The holidays are almost here, and your list of to-dos AND commitments has tangled into a blanket covering your calendar through the end of the year.
Want to grab lunch with a friend? Better make it a shopping visit where you both get gifts purchased while you catch up!
Stress aside, the nostalgia of the holidays tugs at your heartstrings, pulling you toward the pinnacle of the season when your dinner table is full, and everyone is together. In your imagination, the scene has that perfect holiday atmosphere. Your home is warm and beautifully festive, and nothing (not even an unnavigable pantry or an undecorated powder room) can steal one precious moment.
Yet, here you are, a week or two away from the first guests, and there’s hardly enough time to do everything you HAVE to do. Finding time for the things you WANT to do seems predestined for next year instead!! Maybe you’d dreamed of a full guest room refresh, or that kitchen remodel that would create the perfect space for cooking…there’s no longer time to do all that.
But is this really an all or nothing game?
With a few time-efficient updates, you still have a GREAT deal of power to turn your home into the holiday haven you’ve imagined.
These simple additions, rearrangements, and fixes offer you the biggest return on enjoyment for cherished moments with family and friends. Not only is there still time to do several of these, they’re all EASY, too. Nothing will stop you now—pick the one you like best and get started right away!!
1. Start with a cozier entryway
Sit with this picture for a moment. You walk up to a home where the front door is framed in a soft glow coming from cheerful lanterns, with just one soft shadow hanging under the lush, festive wreath. As you step through the doorway, layered welcome mats greet you with holly-red letters underfoot. The holiday spirit envelopes you as you step into an entryway filled with garlands and a coat rack, openly inviting you to leave everything and stay a while.
This is an experience you can provide every guest who walks through your door!!
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: This small change can be done solo or with the guidance of a professional interior designer. Talk to an interior designer for a more immersive seasonal aesthetic that blends into the rest of your home, especially the rest of your holiday décor.
- Materials needed: This is open-ended, but start with some basics, like: a seasonal wreath, garland, outdoor-friendly lanterns, a durable mat, holiday door décor, and outdoor-safe lights.
- Flow impact: This enhances the entry experience without affecting traffic flow. In fact, by giving guests a warm landing space before they make it into the main home, it helps flow stay more relaxed past the front door.
- Time investment: 1-3 hours for decorating and minor installations
Investment: Low time and cost
Benefit: High—sets a welcoming tone for all who enter
2. Add the perfect holiday glow with ambient lighting
A softly lit room blushes with the collective warmth of LED candles and subtle fairy lights. The cozy glow with the dimmed overhead lights creates an intimate, inviting atmosphere absolutely perfect for holiday gatherings, and for intimate time spent with the smallest groups of loved ones.
You can almost feel yourself sink into the peace as you settle down for a holiday evening with this set-up. If you haven’t looked at the gathering spaces in your home through the lens of ambient lighting, this is one of the truest ways to create that holiday magic.
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: Call a licensed professional to install dimmers on any overhead lights that don’t have them, and work with an interior designer to turn haphazard LED candle collections into a lighting experience that no one will forget!!
- Materials needed: Dimmer switches, LED candles, fairy lights, battery-operated candles, floor lamps with warm-tone bulbs.
- Flow impact: This magical set-up enhances ambiance without impacting any room’s layout.
- Time investment: 1-2 hours to arrange lighting.
Investment: Medium time and low cost (medium cost if installing dimmers)
Benefit: High—creates a memorable holiday atmosphere with minimal work
3. Optimize your gathering area seating
Should you rearrange your seating to ensure people can easily mingle? Or should you add seating?
Or should you do both?
To create a truly optimized space for people to gather, an interior designer will either rearrange your furniture or add additional pieces like soft benches, plush armchairs, or multifunctional selections to nurture those long and cozy conversations over the holidays.
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: An interior designer will discuss your holiday entertainment and optimize the layout according to how you host.
- Materials needed: Extra seating like benches or foldable chairs, seasonal throw pillows, and soft blankets might be needed, otherwise your existing furniture can be rearranged.
- Flow impact: Rearranging may tighten some spaces, but specific and natural pathways will be kept open.
