Everything you need to host a stylish dinner party (sans stress)

Tips and ideas for menu planning, table styling, host outfit and more -- no excuse not to share your home with friends!

Did you catch the Surgeon General’s report that there’s an epidemic of loneliness in the U.S.? We’re spending increasingly more time alone, and it’s having a profound impact on our society, well-being, and physical health.

How many of us have felt this in our own lives? I certainly do as a mom of a young child who works from home.

It’s not all doom and gloom; the report also speaks to the healing effect of connection.

This wild stat also got my attention: the amount of time spent hosting dinner parties has declined 30% in the last 20 years (and had declined 45% from the 1970’s to the 2000s).

So, it got me thinking: we need to create the social world that we want, and one way to do that is to host dinner parties. One of the reasons we work hard to create a Singular home is to make guests feel welcome and create memories there. If you host a party and invite friends, they’ll do the same, creating a circle of reciprocity and togetherness through warm cozy rooms filled with friends, thoughtful details, delicious food, sparkling conversation. The perfect antidote to loneliness.

Someone has to start it, so why don’t you be that person? Consider this post a call to host more dinner parties! Now let’s get to the How…

I’ve been practicing what I preach and hosting more dinner parties. Inviting people to my home feels more intimate than going to a restaurant; that relaxed atmosphere sets the stage for magic and merriment — some of my most fun nights hanging with friends have been dinners I’ve hosted.

I happen to enjoy all the creativity and details that goes into hosting, but I realize not everyone does. I hear people say they’re intimidated by hosting, and that’s totally understandable — it can be stressful and a lot of work. But it doesn’t have to be.

This guide is designed to streamline your dinner party planning, create a stylish and cozy atmosphere, and enable you to enjoy it just as much as your guests. I’ll provide ideas and tips to cover all the bases including menu planning, table styling, hosting outfit and more — it’s like a Chinese menu; you pick and choose what works for you and ignore the rest. The key takeaway is that you don’t have to do it all to have a great dinner party. The goal is for you and your guests to walk away with full bellies and full hearts.