It’s that time of year where we host our friends and family for multiple weekends celebrating all of the holidays as the year comes to an end. The question is: is your home ready to accommodate your guests? We pride ourselves in building beautiful homes that not only showcase your personality, but also your lifestyle and act functionally so that you and your guests can enjoy the space. So, what are some key factors when thinking about guests and the holidays? Read on!

Kitchen: More often than not, the kitchen is the favorite room in your home. Most of us enjoy eating and some of us enjoying the actual cooking part! Regardless of age, we gather here to spend time baking together, drinking wine and talking about the latest and greatest news, and eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. When thinking about your kitchen, you want to make sure it’s functional for your hosting needs. We often see oversized islands with an overhang for eating space. This also serves well as a serving space. Rather than putting all of the food on the table, have your guests buffet style their way to the dining room.

Dining Room(s): This is also a very important part of your home as it is where you often eat on holidays. When considering this space, is a dining area near the kitchen adequate, or do you also need a formal dining room? When designing this space, think of entertaining and about how many guests you’ll have at any given time. We often see clients creating this room with a specific table in mind. Maybe you have a table that seats six for most of the year, but with the holidays, you can add a table leaf and add four more chairs. We encourage you to design the space for that type of expansion.

Guest Rooms: Are your guests staying the night? You may want to consider having guest rooms. These can be on the main floor, upper level, or lower level; wherever you have the space. You may consider the types of guests you have and if they have any physical limitations in regard to stairs or other spaces.

Mudroom and Coat Closets: With guests, you definitely want to make sure that you have a mudroom space and/or plenty of closet space. You don’t want to have to stack coats on your bed! We often see clients putting closets near the front door as well as near the mudroom from the garage. You will not be sorry to have that extra storage space!

Rec Room and/or Den Space: When you are entertaining, you really can’t have too many living spaces. Maybe a big game is on, but the kids want to watch a holiday movie, and the ladies want to talk about Black Friday shopping! The great room can host one group, the den or office space may host another, and then a finished recreation room in the lower level makes for a great entertainment space.

Deck and Patio Space: Even though the holidays are during months that are typically chillier, we do have a few nice days here and there. If that’s the case, maybe you have a fire pit on your patio or the deck is set up for you to grill. Either way, having an outdoor space that’s available can be a great option for you and your guests to get some fresh air on a crisp afternoon.

Bar Area: Maybe you love hosting and having the best party beverages. A wet or dry bar may be a great fit for you! We often see clients put these close to the kitchen or in the lower level. You can place it wherever you prefer your entertainment space to be.

As Perry Como puts it, “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays”! As you plan your new home, keep the holidays in mind so you are ready to entertain.