It goes without saying that the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for you AND your home. Whether you love to throw holiday parties that are large and elaborate or intimate and special, preparing your home to handle the hustle and bustle that comes with holiday entertaining is essential. While every area of your house will undoubtedly be affected by the influx of decorations and people that make their way through the doors between October and January, your living room is perhaps the most important gathering spot to spruce up and decorate accordingly. After all, it’s the place where everyone comes together to share stories, watch movies, open gifts, and make memories that are sure to last a lifetime.
With so many special moments to share, it’s important that the living room measures up to its name and makes living as comfortable as possible for everyone who has the pleasure of spending time in it. To make sure that your living room is as lovely, functional, and inviting as the ones you’ll find in your favorite holiday movie, the trusted Star Furniture design experts are here to help. Check out these 7 tips to get your living room ready for holiday gatherings big and small.
Make a List and Check it Twice
You can’t get through the holidays without making a list and checking it twice! Before you put up your Christmas tree or string garland from the fireplace, it’s important to survey your living room and come up with a decorating plan. Here are some questions to ask yourself to keep the process simple:
- What are the strengths of your living room that you’d like to take advantage of? If your living room has a gorgeous fireplace, using it as a focal point when decorating or arranging furniture is a no-brainer.
- What are the weaknesses of the space that you want to improve? Maybe the everyday setup of your living room has limited seating available. In order to add more chairs, ask yourself which pieces of furniture should be moved into a different room, such as side tables.
- How do you want your living room to feel when your guests arrive? Striving to create a space that feels cozy and warm will require different elements than a space that feels bright and open.
Once you’ve come up with a list of decorating elements that you must have and others that you want to avoid, stick to the plan! It can be easy to deviate and go in another direction when you see new ideas in the store or online, but straying away from your vision could prevent you from achieving the finished look you have in mind. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to consult an experienced designer at Star Furniture. They can help you determine how to make the most of your particular living room.
Consider Furniture Arrangement
When it comes to hosting any party or gathering in your home, it’s necessary to think about whether or not your furniture is arranged in a way that is conducive to guests being able to mingle and relax. This is especially true during the holidays. During the holiday season, our homes are adorned with additional decorations that help our living spaces feel festive, but also take up a considerable amount of space.
If your family decorates a tree, chances are that it will make its home in the living room where it can be regularly admired. Don’t wait until you’re bringing your tree through the front door to decide where it will go. Think about it now! Is there an obvious spot that is somewhat out of the way or will you need to rearrange your living room’s setup to accommodate the tree? Do you want to position it in front of a window so that it can be seen outdoors, too? What about the other seasonal decorations you plan to use? Do you have a safe place to store your everyday decorations that you’ll need to temporarily take down to make room for your holiday favorites, such as the Elf on the Shelf?
Knowing that everything has a specific place before you begin the seasonal decorating process is a great way to make preparing your living room a pleasant experience instead of a chaotic one.
Clean and Declutter
When your living room is clean and clutter-free, it’s sure to look its best and feel welcoming. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to give your living room a deep cleaning and get rid of any clutter before incorporating holiday decorations and inviting friends over. While cleaning and decluttering can sometimes feel like an overwhelming process, it doesn’t have to be. Here are some ideas to help you get your living room in tip-top shape before hosting a holiday celebration:
- Work your way around the room starting in one corner, moving in a circle, and looking top to bottom. This will allow you to inspect every inch of your living room, asking yourself if something needs to be cleaned, relocated, or thrown away.
- Remember, less is more. Rather than cluttering every shelf and table in your living room with decorations, choose a few special pieces to highlight, and give yourself permission to let go of the rest (or use them in a different room!).
- Don’t forget the out-of-sight places, such as under and behind furniture. It’s common for furniture to be moved and rearranged during the holidays, which means dust bunnies will likely appear in the process if you don’t get rid of them first.
Spruce up Your Sofa
Not every living room will have a dramatic focal point like a fireplace, and that’s okay. For many living rooms, the sofa will be the star of the space in terms of both looks and comfort. With this in mind, it’s important to make sure your sofa is up for the job of providing a cozy spot to curl up under a warm blanket, providing ample room for your loved ones to visit with one another, and looking fabulous when paired next to twinkling lights. If your sofa leaves a lot to be desired in terms of spreading holiday cheer, keep these tips in mind to spruce it up:
- Have your upholstered sofa professionally cleaned to remove stains, help it smell fresh, and make it look as good as new before your guests arrive.
