When you’re hosting guests, whether difficult in-laws staying for the weekend or friends coming to a dinner party, you want to impress them as soon as they arrive. Here’s how to do it.
Give A Great First Impression
First impressions are important, so make sure that the first place your guests come to, your front door, is inviting and spotless. You can do this in a few different ways. Arrange some pot plants around the front door, add a pretty welcome mat, make sure the front step is clean, or hang a wreath from the front door. You could try a few or all of these ideas.
This can also be a good way to show off your decor taste. For example, adding some colorful pot plants instantly gives the impression that your house is a fun and light-hearted place.
Create A Welcoming Entrance
You want to make a great first impression on your guests, and this first impression reaches the moment that your guests first step inside. You want to make them feel at home as soon as you can.
Make sure you have an area ready where your guests can put down any small items they’re carrying, like the keys or a wallet, and still have easy access to them later on if they need them. If you like your guests to take off their shoes, put a shoe rack or box in your entranceway for shoes to be stored in. For coats and jackets, make sure you have a wardrobe that your guests can easily access without having to ask you to get them for them.
For another welcoming touch, add some fresh flowers or a scented diffuser.
Offer Beverages And Snacks
If you ever stay in fancy hotels, you will know that one of the first things you’re offered is a drink or a small snack. This is part of how hotels welcome guests, and it works. It is especially well-received by guests who have traveled a long way.
Offer drinks soon after people arrive, and something light to eat. If you want to really impress, choose a snack with wow factor. You can buy caviar online, for example, for something really special.
Show your guests where to find drinks and snacks too, so they can get them later themselves.
Show Them Their Rooms
No matter how close you are with your family or friends, a lot of us prefer to have our own space, whether only for a few minutes or as a retreat if things get busy or noisy. Your guests feel no different.
Show your guests to their rooms soon after they arrive, if they’ll be staying with you. If you don’t have a spare room and your guest will be sleeping on the sofa, at least show them where they can put their luggage.
Make sure your guests know where the bathrooms are. Set out towels for them, and do things like showing them the shower works if it’s tricky.
Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Ideally, you want to wow your guests as you approach your property. There are all sorts of ways to do this. One option is to install exterior lighting that illuminates your home in interesting ways. Another is to hire a window replacement company to replace your existing windows with something more stylish. You could also experiment with lining the path or driveway to your home with beautiful bushes and trees and putting flower boxes outside the front door.