2 min readWe all have our own rituals for preparing our homes for guests. Some of us refresh linens, while others among us “chop” throw pillows and reach for our favorite scents. Whether you’ve been anticipating their visit for months or are prepping for an impromptu pop-in, getting your home ready for guests can be a time-consuming task.
Polish and dust all you please, but without the right ambiance, all your efforts seem to go to waste. While it can be easy to get swept up in making sure our home is spotless, the comfort of your guests can really hinge on a single detail.
The Most Impactful Guest-Ready Swap
To get to the bottom of how to prep a guest-ready home, we asked designers for their top tips for quick and easy ways to get your home guest-ready in minutes. And though it may seem trivial to some, the most important detail is lighting. We’re not just talking about the flick of a switch. Lighting influences the entire aura of your room—no matter how clean or beautifully designed it is.
“It [lighting] can instantly make a room feel more intimate and moody,” says interior designer Louis Lin. “Softer lighting puts people at ease and encourages a more relaxed, open kind of conversation, one that feels less formal and less judgmental.”
Light literally touches every corner of your space. Whether you’re lounging in your living room or serving in the dining room, it’s important to consider the intensity, level, and tone of your lighting options. Overhead fixtures read clinical, while table-top lamps give spaces a more academic air. A soft, warm flush creates a more inviting space, and what more could we want than for our guests to feel welcome?
While a single light source might be enough to get you through your day-to-day, achieving the perfect ambiance often takes a little more effort than one bulb. “It's all about setting a mood,” says design duo Mallory Robins and Elizabeth Bennet. “Turn off the overhead lights and create a softer glow by layering light from table lamps, sconces, and candles.”
If you find yourself in a situation where a single source is your reality, designer Dana Ferraro has a hack that will transform even the humble boob light into a moody fixture. “Dimmers are a must on overhead lighting,” says Ferraro. If you’re lacking outlets or wall space, she also has a fix for that. “I also love a wireless lamp on a coffee table for an extra glow.”
If you’ve already aced your light design and are lucky enough to be working with a planned event, it might be worth it to give yourself a quick mood check.
“Following the infinite wisdom of domestic goddess The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, don't work too hard,” Robins and Bennet agree. While the lighting may set the stage for your event, as the host, your mood sets the tone. After all, the most beautiful spaces work because there’s so much of you in them.
