Decorating for Entertaining

You may love the way you've decorated your home. But even if you're quite happy with your "everyday" style, there may be times that call for changes, whether they are drastic or subtle. Those times may include special events of all kinds, from simple, kids' birthday parties to 150-guest New Year's Eve blowouts. No matter the size or the purpose of the event, celebrations often will inspire you to enhance your decor.

Parties and other gatherings can be unique decorating challenges. So if you're hosting one in the near future, a good way to begin is by asking yourself the following questions. The answers will help you create an organized, viable party plan that includes your decoration needs:

• Do I have ample space for the guests? If you're hosting a child's birthday party, where will activities and games take place? If you don't have a room with ample space, pick an appropriately sized room and clear out some furniture;especially furniture that can be accidentally damaged by kids. Also, if possible, hold activities in kid-friendly areas, such as a playroom, a garage or the outdoors, rather than adult-oriented areas such as formal dining rooms. These settings allow kids to kick back and enjoy themselves without worry about knocking over expensive accessories or sitting on delicate, antique furniture.
• How much time and preparation do I really need? The answer to this question depends on your personal preferences. If you love to "wing it," you may choose to forgo detailed planning weeks in advance, depending on the size of your gathering. However, most people like to do at least some planning. For small gatherings, start at least a week or two ahead of time. For larger parties, you may need a month or more.
  

  Plan out details like your menu, guest list, catering/food preparation needs, etc. Once those important items are set, you can begin to think about your party decor. Begin purchasing, creating, borrowing or recycling your party decor items as soon as you can, so you won't have to rush around at the last minute.

• What will I use for decorations? Will I spend a fortune buying what I need? Go ahead, think outside the box! Don't limit your party decorations to balloon and streamers and other old standbys, and don't spend huge amounts of money on anything that will be used only once. Look around your home and see what you can use to complement your theme. If you collect vintage cowboy hats, why not go with a Western theme so you can display them around your home? If you're hosting a luncheon for a group of old girlfriends from college, try gathering potted plants from inside and outside your home and placing them all in your dining area for a lush, garden theme. You could then make place cards by writing each guest's name on a large leaf. You'll be surprised at how much fun you can have pursuing a theme. And this often makes looking for decorations simpler, since you'll have specific ideas in mind as you shop and rummage through your things. And be sure to ask friends if you can borrow items to save on your decorating costs.
The copyright of the article Decorating for Entertaining in Budget Decorating is owned by L.C. Dumke. Permission to republish Decorating for Entertaining in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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