Creating a space where friends and family can gather regularly can be a great feature for your new home. With the right layout, you can enjoy a home where others also want to be. By socializing together, your friends and family can build a healthy, cohesive community.
Your home may be your castle, but it should also be a haven for relaxation and fun. By creating an entertainment friendly home, you can not only enjoy the benefits of easy access to friends and loved ones, but you can reap the benefits when you decide to sell the home. Of course, your party space can be as casual or upscale as the rest of your home. No matter your favorite decor styles, creating a bar or entertainment room that matches will be simple and fun.
You want your party place to be close to the good elements of a party. You will need easy access to food, adult beverages, fresh air and a comfy place to sit. There are a number of benefits of a deck that you can use to make a great entertainment area. You could create an outdoor kitchen. By making sure that your deck has easy access to other areas of the house, such as fully screened sliding doors, you can make it easy to communicate to those inside the house.
There are features you will need on your deck to keep everyone comfortable and safe. Be sure to install a bug zapper somewhere discreet. Add lighting to steps and on top of railings to reduce the risk of tripping hazards. Include railings or lattice along handrails to protect children and grandchildren.
Make space in your entertainment area for the essentials of a good party. Consider adding a large viewing screen for sports or movies. Make sure you have a spot for board games and puzzles. A small refrigerator would be a great investment to keep beer and wine cold, as well as a spot to make and store ice. Consider adding an awning if your deck is direct light late in the day. There are lots of different kinds of awnings to choose from to suit your style and shade needs.
Make sure to keep an eye on that friend who is inclined to drink too much. Keep a stash of new toothbrushes and easy access to the guest room if someone needs to sleep at your house. The security of your friends and others on the road is well worth your efforts. Additionally, make sure that someone who lives in your house has the ability to get people home if they have too much, or be ready to provide an Uber option. If your friend stays over, be sure to check on them in the night to make sure they are safe. If you have a loved one or friend who does this consistently, it may be time to reduce your contact with them.
Your party space may become a haven for pests if you forget food or open containers of beverages in the space. Make sure that the cleanup of the space includes removing all foods, open drinks, dirty ashtrays, and other potential problems. If friends offer to help, put them to work and give them a trash bag so you can all get to bed at a decent hour.
Some friends or members of your household may be smokers. Be sure to provide smokers a spot to hang out, enjoy, and discard their butts in a sealed container to protect your wooden deck. Also, be sure to allow friends who do not care for cigarette smoke the ability to get away from it. Try to put the smoking area far enough from the doors that smoke will not blow back into the house. As summer breezes generally come from the south, if you want to leave a screen door open, use the one that faces any other direction.
Keeping the liquor in the party area will save you set up and a lot of lugging. While you are at it, make sure that your party space has recycling containers so you can easily get rid of glass bottles at the end of the night. Rinse bottles as they are emptied to reduce odor the next day. Do not store your best glassware in the party spot. Keep the prettiest things for use in the dining room. If you insist on great glassware, invest in a hanging rack to prevent breakage. Invest in paper plates and cheap wine or beer glasses for this space unless you are holding a tasting or a very small party. If the beer fans in your group really need a Pilsner glass, you can make an exception.
No matter how much we love our friends, cleaning up after a party can be exhausting. Go ahead and use the paper plates. Store extra trash bags in your party spot for easy cleanup. This does not mean you should never have an elegant meal or a great dinner party. It just means that your time counts too, and you should be able to get to bed at a logical hour.
It is not a great party without great music. If you can zone the space, you can separate out the tunes, but if your home is open concept you may need to sync all the speakers together. Take care not to allow the music to get too loud. It may be problematic for neighbors or cause raised voices, which can raise the stress level. Your goal is to relax!
Having a dedicated space to entertain friends may mean investing in multiple sets of dishes and glassware. However, once these are in place, you can easily move from regular dining to a festive meal. Invest in dishes and glasses you can use to treat your friends. Also, be ready to kick back and dine off paper plates to lighten your workload. Stay flexible and you’ll be sure to have a great time partying with your friends.
Designing areas of your home can be a lot of work. Check out our tips for designing your home!
