2 Must-Haves For Entertaining
Anyone can host an awesome party, especially if you rent furniture, dishes, or music equipment. However, when you are looking to host guests in your home regularly, it may be time to take a step back and evaluate the pros and cons of your current entertaining setup.
Have your sofas collected unpleasant stains over the years? Are your glass dishes chipped around the edges? Do you have a full set of silverware, or do you end up mismatching different pieces at dinner? Instead of renting out occasional chairs when you host a party, consider investing in durable seating options that you can use over and over again. Comfy chairs and tasty snacks are only one small part of the prep for hosting an enjoyable party. Check out our thoughts on these 2 simple must-haves for entertaining!
The Coffee Table
If you aren’t one to bring drinks or books into your living room, then it’s possible you may not even own a coffee table or realize how much value one can add. A coffee table brings a lot more to a room than acting as a surface to hold a glass of water or the TV remote. Depending on how you feel about putting your feet up on furniture, the coffee table is also a convenient place to rest your legs without bringing your feet on the sofa. When properly decorated with books, candles, flowers, bowls, or other decorative elements, a coffee table can even become the centrepiece of your living room.
If your living room chairs face each other around a coffee table, this can provide an open, social feel to your party. This atmosphere helps guests in your home relax and watch each other’s faces while occasionally pausing to admire a coffee table between them. In a living room without a coffee table, many homeowners will instinctively design their room in a way that makes the TV the most important focus in the room. While there is nothing wrong with this choice of set-up (and it does make movie nights convenient), you should consider rolling out a coffee table on the nights that you host parties in your home. A coffee table is an especially useful way to draw the eye away from the TV if you don’t plan to run the TV in the first place.
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Consider: Are you hosting a party specifically to watch a sports game live, or is your party a place to relax and socialize? You can rearrange your furniture appropriately to fit the vibe.
Even if your party is all about watching TV, a coffee table has many functions beyond the books and flowers it can display. When people are coming over, you can easily sweep those decorations aside and lay out bags of chips instead. A coffee table is an excellent place for people to put their plastic plates and drink cups while they watch TV. You can even add extra snack plates even if you have a full buffet set up along the kitchen counter. For example, consider placing unhealthy bags of chips in the kitchen and nice platters of healthy snacks by the TV. As the sports game goes on, you may find that your guests happily munch through your healthy snacks simply because they are conveniently set out there on your coffee table.
Excellent Coffee Table Options:
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Capella Coffee Table - The Capella Coffee Table is a large table made of metal and acacia wood. It features multiple drawers (on both sides) which makes it the perfect addition to a living room where this table will be surrounded by chairs on all sides.
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Replica Noguchi Coffee Table - This walnut plywood table has stylistic legs and a thick glass top, making it appear both chic and sturdy. Its edges are rounded off, which makes it an excellent table for those who expect to host family gatherings that include small children who might bump their heads. Four colours are currently available.
Bar Stools
A social gathering that doesn’t offer enough seating for all the guests can quickly turn awkward as your party attendees try to stand and eat at the same time. If you have an island counter, then you should consider adding occasional chairs around it to host more guests. Bar stools are traditionally the right call for an island counter, and there are many styles available on the market (such as those with backs vs. those without backs). If you only expect a few attendees at your social gathering, it may be good to move the barstools away from the counter to provide plenty of room for your guests to walk around it and fill their plates. When you are in need of additional seating, however, having extra bar stools you can pull out can save an otherwise cramped social event.
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Maya Bar Stool - If you are looking for a bar stool that offers comfortable back support, consider the Maya. This stool is very sturdy and sure to last you many years, both on display around your counter or in storage with your other occasional chairs. This bar stool is available in several neutral tones.
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Echo Bar Stool - Often, a stool without a back is all you need. The Echo Bar Stool features a small lip that keeps young children (or adults) steady while they dine at the counter. The seats and frames are interchangeable, and the Echo is available in 3 colors.
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Hairpin Bar Stool - This bar stool brings a classy, retro look to any bar counter. This stool is made up of wood and powder-coated steel, and looks especially trendy when paired with a white countertop.
Coffee tables and bar stools are only two of the essential items you should consider investing in if you intend to host memorable, quality gatherings for friends and family members at your home. Shop elevenpast products online today for high-quality seating options, lighting, coffee tables, and more.