Elevating the Art of Hosting

Holiday celebrations. Family milestones. Reunions between old friends. Congregations of new ones. 

Reach into the throes of your nostalgia, and you’ll likely find a common thread through your most cherished memories: a host. Festive dinners, elegant cocktail parties, even casual get-togethers are often the product of an entertainer’s warmth and grace.

Though usually a labor of love, crafting a welcoming atmosphere takes preparation—from the moments before a guest arrives to the layout itself. We spoke with two design experts about the most essential elements of an evening to remember.

Seek Inspiration

Every home starts with a vision—and, ironically, you may have to leave home to find it. Just as one’s approach to hosting might draw on fond recollections of holidays past, their home’s design might be inspired by outside experience.

Magda Rauscher, owner of interior design firm My Modern Dom, looks to family and travel to inspire spaces. Recently, Rauscher paid a visit to her grandparents in Krakow, Poland, where sharing meals with family provided a wealth of new ideas. “I want to recreate that feeling when hosting—time to escape the daily grind and just enjoy one another’s company,” she says.

For Maris Borris, lead industrial designer for Brizo, inspiration abounds in unlikely places. Fashion, technology, and travel are frequent sources for Borris, though she also channels people she admires.

“When you add emotion into design, it becomes more powerful.”

Whatever its source, having a vision for your space is bound to bring better results. “Inspiration makes another meaningful connection point to design,” Borris says. “When you add emotion into design, it becomes more powerful.”

Bring Spaces to Life

“Hosting is all about the experience that you give,” Borris says. With that in mind, she recommends planning for efficiency and ease in the kitchen. SmartTouch® Technology, for example, allows for multitasking—a key to a smooth hosting experience that Borris calls “non-negotiable.” For her own home, Borris chose the Odin® Kitchen Collection for its bold style and increased functionality.

In Rauscher’s case, there’s one thing in particular that elevates a kitchen for hosting: the pot filler. Since adding one to her own home, she’s begun recommending them to her clients. “We use ours pretty much every time we cook and I could not love it more,” she says. In particular, she recommends the Artesso® Kitchen Collection.

But hosting extends beyond the kitchen, past central spaces, and throughout a home. To truly prepare for an elevated experience, Borris prefers to keep her guests guessing. “I love to change design intentions from room to room,” she says. “I don’t have the same design in any room so that I can switch journeys as my guests move through the spaces.”

In Borris’ home, the Allaria® Bath Collection occupies the powder and primary bath spaces: 
“I feel that bringing in different architectures and finishes within a collection can breathe new life into similar designs,” she says.

In her guest bath, she displays the Kintsu® Bath Collection in Brilliance® Luxe Gold® with a Mother of Pearl inlay. She chose the collection for its “distinctive and individual style,” which is expressed through both the materials and water flow.

No Detail Is Too Small

When working with an entire room, let alone an entire home, there are countless factors to consider. With so many choices to make, it’s easy to fixate on the bigger picture. But Borris and Rauscher agree: where hosting is concerned, little details take on greater significance.

“​​Everything is in the details,” Borris says. “Once you piece together each element, you can transform the mood or intention in a space.”

“Once you piece together each element, you can transform the mood or intention in a space.”

Rauscher recommends lighting as a tool for sculpting a desired atmosphere. “It puts everyone at ease the moment they enter a home with good lighting,” she says. Using dimmers and lamps instead of overhead lighting can create a warmer, more intimate experience.

Borris, meanwhile, believes in engaging other senses to create a mood. “Scent has the power to transport,” she says. Candles, room sprays, or even aromatherapy can invoke familiarity, nostalgia, and pleasure. But be conservative with fragrance: aim for a subtle ambiance.

Show You Care

Lastly, when it comes to any hosting event, there’s no aspect more important than the guest. That’s why Rauscher believes first and foremost in making people feel appreciated. Thanking guests for their time is the best path to successful hosting. 

“It’s the little things, those subtle reminders that your host thought of you when they were planning the night,” Rauscher says. “That’s what distinguishes great hosts from good ones.”

Gracious hosts might stock their guests’ favorite drinks, create a playlist of favorite artists, or keep dietary restrictions in mind when crafting a menu, according to Rauscher. “The most successful events are those where your guests leave feeling like they mattered,” she says. “Making your guests feel like the night is special because they’re there is key.”