When you are creating an extension for your home, whether it’s a conservatory or orangery, you are doing more than adding the floor space or boosting the value of your home. It’s also a chance to enhance how you live and interact with others, so making it perfect for hosting is one of the best ways to utilise the space. You’ll still need to look around for event spaces London when hosting a larger event, but your home extension will allow you to host family dinners and casual event gatherings without strain.
In this guide, we’ll help you design a home extension that lets you easily bring people together.
Let the Space Flow
When it’s well designed, the extension should feel like a natural continuation of your home, not a separate add-on. However, it also needs to feel more free as it still closely ties to the outdoors.
During the construction, use wide openings and open-plan designs. If you need to separate anything, use partial divides like archways or glass partitions, as they’ll still define different areas.
Apart from that, consider how guests will move through the space. Avoid restricting people by ensuring there’s enough space to move around furniture. For storage, you can use built-in shelves or multi-purpose furniture to keep clutter out of the way and ensure the space remains open and functional. This way, adapting the space based on different event requirements will be easier.
Lighting for Different Occasions
Lighting plays a huge role in setting the mood for any gathering. It can give you a lively brunch, an intimate dinner, or even a relaxed evening with friends.
Since you’ll host different types of events, the best approach here is to have different types of lighting. You can install overhead lights for general illumination, but you can’t rely on them for everything, as the space will feel flat. Add some wall sconces, floor lamps, and even under-cupboard lighting, as this will bring some depth and make the space feel more lively for casual evenings.
Besides that, keep in mind that natural light is also important, so try to maintain the tradition of large windows or glass designs.
A Kitchen That’s Built for Entertaining
If your home extension also includes a kitchen, design it as a space where people gather, not just a place for cooking. The layout should enable easy food preparation while encouraging conversation, doubling as a casual drinks station.
A good way to do this is to design the kitchen as open-plan with a central island or a breakfast bar. This will make it a central place where a few people can sit, talk, and share a drink without getting in the way of cooking. If the space allows, you can even have a small lounge where the kitchen is.
During the design, ensure the kitchen is clutter-free as it’s not the everyday kitchen. The cupboards and shelves should be well-placed, and the various appliances should preferably be built-in.
Make the Seating Flexible
Any social space should be able to adapt to different types of gatherings. In this case, it should work for small family dinners as well as a lively get-together with friends. If the layout is fixed, this will limit the hosting options.
You can start by having different seating styles. A dining table with several comfortable chairs is essential, but you can also add bar stools by the kitchen island. You can then have comfortable couches in your lounge,design should be flexible for easy rearrangement.
For larger gatherings, keep lightweight chairs or stackable stools handy for flexible seating.
Integrate it with the Outdoors
If your home extension leads to a patio, garden, or terrace, it’s important to make a strong connection with the outdoor space. When you design it well, this will make the area feel bigger and more inviting, and it will also allow your guests to move freely.
One of the best ways to achieve this is by using large sliding or bi-fold doors. When open, they’ll seamlessly link the extension with your outdoor space. Even when closed, the full-height glass doors will maintain natural light and an uninterrupted view of the garden. This will make your home extension more open, versatile, and perfect for hosting different types of gatherings.
