Designing a Party Room in Your House

The classic saying - the more, the merrier - will be hampered by a house that only comfortably fits ten or twelve people. If you are the type of person that likes to play host (or hostess) to large groups of people, then you will need at least one room in your home that can accomodate a large party. This doesn't involve remodeling or knocking down walls, but it does require some strategic planning.

A party room is defined as a space large enough to comfortable seat a large group of people, but small enough so that intimate conversation is facilitated. As we get older in life, we no longer desire the raging, impersonal, deafening parties of our teenage years, but more sociable gatherings. We want to catch up with old friends, show off our latest technological acquisitions and perhaps open a few bottles of wine or cognac.

Use this guide to plan the design of your party room, and enjoy pleasurable gatherings for years to come.

1. Upstairs or Down?

Although guests might wander from one room to the next, most parties are centrally located in one particular room of the house. This might be a family room, living room or playroom upstairs. How you design the room - as well as access to other parts of the house - will depend upon whether the room is upstairs or down.

Having the party room downstairs has obvious advantages. Your guests won't have to climb to find the party, for one, and a downstairs room will be closer to the kitchen, from which you will be serving snack foods and drinks. Also, if the party is downstairs, you'll be able to keep the guests to one portion of the house, thereby decreasing the amount of clean-up and keeping some areas of your home private.

Upstairs, on the other hand, leaves the downstairs as a "staging area," where guests can retreat for private conversations or smaller groups. It will also increase the number of people that can be invited.

2. Maximize space.

The party room should be one of the largest in your home, and should be as much of a square or rectangle as possible. A room with lots of corners and slanted edges will cut down on the amount of available square footage, and will probably give your party a cramped feeling. While it doesn't need to be perfectly symmetrical, keep it as open as possible.

If you have an opportunity and are building your house, ask that the party room be high-ceilinged. Low ceilings make guests feel claustrophobic, and a higher ceiling will provide the illusion that there is more room.

3. Flooring

Take the floor of your party room into consideration. No matter how adult or mature the guests at a party are, spills do still occur. If you have white carpeting in your party room, make sure you have an industrial size bottle of Spot Shot at the ready, or your floor will end up looking like it was originally meant to be splotched. A more practical idea for flooring is hard wood. Hard wood floors are easily cleaned, elegant, and great for dancing if your guests are into that sort of thing. It will also make the room seem larger.

If you have tile floors in your party room, make sure that you have properly sealed the grout. Fruit punch, wine and other assorted drinks will stain the grout, even when household cleaners will fix the tile. Sealants are a much-appreciated investment, even though they take hours to apply.

4. Furniture

Unless you have an enormous house, your party room will most likely double as something else when you aren't entertaining guests. With that in mind, plan the furnishing of your party room with both parties and daily living in mind.

Large, overstuffed couches and armchairs that can be pushed against the walls for parties are perfect. They provide a place for guests to sit and chat, and will be comfortable for day-to-day living. Dark furniture that won't show stains is preferrable to light-colored furnishings that will become spotted as time goes on. A small, lightweight coffee table can be moved into another room for parties, and floor lamps that can be moved to corners provide great ambiance for parties.

You might want to purchase a large entertainment center, one that can serve its purpose for both parties and daily living. A large-screen television and a stereo system will compliment this nicely.

Artwork is completely up to you, but I don't advise displaying expensive paintings or scultpures in your party room. Things do get broken, and you don't want an accident to destroy a valuable piece. You will probably be decorating for your party, anyway, so artwork isn't as important in a party room. Buy sturdy, well-made end tables for your couches and chairs, which will be pushed against walls for your parties. End tables should be durable because people will be setting drinks on them - perhaps without coasters - and you don't want to constantly worry about water rings.

5. Serving

At most parties, you will be serving snacks and drinks, which means that you have to have a way to provide those to your guests. I recommend purchasing several card tables for this purpose, which can be covered with paper table cloths for your parties, and easily stored in your garage during daily living. Cardboard tables provide for easy set-up and take-down, and eliminate the risk of ruining a good table. Set the cardboard tables up against one of the walls, and you've instantly created a buffet-style snack station.

I also recommend buying coolers for the party room. Before the party, stock the coolers with ice, long-neck beer bottles, soda cans and other refreshments. If you can afford it, mini-refrigerators serve the same purpose.

6. Windows

Party rooms should not have bare windows. Simple, yet elegant curtain rods with arrow, spiral or knotted ends provide a tasteful atmosphere. Depending on the types of parties you throw, curtains can be either dark and somber or light and cheery; whichever you prefer.

7. Sunken Floors

The most beautiful party room I have ever encountered featured three separate areas, each defined by a sunken step and a knee-high barrier. A party room with two or three levels - each accessed by a single step - can make all the difference. It will be a unique focal point for conversation and will facilitate different small groups for chatting or listening to music. A simple brick or wooden barrier, decorated with knick-knacks or potted plants, adds to this touch.

Sunken floors were more common in the 70's and 80's when homes were constructed with diversity in mind. It isn't as popular now, as homes are all constructed very much the same, but it can be specified in your building plans if you are buying a new home.

8. Decks & Balconies

Sometimes, parties are made even better by having an extension of the party outdoors. If the party is upstairs, a balcony will do, and if it's downstairs, your backyard deck is a great retreat for party-goers. Decks and balconies can be spruced up with tiki torches, hanging lanterns, strings of lights and lush foliage. Tasteful outdoor furniture allows guests to sit and talk outside, and a barbeque grill can create new snack varieties.

This also allows you to invite more people without worrying about space. Guests will naturally go outdoors when they need a breath of fresh air or to smoke a cigarette. This is also great for New Years' Eve or Fourth of July parties, when fireworks and sparklers will be part of the mix.