The DFS Guide to Hosting at Home
Whether it’s for all of Christmas or even just a birthday party, it can be stressful ensuring you feel confident hosting guests in your home. From hosting evenings full of drinks and dancing, to providing comfortable accommodation for guests staying over; you’re going to want your home to be as welcoming and comfortable as possible.
But don’t worry - we’ve got all this and more covered with our handy hosting guide. Read on for our best tips on choosing the right sofas, guest beds, dining tables, and everything else you’ll need in your home to comfortably host family and friends.
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Hosting a casual get together
Let’s start with the heart of any social gathering at home: the living space. Comfort is king here, especially if you’re hosting a large group of friends and family - and having enough seats is key!
Where can my guests sit in the living room?
How about: Regardless of the size of your lounge, it’s always a good idea to offer several separate seating areas. The most popular combination for living rooms is a 2 seater sofa and 3 seater sofa, and these can easily host small groups. For more room to stretch out, there are larger options like 4 seater sofas, corner sofas and even versatile u-shaped sofas - all serving as excellent spots for friends and family alike to cuddle up, watch films, or play games together.
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How can I create flexible seating when hosting guests?
One of our favourite choices for flexible seating arrangements - working especially well for smaller living rooms - is a modular sofa. Available as individual pieces to mix and match, these sofas are endlessly adjustable to create different shapes and sizes for your lounge. There are even modular sofas that seat up to 10 people, making them fantastic for larger rooms too. Better yet, some modular sofas offer handy features to guests, such as the Storeaway’s reclining, charging, and drink-holding capabilities - just the ticket to make you the host with the most!
What other seating options are there for hosting in small spaces?
Looking to squeeze in an extra seat or two? Your options include a classic armchair, ready to accommodate solo seaters; an undeniably classy chaise longue that turns your living room gathering into a sophisticated soiree; or complementing the décor with an accent chair, providing that extra bit of seating space. Don’t forget about the classic comfort of recliner chairs either, which are perfect for kicking your feet up after a hearty meal (and maybe even a snooze). Really short on space? Don’t forget footstools - they can offer extra seating too!
Hosting a dinner party
With the living room ready for hosting guests, it’s time to turn your attention to the dining room. Whether you’re hosting a cocktail party with snacks and finger foods, or preparing a grand Christmas feast, you’re going to need the right furniture for the job.
What dining table shape is best for hosting?
As the centrepiece of the dining room, there’s plenty to consider when choosing the shape of your new dining table. Round dining tables are less formal than rectangular, serving well for casual dining experiences like buffets. They can also seat more guests compared to a rectangular table.
Rectangular tables, on the other hand, offer more elbow- and legroom for guests. They’re also good choices for those who want to choose benches for their dining seating, which can be pushed under the table and out the way when not in use.
What dining tables work best for bigger groups?
If you’ve invited the entire extended family for a feast, you’ll need a bigger table - or at least a dining table that can become bigger. That’s why extending dining tables are a great choice, as you can keep your table more compact for day-to-day purposes, and easily make them larger when you’re on hosting duties.
How do I choose the right dining room chairs?
To complete your dining setup, you need the right seating. For an easy option, you can pick a dining table and chair set, which will include both. However, if you want to create your own unique dining set, you’ll want to focus on comfort, style, and available space.
Most dining chairs feature padding for comfort, regardless of whether they’re made with a wooden or metal frame. They’re also available in many different styles and types of upholstery, such as woven fabric, velvet, and leather. Pick out a matching set of dining chairs for a simple and sophisticated aesthetic, or mix and match colours or styles for a more eclectic look.
What other seating options work for casual dining at home?
Other than dining chairs, you do have other options for seating your guests. Bar stools are great for more casual gatherings, especially if you’ve got a kitchen island or bar area. They’re also easier to store away than most chairs, as well as often being a more affordable option. Both reasons make them a great option as extra seating that you bring out when the need arises.
Dining benches are also a fantastic choice for casual dining, although they can only be paired with larger dining tables. If they fit your dining dimensions, you can tuck these benches under the table when not in use. Then, when friends and family pop over, you can squeeze more guests on these longer seats, since you don’t have to accommodate chair arms or legs. And, when they are in use, they’re a good choice for fitting in as many guests as possible, not being restrained by needing one seat per guest.
Hosting overnight guests
Sometimes, your hosting duties do not end with dessert..! Whether they’re claiming the spare room or crashing on the sofa, to gain the ultimate host status, you should always have a plan for overnight guests.
How do I choose the right guest bed?
When it comes to buying the right guest bed, the most important aspect is usually size. We’d advise single or small double beds for box-sized spare rooms, and double beds for any room larger than that. Of course, you can always treat your guests to a bigger bed, such as a king size bed or a super king bed, but only if you’ve got the room to accommodate the larger dimensions.
As for the type of guest bed you choose, there are several great options. An ottoman bed includes gas-powered lifts that help you raise the mattress, accessing extra space underneath - great for extra bedding or out-of-season clothing. Other beds with storage include divan beds, which are also often those with the smallest footprint. Bed frames are often some of the most affordable options, and as a bonus, can often be disassembled if the extra space is needed.
How do I choose the right guest mattress?
As for your guest bed mattress, we’d recommend choosing a medium mattress, as they’re more likely to work well for any guests you have over. Typically, you should steer clear of more specialist mattresses, such as firm mattresses or soft mattresses. These types of mattresses might not be the best choice for a guest bed that’ll see different sleepers, so it’s best to stick to a good all-rounder. And while it’s lovely to treat your guests to a luxury mattress, if they’ll only be sleeping on it for a few nights, you can probably save your pennies and go for something more affordable - a pocket sprung mattress is ideal.
How do I choose the right guest mattress?
As for your guest bed mattress, we’d recommend choosing a medium mattress, as they’re more likely to work well for any guests you have over. Typically, you should steer clear of more specialist mattresses, such as firm mattresses or soft mattresses. These types of mattresses might not be the best choice for a guest bed that’ll see different sleepers, so it’s best to stick to a good all-rounder. And while it’s lovely to treat your guests to a luxury mattress, if they’ll only be sleeping on it for a few nights, you can probably save your pennies and go for something more affordable - a pocket sprung mattress is ideal.
What size sofa bed is best for hosting guests?
There are several size options of sofa beds - so when choosing yours, don’t forget to think about the dimensions of the sofa folded away, as well as the space you’ll need to pull the bed out of the frame. If you’ve got a large living room, opt for a big corner sofa bed. These L-shaped seaters are excellent choices for both single sleepers and couples, offering both a good amount of space to stretch out and get comfy.
A more modest choice that’s still big on comfort is 3 seater sofa beds, as they take up less space than a corner sofa and still serve well as both a seating and sleeping area. 2 seater sofa beds are also good choices, especially for smaller living rooms. You can accommodate both single sleepers and couples, though the 2 seater could prove a tad snug for a couple.
It’s also worth noting that there are charmingly homey chair beds, which are great additions to any living room or lounge. These armchairs-turned-sofa beds are an ideal choice for single sleepers, especially as they can easily fit into small living areas.
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