Ring in the new year with a sophisticated party full of sparkling details. Tiffany Cassidy, interior designer at Lagnappe Custom Interiors, has decorated some of the most-high end homes in the Virgin Islands, Malibu and the Hamptons. She shares her tips for hosting an elegant New Year’s Eve celebration.
1. Arrange your furniture for traffic flow that allows people to walk freely. It may be tempting to push everything against your walls, but “floating” furniture is more inviting to guests.
2. To encourage guests to walk around and mingle, make cups and plates easy to carry. Consider serving a delicious oyster stew in mugs so people can easily hold their appetizer and eat while standing and enjoying other guests.
3. The right centerpiece sets the tone for the rest of your décor. Are you hosting a fun and spirited New Year’s Eve party or are you planning a sophisticated and trendy evening? Choose your centerpieces with this question in mind. A great example of a fun centerpiece is to decorate a cake platter with noisemakers, poppers and hats for everyone to grab right before midnight. For a sophisticated centerpiece, you can easily repurpose your holiday decorations in a vase (such as gold and silver ornaments) and add beads to fill it out.
4. When prepping for a party, arrange your home as if everyone is there. To go along with your centerpieces, set your table the day or two beforehand. If it is going to be a formal meal, have place settings in the seating arrangement you want. However, if food is going to be served buffet style, put out hot plates or platters as a mock table setting; you’ll want to know everything is going to fit before the moment of serving.
5. A good party theme doesn’t have to feel corny or like a child’s party. Themed soirees can not only help the host know what to serve and how to decorate, but they also help guests know what to wear and expect. A Great Gatsby party is one of the most popular go-to themes, because of the nostalgia and decorating possibilities. If you choose this theme, decorate the rooms where guests will be in accordingly. If your living room is going to be the epicenter of the evening, purchase throw pillows and furniture that reflect the theme. Go for items that are black, gold and have a shine to them. You can also adorn bathrooms with decorative hand towels and soaps. You will also want to look for items that don’t look modern; visit an antique store or estate sale for items that offer a vintage feel. You want to make your guests feel like they’ve stepped into the roaring 20’s.
For more home décor tips and trends, see:
Home Designs to Showcase a Great View