Network.
2015 is upon us! As we enter January, the season for entertaining and dining at home with friends and family is at its peak. Thinking of dining and entertaining reminds me of the first design challenge I competed in for Space Off on The Design Network. Our challenge for this episode was to create a dining space for a recently retired couple who loves to entertain their many friends but also wanted a place for intimate dinners for just the two of them. Check out the episode here.
This dining room was created by “Space Off” for a retired couple who loves to entertain but also wanted a cozy, intimate dining space. Photo credit: The Design Network
Creating the perfect dining and entertaining spaces in your home doesn’t have to be a daunting task.
Here are a few ideas to take your spaces to a whole new level–let’s start with the dining room!
Sometimes dining rooms can seem like boring spaces–what can you really do to make dining room furniture more inviting? Host and hostess chairs at the ends of your dining table can really take your dining room up a notch!
Upholstered host and hostess chairs like the Rhapsody tufted dining chair soften your dining space and add interest. Photo credit: Hooker Furniture.
These Rhapsody Tufted Dining Chairs are the perfect complement to the rest of the dining room. They soften the space and add extra interest. And, as the host and hostess of your get-together, you deserve that extra comfy seat!
The serving furniture piece in your dining room is a great place to bring in a statement piece. Not everything has to match, and many accent furniture pieces make great complements to the core pieces in the room. Hooker Furniture’s Melange Collection is a great resource for accents that make a statement but also provide a lot of function.
The Quinn Console features hidden wine storage. Photo credit: Hooker Furniture.
Hooker Furniture’s Melange Quinn Console has a great finish that would mix well with a wide variety of styles and finishes. And who wouldn’t love a little hidden wine storage that is easily accessible?
A big challenge in dining rooms is size. You want to fit the maximum number of seats into your room but you don’t want it to feel overwhelmed with furniture. Mirrors can do the trick!
Make your dining room feel larger with mirrors. Photo credit: Hooker Furniture.
You can make your room feel larger with mirrors. And this is another great place where you can add some interest! Don’t feel like you have to stick with a traditional rectangular mirror. This Sanctuary Shaped Mirror can be great on its own. Group it in threes to create a “wow” reaction.
And now, on to your entertaining and living areas!
Versatile seating is a key to inviting entertaining spaces in your home. Photo credit: The Design Network.
When it comes to entertaining, having versatile seating is a key to a memorable and fun time for you and your guests. A bench or small ottomans are perfect for versatility. They can act as room dividers while leaving the room feeling open and without blocking views. They also can be easily moved around, and can provide additional seating when you have a lot of guests.
A pair of ottomans like these Clover Ottomans from Sam Moore are a stylish, soft substitute for a cocktail table. Photo: Sam Moore Furniture.
These Sam Moore Clover Ottomans are the perfect versatile piece! They are great paired together in front of a sofa instead of a cocktail table.
Accent tables are great in everyday use, but also if you do a lot of entertaining. A small table between a pair of chairs can serve as an additional dining surface, but still keeps the chairs part of the conversation in your living space.
An accent table between a pair of chairs can serve as an additional dining surface. Photo: Hooker Furniture.
Hooker Furniture’s Luna Accent Table is great for entertaining spaces. It adds the right amount of sparkle, but is also a great size for multiple uses.
The perfect winter gathering wouldn’t be complete without a yummy dessert treat! A personal favorite of mine are these delicious No Bake Salted Caramel Hazelnut Cookies from Mommy’s Kitchen.
These no-bake caramel hazelnut cookies are both crowd and family pleasers. Photo credit: mommy’skitchen.com
These are so good, you’ll probably want to have an extra batch on hand for after your guests leave!
Here’s to a wonderful season of entertaining and dining at home as 2015 begins.
Happy New Year from Hooker Furniture and The Design Network!
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