- Want to mix up the aesthetic of your living room over the holidays? Covering your sofa with a quality slipcover can help you make a stylish impact while protecting your sofa from holiday stains, such as red wine.
- Add seasonal accent pillows and plush throw blankets to give your sofa an extra cozy vibe this holiday season.
Of course, sometimes adding new pillows or a slipcover to an outdated sofa just won’t cut it. If your sofa is lacking in style, comfort, or space, gifting yourself a new one before the holidays is the way to go. The friendly design team at Star Furniture can help you find the perfect sofa, sectional, or loveseat to bring your holiday entertaining dreams to life this season, including ones that can convert to beds to accommodate your overnight guests.
Pull up a Chair
One of the most critical factors to consider when preparing your living room for holiday entertaining is the amount of seating available within the room. Where will your guests sit in your living room when visiting your home? Are these seats comfortable? Do they look good? There’s no question that your sofa or sectional should be the primary seating option, providing ample space for a handful of people to enjoy, but for most holiday get-togethers, you’re going to need more seating than one sofa can provide.
Having an array of seating options dispersed around your living room will allow your guests to spread out, mix, mingle, and “work the room” as they see fit, which is part of what makes the holidays so enjoyable. To ensure that your living room has enough seating solutions to make every person you host feel at home, the Star Furniture pros are here to help you pull up a chair (or two). Keep these ideas in mind to help you do just that:
- Position a pair of eye-catching armchairs directly across from your sofa to add a bit of highly functional visual interest while making it easy to converse with the crowd.
- Consider a swivel club chair, or better yet a pair. With swivel chairs, guests can effortlessly turn, easily pivoting from one conversation to the next. They’re great for the holidays, and all year round.
- Incorporate a stylish recliner in the corner of your living room as a comfortable place for guests to sit during the party, and then for you to put your feet up after everyone has left.
Bring on the Fun with a Bar
Adding a stylish bar cart or back bar to your living room is an easy way to turn up the fun – and function – at any holiday gathering. Your guests are sure to appreciate preparing and enjoying their favorite beverages in the comfort of your living room. Here are some tips to make the most of a bar in your living room:
- Add a variety of drinkware, including wine, highball, and martini glasses.
- Don’t forget the tools and accessories you need to make classic cocktails, such as corkscrews, bottle stoppers, a cocktail shaker, and decorative cocktail napkins.
- Style your bar cart with a few holiday decorations to keep things festive.
- If you have a wooden bar, cover it with a seasonal tablecloth to protect from any spills or mishaps.
Cheers to Tiny Tables
You don’t have to live in a mansion to throw a holiday party that your family and friends won’t soon forget. Along with thoughtful decorations and a comfortable place to sit, it’s nice to provide a spot for guests to put their drinks and snacks. If your living room is on the petite side, don’t fret. You may be surprised by how attractive and practical adding a chairside table or a set of nesting tables to your living room can be, especially when entertaining.
These small but elegant occasional tables are perfectly sized for holding a martini or an old fashioned without taking up valuable walking space. Simply pair them with your sofa or armchair to give your guests the option to put their drink down and hug a friend or open a gift. Tiny tables aren’t only useful for grown-ups, of course. Your little ones will love placing Santa’s hot chocolate and cookies on one, then running to find the evidence of his visit the next morning.
Get Your Living Room Holiday-Ready with Star Furniture
Have you noticed the holidays have a way of sneaking up on us? One day, they’re in the distant future. The next day, we’re counting down the twelve days of Christmas! Don’t wait until the last minute to start thinking about how you’re going to decorate and arrange your living room to create the backdrop for beautiful holiday memories to unfold. Now’s the time to start getting your holiday glee on. By making a practical plan in advance, highlighting the best of what your living room already has to offer, and shopping for the pieces you need to make it feel personal and welcoming, you’ll be well on your way to curating the perfect holiday-ready living room set-up.Star Furniture has many quality furnishings in stock that can be quickly shipped to take your home to the next level this holiday season and beyond. Visit us online to check out our large selection of living room furniture, including sofas, chairs, tables, and more before stopping into the store to start working with one of our experienced design experts. Together, we can make this holiday season the best one yet!
If you liked this article, read this one about how to design a ‘hangout house’ that your kids will love.