Entertaining Essentials for Every Occasion
Hosting, made easy.
Whether you want to know how to host a party in a small apartment or confirm that you have everything you need ahead of your holiday gathering, we’ve got you covered. Check out these entertaining essentials below or skip ahead to learn more about party hosting essentials for different situations.
Make Guests Feel At Home
Bring Out the Appetizers
Elevate the Dining Table
Prep for After-Dinner Drinks
Curate the Ultimate Lounge Space
Anticipate Overnight Stays
Make Guests Feel At Home
Welcome guests into your home and help them settle in by incorporating a few entryway essentials. The entryway is the first thing every guest sees as they walk into your home, so set the right tone with a well-organized and aesthetically pleasing space.
Coat Racks
Provide functional coat storage for your guests right when they walk through the door. Tuck a coat rack in the corner or opt for wall-mounted hooks so your guests can shed off the layers with ease. Coat storage is one of the preliminary essentials for entertaining because it helps keep guests’ items organized and wrinkle-free.
Shoe Storage
Add a shoe rack or two to your entryway to keep guests’ shoes organized and out of the way of foot traffic. Keep the look simple with a low-set shoe rack under a console table or entryway bench.
Entryway Benches
Curate a space where your guests can take a brief pause and take off their shoes before they join the party. Opt for an upholstered bench for maximum comfort, or stick with solid wood in light finishes to show off your Scandi aesthetic. Replace the bench idea with an accent chair to nail small space entertaining.
Give yourself time to relax and finish preparing the meal (or waiting for a food delivery) by having appetizers readily available and displayed for your guests.
Cheese + Bread Boards
Welcome your guests with a charcuterie board of meats, cheeses, and fruits to tide them over before the main course and add seasonal flavors for holiday entertaining. A couple boards work well when positioned on your kitchen island or as the centerpiece of your dining table. Set out small plates and cheese knives so guests can help themselves.
Sideboards + Buffets
Create an appetizer station with a sideboard or buffet. Rest a sideboard against a wall in your dining room or place it against the back of your sofa if you have an open-concept living area. Line the sideboard with appetizer dishes, starter drinks, and plates so guests can pick and choose as they please. Stock up underlying cabinets with plenty of cutlery, napkins, and non-perishable food items to limit trips to the kitchen.
Relax and reconnect with family and friends around the dining table. Opt for scaled-back neutrals to let the food stand out, or blend neutrals with pops of color for a fun, fresh dining aesthetic. Done right, you’ll set the tone for the party when you set the table.
Dinnerware + Flatware
Scale back your list of entertaining essentials by starting with quality sets of dinnerware and flatware. Think about the average number of guests you plan to have to help you decide how much you need. Select 10 to 12 matching plates and an equal number of flatware sets to ensure you have enough for everyone. Then, build on your dinnerware set with salad dishes and soup bowls.
Drinking Glasses + Coasters
Look for a matching set of eight to 10 drinking glasses to be safe. Pair them with fun terrazzo or marble-style coasters to protect your wood surfaces while adding to the dining aesthetic.
Serving Plates + Utensils
Allow your guests to help themselves with serving utensils for the salad and pasta dishes. Make sure you match the number of serving plates and bowls with the number of serving utensils. If you have a set of four serving bowls, you need one set of serving utensils for each one – four in total. Serving utensils are some essentials for entertaining as they keep food dishes separate (good for food allergies) and keep the buffet line moving.
Table Linens
Drape a table runner down the center of the dining table as a backdrop for buffet-style dishes, and select napkins made of tactile materials like linen for a high-quality touch. Placemats can add to your party color palette and define each individual dining space for your guests.
Pitchers + Carafes
Grab a few pitchers to use for infused waters or iced teas to set at each end of the table. Choose carafes for juice or wine to help elevate your entertaining aesthetic. Store pitchers and carafes in your refrigerator to bring out around meal time.
Coffee Mugs + Teacups
Keep a set of coffee mugs or teacups close by for weekend brunches and late-night dinner parties. Keep a coffee maker on standby for multiple brews. These must-have entertainment items will keep the energy going all night. Use the search tab in the top left corner of the homepage to browse coffee maker selections.
Dessert Plates + Bowls
Complement your evening coffee or tea with homemade chocolate mousse or store-bought treats (after all, you can only do so much). Prepare a set of dessert bowls for the occasion to ensure everyone gets a taste.
Serve up the prosecco and celebrate special occasions by including the right barware at your next party.
Ice Buckets
Keep the champagne chilled by placing it in an ice bucket before and during use. Create a sophisticated look with an ice bucket in clear glass or sharp stainless steel. Go with an ice tub instead if you know you’ll want to chill multiple bottles at once.
Bar Tools
Put your bartending skills to the test with bar tools at hand. Look for entertaining essentials like barware sets or fill in the blanks with a bottle opener, drink chiller, or cocktail shaker to take your drinks to the next level.
Wine + Champagne Glasses
Build up your drinkware collection with a set of white wine glasses, red wine glasses, and champagne glasses (eight to 10 of each) for at home wine tastings and extra special occasions. Place glasses on a sideboard with bottles of wine so guests can help themselves.
Cocktail Glasses
Save the wine glasses for cabernet and the champagne glasses for prosecco and use cocktail glasses for whiskey, locally-sourced gins, and your go-to cocktail combos. Opt for glasses with rippled textures or moody stains for an elevated look.
Bar Carts
Use a bar cart to transport glassware and bottles with ease. Situate the bar cart in your dining room or roll it outside for cool autumn nights by the fire.
Fill your living space with extra throws, pillows, and floor seating that will make your guests want to stay for after-dinner film-screenings and game nights.
Throw Pillows + Blankets
Toss a few pillows on your living room sofa to help keep your guests comfortable and place a basket of blankets nearby so guests can curl up for Netflix binges.
Floor Pillows + Poufs
Multiply seating in your living room with a few poufs and floor pillows. They create a comfortable vibe in your living room that invites guests to relax and make full use of the space. Pull a couple poufs and floor pillows up to the coffee table and you’re ready for game nights.
Coffee Tables + Ottomans
Use the coffee table as a casual space for before-dinner catch-ups and after-dinner activities. If you’re entertaining in a small house, the coffee table may even work as an additional dining surface. Connect with friends and family over a round coffee table with enough room for a few appetizers and drinking glasses. Choose a storage ottoman with a solid wood top so you can tuck away board games and still have a place to put your drink.
Give your guests the option to stay overnight. Prepare for holiday entertaining by thinking about the basic necessities everyone craves when away from the comforts of home. Think: good night sleep, clean linens, and comforting extras to get a head start.
Daybeds + Sleepers
Place a daybed in your spare room or add a sleeper sofa to your living room to give guests makeshift sleeping options if needed.
Bedding + Bath Linens
Keep spare bed sheets and comforters in your linen closet for when a friend or family member needs to spend the night. Make sure each bathroom has clean bath towels and fresh hand towels for guests to use whether they’re spending the night or just staying for the evening. These are simple but important entertaining essentials to include on your list that show you care.
Bathroom Accessories
Look over your bathroom before you have guests over to make sure they have everything they need when they visit. Stock your bathroom counter with a box of tissues, soap dispenser or soap holder, and toothbrush holder to be ready for any possibility. Store extra toilet paper, hand towels, and a small trash can in your bathroom vanity.
Pro Tip:
Read our guide 7 Small Guest Bedroom Ideas to get more inspiration for overnight stays.
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