Many people approach the holiday season assuming that festive touches alone can create welcoming spaces. However, hospitality extends beyond surface decoration.

The way you arrange furniture, lighting, and balance aesthetic appeal with practical function determines whether guests feel genuinely comfortable or merely tolerated in your space.

Here's what you'll learn:

Let's dive in!

Seating arrangements when hosting can shape how people interact in your space. Traditional layouts with furniture pushed against walls or oriented towards the TV work well for everyday living, but they actively discourage conversation during gatherings.

People naturally engage more when seated facing each other at comfortable distances.

Create conversation zones by arranging seating in circular or U-shaped configurations. Sofas and chairs positioned to face each other, rather than all facing the same direction, invite eye contact and discussion.

Multiple seating arrangements can accommodate different group sizes and interaction styles. Create a secondary seating area in a corner or near a window where two or three people can have quieter discussions. It might be a pair of armchairs with a small side table, or a bench with cushions near a bookshelf.

Avoid isolated seating. Every seat in your gathering space should connect to at least one conversation zone. Also consider flexible seating options that can accommodate extra guests without cluttering your space the rest of the year.

Place your coffee tables and side tables within arm's reach of every seat to make guests comfortable. People need places to set drinks, plates, and personal items easily. Too few surfaces can mean people will feel tentative about settling in.

Leave adequate pathways between furniture groupings. Crowded arrangements where people must squeeze past others or step over coffee tables create physical discomfort that translates to social discomfort. Aim for at least 700mm of clearance in main pathways, more in high-traffic areas.

That single ceiling fixture might provide good illumination, but it doesn't create atmosphere or visual warmth. On the other hand, if you add and layer your light fixtures on multiple heights, you can make the same space more welcoming.

Distribute your light sources throughout the room to create a natural and intentional illumination. Select warm-toned or warm-white lights, as they are more effective in creating a sense of psychological warmth than cool lamps. If possible, include dimmer switches to give you flexibility in setting the mood throughout the evening.

Bright lighting is ideal for active entertaining, such as serving food, playing games, or when guests first arrive and need to navigate the unfamiliar space. You can lower the light intensity later in the evening when the energy is relaxed and more intimate.

Then switch on your task lighting in specific areas, such as the bar area or over the food table. These targeted light sources can handle practical needs while maintaining the overall atmosphere.

Natural light during daytime festivities shouldn't be ignored. Open your curtains during the day to maximise natural warmth and light. As evening approaches, close the curtains to contain warmth and create an intimate atmosphere distinct from the outside darkness.

Holiday decorations create atmosphere, but excessive decoration can impede function.

For example, a beautiful table arrangement that leaves no room for serving dishes or a centrepiece that is so tall that guests cannot see each other across the table is decor that prioritises appearance over experience.

Festive décor should enhance the hosting experience, not complicate it. Consider how people move through each space and plan your decor based on function. For instance, a high-traffic area will need minimal decoration that won't be knocked over or impede movement.

Create a display area in a less prominent location to allow for more elaborate decorative arrangements.

Vertical decorations are great because they preserve horizontal surfaces for multiple functions. These include garlands on mantels and bannisters, wreaths on walls, and decorations hanging from ceilings. These can give your space the festive impact without consuming valuable table and counter space required for food, drinks, and guest belongings.

As you plan your décor arrangement, remember that personal touches matter more than expensive decorations. Family photos in festive frames, children's handmade ornaments displayed prominently, or a collection displayed with seasonal accents can make your space feel genuinely welcoming rather than showroom-perfect.

Spatial planning of your hosting space will determine whether the gatherings feel natural or awkward. Poor flow will create bottlenecks where people cluster uncomfortably, while good flow will allow easy movement between spaces without disrupting conversations or activities in progress.

Identify the natural pathways of your home. Watch where people will actually walk rather than assuming they will follow your intended routes. Clear these pathways of obstacles, such as furniture corners, floor decorations, or narrow passages that will force your guests into a single file.

Open sightlines between connected spaces will help people navigate confidently. When people can see from one room into the next, they move more freely and feel less hesitant about exploring your space. Remove visual barriers where possible, or create clear openings where you need partitions.

The kitchen is a natural gathering spot regardless of your intentions. Instead of preventing folks from hanging out in the kitchen, accommodate them by providing a space where they can congregate without blocking the work areas.

Food placement can help you direct flow patterns in your space. For example, a buffet-style service along a counter or sideboard creates natural flow as people serve themselves and move on. Scattered appetiser and drink stations in different rooms encourage guests to circulate rather than clustering in one location.

Organise your space to clearly define the purpose of each room to help your guests navigate easily. Obvious seating arrangements, activity setups, or focal points signal what each space offers. Ambiguous spaces where the purpose isn't clear can make guests hesitant and uncomfortable.

Frank Gehry (1929–2025) spent nearly a century bending the rules of architecture, and often the buildings themselves. Born in Toronto and settling later in Los Angeles, he approached architecture with the curiosity of an artist and the boldness of a rule‑breaker.

His early experiments in the 1970s, such as the renovation of his own Santa Monica home, turned humble materials like chain‑link fencing, corrugated metal, and exposed plywood into a new design vocabulary. He showed the world that beauty could emerge from the raw, the ordinary, the unpolished.

Gehry became a central figure in deconstructivism, a movement that challenged the conventional principles of harmony, symmetry, and the unity of form-function in architecture. With the help of early digital modelling techniques, he created forms that twisted, curved, and unfolded in ways that defied traditional geometry.

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao became a global symbol of this approach, sparking the “Bilbao Effect” as cities recognised the economic and cultural power of daring design. The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles continued this legacy, its sweeping metallic forms shaping light, sound, and emotion.

Inside his buildings, Gehry championed authenticity over perfection. He exposed structure, celebrated raw materials, and favoured fluid, non‑linear spaces that invited exploration. His interiors blurred boundaries between architecture, art, and experience, encouraging people to feel a space, not just occupy it.

Gehry’s influence lives on in every designer who embraces honesty in materials, movement in form, and the belief that spaces should stir something deep within us.

▶ Frank O. Gehry: Building the Inspiring Space

▶ Homes & Gardens: Holiday Hosting Tips

▶ Lumens: How To Layer Your Home’s Lighting

▶ Decorholic: How to Create a Conversation Area in Your Living Room

2025 has been full of big design statements, but not all of them made sense in our homes. This week, we'll review the 2025 trends worth paying attention to, especially if you want experiential interiors that feel welcoming, authentic, and liveable.​

Here’s what you’ll find in this issue:

Stay tuned!