- Time investment: 2-5 hours for setup (on the higher end if adding furniture).
Investment: Medium time and cost
Benefit: Very high—enhances comfort and seating capacity for gatherings
4. A hot drink station for the whole season
A dedicated coffee and cocoa station complete with festive mugs, warm spices, and a variety of add-ins will give guests a reason to visit all season long if you keep the bar open and stocked!!
Guests can mix their favorite holiday drinks, and you can turn the display into a festive focal point and a natural gathering spot.
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: You could set this up yourself or schedule an online interior design consultation for more creative ideas.
- Materials needed: Small table or bar cart, holiday mugs, cocoa mix, tea and coffee, decorative jars, spoons, stirrers, marshmallows and spices.
- Flow impact: People will congregate here naturally, so keeping it somewhere with easy access is key. Avoid setting it up in high-traffic kitchen zones or congested areas.
- Time investment: Around 1 hour for setup and decoration.
Investment: Low time and cost
Benefit: Medium—adds warmth and a fun, interactive feature for guests
5. The gamechanger: a kids’ activity area
Pick a corner outside the main flow of foot traffic, or a separate room still accessible to gathering areas, and use it to set up a holiday-themed crafts area for children. Guests who come with kids can relax more knowing that the little ones are safe and entertained, and everyone can help keep track of the kids with quick flybys during the event.
As kids come flitting into the main gathering to show off their crafts, some of those very crafts might end up in stockings or the decorations that same day. The walls become fuller and everyone’s heart is fit to burst!!
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: This is an area you can set up yourself based on the ages and interests of the kids who will be visiting.
- Materials needed: Small table and chairs, coloring books, holiday crafts, games, crayons, markers.
- Flow impact: Set this area up outside of high-traffic zones, but close enough that it’s easy for adults to check in.
- Time investment: Around 2 hours to gather materials and set everything up.
Investment: Low time and cost
Benefit: High—enhances everyone’s experience by keeping kids entertained in an easy-to-watch area
6. Stock up on stylish serving essentials
The holidays are a GREAT opportunity to stock up on elegant serving essentials. That way, you’ll have new utensils all of a like style, and you’ll KNOW that you have enough of each before any unpleasant serving surprise pops up!!
From matching serving trays to cocktail glasses, elevate everyone’s holiday experience with some new serving essentials. It’s as easy as perusing your options and making selections…
Keep reading for more ways to elegantly show off your home whenever you entertain.
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: None needed here, unless you’d like a professional interior designer’s eye on how your selections play into your place settings and tablescaping.
- Materials needed: One shopping list, with all the essentials your entertainment plans require. Consider items like serving trays, cocktail glasses, festive napkins, and serving utensils.
- Flow impact: Keep your new essentials near the kitchen or dining area to streamline serving or consider a rolling bar cart for even easier access, and this will help keep everything moving when everyone’s over and ready for a meal.
- Time investment: Less than 1 hour to select serving pieces.
Investment: Low time and medium cost
Benefit: High—improves your efficiency and style as a host
7. Gussy up the guest quarters and powder room
Each guest room can be elevated with unforgettable holiday detail using details like holiday-scented soaps, festive hand towels, and thoughtful touches that make every visitor feel at home. With cozy bedding and thoughtful amenities like extra storage space for hanging sweaters or a clean, flat surface for last-minute gift wrapping, your guests settle in with ease.
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: Work with an interior designer to discuss your holiday entertainment plans to see which updates will elevate your guests’ experience the most.
- Materials needed: This will depend on the kind of hosting you do, but might include: festive towels, holiday-themed bedding, scented candles, small décor accents, and personal-use toiletries.
- Flow impact: Enhances your guests’ experience without affecting the rest of your home’s flow.
- Time investment: 2-3 hours to arrange and style rooms.
Investment: Medium time and medium cost
Benefit: High—significantly enhances guest comfort and home appeal
8. Optimize your pantry for holiday cooking
A kitchen where every holiday staple is within reach and counters are clear for holiday food prep is the ONLY kitchen that will help instead of hurt this holiday season.
Your dream kitchen remodel might not be in the cards this late in the year, but you can still focus on an often-forgotten essential: with a well-organized pantry, holiday cooking becomes SO much easier!!
