Prepping For Throwing A Great Dinner Party

by Mary Grayson Interior Designer

Many people find it very stressful when they are having dinner guests over to their home. This is the case, even if they have guests over on a regular basis and feel very confident in what they have to offer. It doesn't matter if you are having your family over or if it is going to be a business event in which you are going to have people over that are really unfamiliar with you and your home, there are some things that you can do which will help to reduce the stress and get you prepared properly. Here are a few of those items to consider.

One of the most important things that you can do is to make sure that you are planning ahead for the event. The last thing that you would want to have happen is to be running around at the last minute, trying to put everything together. If you're going to be setting the table, have your Juliska dinnerware and your special silverware available in advance. Make sure that you check through those items to ensure that there are no problems. It may also help if you have a dry run or two before the actual evening occurs. This will allow you to see everything set up properly and to make any adjustments that are necessary in advance.

Decorating the rest of the home is also something that can really help to pull everything together. It is important for you to consider, not only the dinner table but also some of the smaller items that are around the home, such as your Dransfield and Ross throw pillows. The smaller items in the room are not really meant to be the focus of the overall event but they can help to pull things together so that the overall theme carries throughout the household.

Depending upon the meal that is being served, you may also be able to cook some of it in advance. This will allow you to have things ready so that you are not preparing the meal at the last minute. Of course, the amount of time that goes between the advance preparation of the meal and the serving of the meal can make a difference in the taste and the quality of the food. It is best if you don't make some of the more important items too far in advance because it will downgrade the dinner party to a certain extent.

Finally, make sure that you not only include the dinner and seating area in your preparation, include some of the out-of-the-way areas as well. This is especially true when it comes to the bathroom that is going to be used by your dinner guests. Make sure that everything is just right in the bathroom and go the extra mile, even replacing the toilet seat if necessary. People are going to critique the overall event by the looks of the bathroom, believe it or not, so make sure that you give it the attention that it deserves.

The author of this article absolutely loves throwing dinner parties and making her home as warm and friendly as possible. She has an extensive collection of her favorite Dransfield and Ross goods and Juliska dinnerware.