By Tara Wilson
Even seasoned event professionals can feel overwhelmed when expecting a big crowd at home. "Last year marked my 25th wedding anniversary, and I live in a two-bedroom house," shares Chicago event planner Sharon Ringiér. "We wanted to invite many friends for dinner, but seating was a challenge. I transformed my living room into a dining area, turned the kitchen into a buffet station, and used the dining room for desserts and drinks."
Follow Sharon's example: get creative, prioritize guest flow, and repurpose your furniture to accommodate everyone comfortably.
For formal dinners, ensure ample space for tables, chairs, and circulation. The living room often works best. Sharon cleared out most living room furniture to the garage, then rented six-foot tables, elegant fruitwood chairs, and linens to create a dedicated dining space.
If space is still tight without a full furniture clear-out and you're skipping formal seating, try a Moroccan-inspired setup, suggests Sharon. Use stackable plastic milk crates or wire spools as low tables, topped with round tablecloths from flea markets, restaurant suppliers, or caterers. Drape upholstery fabric, tuck it under, and layer runners so ends drape in front of seated guests. Scatter pillows for floor seating. "It creates a unique, fun vibe," Sharon notes.
Photo Credit: Ralph Kylloe, 2013 Gibbs Smith, Rustic Elegance, Ralph Kylloe
Furniture displaced for party prep can go here, providing a welcoming retreat for guests amid the excitement.
Tara Wilson, president of Tara Wilson Events, advises: "To subtly restrict access to private areas, place a buffet station in front of doors or arrange tall vases with floating candles on stair landings. For partially exposed rooms like a study, hang festive fabric swags or curtain panels to conceal and separate spaces stylishly."
Lacking a wide counter? Improvise one. During her home renovation party, Sharon and her husband used sawhorses and an unfinished door for a generous serving table. Cover it with rented linens; for spill protection, add inexpensive polyester sheeting underneath. "It's affordable and polished," says Sharon. "Check rental companies for holiday deals."
Tip: Design buffets accessible from both sides when possible.
Marley Majcher, CEO of The Party Goddess!, warns against bottlenecks: guests cluster around beverages, even non-alcoholic ones. Place the drink station off to the side, like Sharon's dining room setup. For outdoors, Tara suggests: "Use a room with opening windows to the yard—serve drinks indoors across the sill to save patio space."
Marley encourages rethinking built-ins creatively, especially near service areas. "My kitchen-family room has a desk and shelves perfect for napkins, garnishes, or a self-serve bar," she says.
At her anniversary event, Sharon repurposed a beveled glass shelf from her office atop a bookcase as a beverage station, shifted the dining table for gifts, stored chairs in the garage, and used a card table for desserts. This optimized flow for self-service.
Remove chairs from buffet and social areas like kitchens and dining rooms. Standing encourages interaction and keeps energy high.
