Entertaining and the Smaller Home

Here come the holidays! Thanksgiving is next month!  Yikes!  Put on your best smile, get that little black dress dry cleaned and get ready to ENTERTAIN!!!

Here I am in entertaining mode.  Got my black dress on, my toile apron and a big welcome smile for my guests. 
 

So, is it harder to entertain in a smaller home?  No maam!

Great parties happen because guests feel welcome and have fun.  Entertaining is just as easy in a smaller home as in a larger house.   In fact, the more comfortable proportions of a smaller home usually make for better parties.  Take a look at my guests last Christmas.  Don't they look like they are having fun?  They sure do!  Now, some of that cheer might be from the wine, but my small house only added to the fun by making things more cozy. 

How about the food at a party?  You need a big kitchen to make great food, right?  Wrong again! 

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Big kitchens don’t guarantee great food anymore than the fastest computer with the latest word processing program guarantees a best selling novel.  Great food comes out of both large and small kitchens.  But in my experience, when guests see a large expensive kitchen, they expect fabulous food, so the hostess is under pressure to deliver.  Guests expect much less from smaller kitchens.  People are always surprised when wonderful food comes out of a tiny kitchen and the hostess is typically showered with compliments. 

Here is an action shot of me cooking in my 8' by 8' foot kitchen.  I love a smaller kitchen because everything is close at hand!

What about a kitchen island?  Don't you need an island to serve the food?  And what about the drinks?  How do you serve drinks without an island? 
-->Picture the best parties you have ever attended.  Is there a kitchen island in any of those memories?  I’ll bet not.  Unless the purpose of the party is to unveil your new kitchen island, you don’t need one to throw a party.   
So how do I serve food and drinks at a party without a kitchen island?  I do it 'Old School' and use the dining room table.  It works for me every time!  

My dining table all dressed up and ready to party!  And yes, one of the forks is crooked.  I hate when that happens!  But my parties are never perfect, just lots of fun!

This holiday season I don't want to hear any excuses for not throwing at least one party.  Invite people into your home, make them feel welcome and your party will be great!  So start planning your holiday get togethers and send me your party photos.  I will post them for all of us to enjoy!

Until next time,
Genevieve