The festive season may be behind us, but January often brings its own wave of visitors — family holidays, interstate relatives and friends dropping by for a long summer catch-up. While opening your home to loved ones is something most of us enjoy, hosting can quickly become stressful when space is limited.
To help ease the pressure, we’re chatting with design expert Kylie O’Hara of Luxus Home and Garden® to get her practical tips for creating more room to relax, entertain and connect.
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1. Start by clearing visual clutter
When you’re hosting family and friends in a smaller home, floor and surface space quickly become precious. Kylie suggests doing a quick edit of the areas people will actually use before guests arrive, like dining tables, kitchen benches, coffee tables and entry zones.
“Clear away anything that doesn’t need to be there, from everyday paperwork to decorative objects that can be temporarily relocated. Even moving a few non-essential items into a bedroom or spare room can instantly make shared areas feel more generous.
“Tidying as you go during the event also helps the space feel calm and prevents that overwhelming clean-up at the end of the night,” she adds.
2. Rethink the floor plan, not just the furniture
Kylie says you don’t need a large home to host well — but you do need clear circulation. She suggests taking a fresh look at how people will move through your living areas and outdoor spaces.
“Pushing larger furniture pieces towards the perimeter of the room helps create clear pathways and prevents bottlenecks. In tighter spaces, it’s often better to prioritise movement over symmetry.
“For example, you may consider using a bench seat against a wall with your dining table to create a dining nook. Bench seats often seat more people (especially children or teens), and this can save up to a metre of space in the dining area. This freed up space could be used for additional stools around a kitchen island or an additional small sofa in your living room, depending on the floor plan of your home.”
3. Choose furniture that can do double duty
“When entertaining in a small home, versatility is everything. Furniture that performs more than one function allows your space to adapt as the gathering unfolds,” explains Kylie.
“Extendable dining tables, nesting tables, benches and ottomans that can act as both seating and surfaces are all incredibly useful. Storage sofas or benches are also ideal for hiding clutter while still providing comfortable seating. And don’t stress if everything doesn’t match — relaxed, layered seating often feels more inviting than a perfectly coordinated setup.”
4. Entertain in a way that suits the space
If seating is limited, Kylie says it’s a good idea to rethink how food is served. “Grazing boards, shared platters and buffet-style meals encourage guests to move, mingle and spread out naturally, rather than being anchored to a single table.”
She says this approach works particularly well when entertaining across multiple zones. “Indoors and out, it helps smaller spaces feel lively rather than crowded. Guests tend to enjoy the freedom to circulate, chat and settle where they feel most comfortable.”
5. Create zones to keep things flowing
Even in compact homes, defining zones helps gatherings feel organised rather than chaotic.
“Different areas can naturally serve different purposes — a spot for kids to play, a shaded outdoor area for drinks, a dining zone for food, and a quieter corner for conversation.
“If possible, it can also be helpful to keep one room relatively calm, giving guests (and hosts) a place to step away from the noise for a moment. Zoning isn’t about restriction — it’s about making the most of every part of your home so it works harder when you need it to.”
Thanks so much Kylie for stopping by and sharing these practical small space entertaining ideas! We hope you picked up a few tips to try at your home for next time guests come and visit. Do you have other tips to add? Post it as a comment below!
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