Setting the Stage

Preparing Your Home for the Holidays and Beyond

December arrives with a particular energy—part celebration, part anticipation, wholly alive with possibility. This is the month we prepare not just for gatherings and gift-giving, but for the threshold moment when one year becomes another. Your home can be the canvas for both: the festive present and the intentional future.

The Welcoming Entry

First impressions matter, and your entryway sets the tone. Clear it completely, then rebuild it with intention. I do this before every gathering I host—just don’t look in my closet under the stairs!

Start by clearing hooks for guests’ coats, add a basket for shoes, and make a space for bags and phones. Encourage guests to leave their technology at the door and see how everyone connects without the technology crutch. These details signal that your home is ready—not just tidy—but truly prepared to hold the gatherings ahead.

Creating Flow for Gathering

The holidays bring people through your door and into your space, so your space should welcome them with ease. Start by walking through your home as a guest would. Is there a clear path from entry to kitchen to living areas? Does furniture placement encourage conversation or create awkward barriers? If needed, pull your sofa away from the wall to create a more intimate seating arrangement. Add a small side chair from a bedroom to expand your entertaining capacity. Set up a small bar cart or beverage station so guests can help themselves. The goal is flow. You are creating spaces that feel open and inviting without sacrificing the coziness that makes a home feel like home.

The Kitchen as Heart

Your kitchen will work hard this month, so give it the attention it deserves. Clear counters of appliances you won't use during holiday cooking. Create dedicated zones: a coffee and tea station, a baking area with flour and sugar within reach, a spot for appetizers and drinks or a buffet for holiday serving. While you are at it, stock up on serving pieces now. Place wooden cutting boards, attractive dish towels, and your best olive oil bottle out on display. Your kitchen should look as good as the meals it produces.

Tablescapes Worth Gathering Around

Even if you're not hosting an elaborate dinner, set your table beautifully at least once this season. Not for guests necessarily, but for yourself and whoever shares your home. Use the good dishes. Light the candles. Fold the napkins properly.

For holiday gatherings, think layers and texture. A linen runner down the center of the table, small arrangements of greenery and berries are woven between clusters of candles at varying heights, and simple white dishes let the food shine. Avoid anything too tall that blocks sight lines across the table. Conversations matter more than centerpiece drama, and consider place cards, even for small gatherings. People feel seen when you've thought about where they'll sit, and it’s a great way to get young kids involved in planning. All it takes is folded paper and a few colored pencils or markers for kids to get involved.

The Power of Small Upgrades

December is also a perfect time for small upgrades that make daily life better. Replace worn bath mats and kitchen rugs. Invest in that espresso machine you've been eyeing. Frame family photos that have been sitting in a drawer. Update throw pillows that have seen better days.

These aren't decorations; they're improvements to your everyday life that happen to coincide with the season. Future-you will appreciate them long after the tree comes down.

Maintaining the Magic

As the holiday season unfolds, commit to maintaining your prepared space. Take ten minutes each evening to reset seating areas in living and family rooms. Clear the kitchen counters after dinner. Sort mail as it comes in. And for design’s sake, push in your dining room chairs! It's easier to maintain order than to constantly recreate it, and you'll enjoy your own home more when it's not adding to your stress. With thoughtful preparation now, you create the foundation for both festive celebration and the fresh start waiting just around the corner. Because that's what good design does: it makes room for life in all its seasons, all its moods, all its beautiful, messy, meaningful moments.