Furnishing Ideas to Celebrate New Year's Eve

As the holidays begin the wind down, New Year's Eve can mark the grand finale of many homeowners' festive season. With the big night right around the corner, planning your get-together, whether big or small, is going to take some planning. Between sending out the invites and deciding which hors d'oeuvres to serve, you'll also have to figure out how to arrange your home and your furniture to accommodate your guests.

Fret not, as this article will detail five simple ways you can turn your home around for your festive fête.

Rearrange Furniture Accordingly

Your current furniture arrangement may work well for your home under normal circumstances, but depending on the size of your party, you're likely going to have more guests than normal under your roof. Before you break out the decorations, consider your RSVPs and take into account any last-minute attendees. How many people are you expecting? Are you planning a sit-down dinner? Or, just après-dinner cocktails? 

To make the most of your space, consider moving larger pieces of living room furniture, such as your coffee table or storage chests, into the hallway or into the peripheries of your space. Next, consider your seating options: you may decide to break up your dining room set into individual chairs scattered throughout your space to complement your sofa, or you may consider purchasing one or two additional chairs. If, however, your current seating options are a little worse for wear, considering purchasing a new set. Chairs, whether of the foldable, dining or living room variety, are always worthwhile investments, especially if you find yourself entertaining regularly. Bar stools are also a great option for holiday parties, as they provide additional seating whilst taking up minimal space.

Coordinate Colours

To prevent your New Year's decorations from looking dowdy, or if kitschy decorations aren't your thing, coordinate your embellishments to complement your home's existing colour palette. If your home boats relatively neutral décor, you can choose to adhere or contrast this by sticking with a simple colour scheme or making a bold statement with a few daring hues. Add a few decorative pillows to your couch or sectional sofa to refresh your space alongside some interesting coffee table accents. You can also consider a variety of other decorative pieces, such as wall art, decorative ornaments and baubles, area rugs and lighting to enliven your space.

Traditionally, New Year's Eve is represented by sophisticated celebratory colours, including silver, gold, black and white. A good rule of thumb when decorating your space is to choose one primary colour and use it for half of your décor, and then use the remaining colours to make up the other half. Additionally, you can choose to add in a pop of colour, such as red, blue or pink for small accent items, such as a vase, beaded garland or candles to add visual interest. Remember to keep these to a minimum to allow your primary colour palette to shine.

Choose the Right Light

Lighting can make or break a room's atmosphere, so it's important that you take some time to consider the kind of ambiance you want to project during your party and ensure you have the appropriate light fixtures. If you're in need of a new light fixture, take some time to browse through various options to find the one (or two!) that suits your space and the tone of your get-together. Opt for a chandelier if you want to make a bold and elegant statement, or a pendant fixture for a more subdued look. Additionally, you may also consider installing a dimmer to your overhead lights that enables you to control the amount of light throughout the duration of your party. If overhead lighting is out of the question, look into purchasing a slew of stylish lamps that you can sprinkle throughout your space.

Photographic Evidence

Make your New Year's Eve a night to remember, long after the festivities have ended, by creating a makeshift photobooth. Whilst rearranging your furniture, ensure you keep a wall in either your living or dining room open to hang a festive backdrop. This can include ornaments, wall art, paintings or posters. You can also opt for interactive props as well as a small tripod that can connect smartphones, enabling your guests to take photos on their own devices. Lighting will play a key role in the success of your photobooth, so ensure you choose the right fixtures for optimal illumination.

Keep the Drinks Flowing

Every great New Year's Eve party needs a bar to serve drinks and small snacks. If your home isn't already equipped with one, consider adding a bar cart to your space. Thanks to the lasting popularity of Mad Men and cocktail culture, these furnishings have become must-haves throughout the year and are the perfect addition for any party. When it comes to decking out your cart, don't worry about filling it to the brim. Focus on the essentials based upon the drinking preferences of your guests. Stock up on classic spirits, as well as a few non-alcoholic beverages, a set of cocktail tools (namely: limes, a muddler, strainer and mixing tin), and some interesting glassware. Opt for colourful straws, custom coasters, and vintage bar accessories such as cocktail stirs or picks, all of which make for charming additions. 

Plan Ahead for a Safe Ride Home

Offer your guests accommodations if possible. A spare bed, futon or sofa bed work great. Otherwise be prepared and have local taxi numbers or public transit schedules on hand, or have a designated driver available to ensure everyone gets home safe.  

End the holiday season in style by effortlessly hosting a memorable and sophisticated New Year's Eve party⁠—your guests will thank you and your home will never look better.