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: None needed for this…just the commitment to get it DONE!
- Materials needed: Storage containers, labels, and organizers for pantry and kitchen essentials.
- Flow impact: Greatly improves cooking and serving efficiency, which also frees up kitchen space. Ultimately, this affects the hosts AND the guests!!
- Time investment: 2-4 hours to clean, declutter, and reorganize
Investment: Medium time and low cost
Benefit: Very high—streamlines holiday cooking and serving
9. Layered rugs for character and warmth
Step into a living room with layered area rugs that add texture, coziness, and a touch of seasonal style. The added layers invite everyone to stay a while in a snug space so perfect for holiday gatherings.
You wouldn’t think that a detail under your feet could fill hearts, but this small and EXTREMELY easy update has a hugeimpact on a festive ambience for the winter season…
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: A quick online consultation with an interior designer can point you in the right direction so you can make the best selections.
- Materials needed: A few seasonal or smaller rugs, depending on the size and style of the main rugs.
- Flow impact: Adds coziness without disrupting room flow.
- Time investment: 1 hour to arrange rugs (and adjust furniture if needed).
Investment: Low time and medium cost
Benefit: Medium—adds warmth and texture for a special holiday ambiance
10. Plan for holiday outdoor entertaining
Especially for those Fort Worth, Texas area homes near our office in Keller, a little planning can turn an outdoor area into a cozy winter wonderland to share with guests. A patio with a fire pit, string lights, and outdoor blankets creates a warm outdoor space…even in chilly weather!!
See how we created this award-winning year-round outdoor entertainment haven in Keller, Texas.
With deliberate seating and a beautiful ambiance set with soft, warm lights, your guests can enjoy the outdoors comfortably…and your experience as an entertainer can be much easier to navigate with a better segmented flow of foot traffic!!
Be sure to think about:
- Installation guidance: Contact our team for for fire pit installation or for the addition of furniture…talk to us about the design elements of your idea, too, or to build out any small additions needed to perfect the space. Or even have our handyman hang lights for you!!
- Materials needed: Fire pit or outdoor heaters, string lights, outdoor-safe blankets, outdoor-graded seating.
- Flow impact: Expands gathering space in the most convenient way, providing an additional space for guests to relax outside the bustle of cooking and preparation!!
- Time investment: 2-4 hours for setup (or more if installing permanent features).
Investment: Medium to high time and cost
Benefit: High—extends usable space and creates an unforgettable, festive experience
There’s still time!!
Which of these ideas brings the most benefit to you, with your plans for entertaining this holiday season?
Now is the time to make it a reality…whether it’s a cozier entryway or setting up the perfect hot drink bar, you could greet guests with a sense of pride this month and next.
Our team is here to make any one of these ideas (or any combination of them) happen seamlessly. The holidays create so many to-dos…and we can handle these for you. Just focus on the details that matter, and tell us how your home needs to look, function, and feel this holiday season.
About the author
Robin Burrill, RID, NCIDQ, ASID, IDS, CAPS, is an award-winning professional kitchen, bath, and interior designer. Robin and her husband, Robert Mathews, have owned Signature Home Services, Inc. for nearly three decades, establishing a superior in-house team with a widespread reputation for delivering meticulous design to their many repeat clients.
In 2022, the national publication, Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine, named Robin to their Top Innovator list in recognition of her achievements in the field of kitchen and bath design. In 2024, she was named one of the Fall 2024 Market Pros and “tastemakers” by ANDMORE at High Point Market. Also in 2024, Fixr identified her as one of the Top Professional Interior Designers for their nationwide audience. Over her extensive career, Robin has been quoted in Architectural Digest and Forbes multiple times; her design work has been featured in top national trade publications; and she has been interviewed for Designers Today magazine’s “Profiles in Design” video series, among others. Widely respected for the depth of her knowledge, Robin is a sought after speaker and judge for many design industry events.
In 2023, Robin designed a bench for Charleston Forge, making her foray into product design. Robin currently serves as a volunteer on the board of the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter of the Interior Design Society.
Leave a Reply