10 tips for a housewarming party to remember

We’ve teamed up with Villa World to bring you the secrets to an unforgettable housewarming party.

Plentiful food and drink will help your party sing.

We’ve teamed up with Villa World to bring you the secrets to an unforgettable housewarming party.

One of the best things about building a brand new home is getting to throw a fun and memorable housewarming party. It’s a terrific way to make your house feel like a home, get to know your neighbours and feel part of your new community.

Bespoke event stylist Stacey Conlan of Style My Celebration says housewarming parties provide the perfect opportunity for neighbours to get to know one another in a relaxed and comfortable setting.

“Having a party is a great way to invite your neighbours over to your home and get to know them without the awkward one-on-one. It offers the ability to start a friendship and build on it over time,” Conlan says.

“Knowing your neighbours lends itself to many benefits, including increased security for you and your home as well as ease of managing any adjoining property maintenance. If you and your neighbours have children it is also a great way to expand your children's circle of friends.”

So what are the keys to a great housewarming event? Conlan suggests making people feel comfortable from the moment they arrive.

“Greet everyone as they arrive and have drinks on hand to offer,” she says. “Give a quick tour of your new home, make a point of showing them where the bathroom is should they need it later, and make them feel welcome to further explore your home in more detail without you,” she says.

Avoiding the oversupply of alcohol, making sure you have plenty of seating, having a designated play area for the kids and clearly defining the ‘party zone’ so that people aren’t too spread out will also contribute to a great event.

Contemporary Australian homes tend to incorporate open-plan designs, which make throwing a successful party that much easier. Villa World general manager of sales and marketing, Robyn Valmadre says Villa World homes are designed with entertaining in mind.

“Open-plan designs are fundamental for the entertainer. It’s all about bringing your friends together over good food and wine, so our designs have been careful to create spaces where the kitchen flows through to the dining, living and undercover alfresco areas.

“Multi-purpose rooms are also great to keep the kids entertained, helping to make entertaining a breeze,” she says.

Extending this philosophy beyond people’s own private homes, communal spaces and facilities including parks, walking paths and bike tracks that bring people together are an important part of Villa World communities.

“These are essential design elements for all of our masterplanned addresses that encourage more time with family, friends and neighbours. Communities develop over time, often starting when you first greet your neighbour over the back fence.

“Communal spaces speed up that process, where maybe our children start playing with some of the new kids on the block. Before you know it the parents have found wonderful new friends with the family at the end of the street. Creating community spaces is the catalyst for creating communities,” she says.

Stacey Conlan’s tips for a party to remember

Plan ahead: Set a date and provide at least two weeks’ notice with an RSVP date a week out from the event so you can plan for your guest numbers

Invite family, friends and neighbours you haven't yet met: Ensure you extend the invite for people to bring a partner or friend along.

Set the tone: Ensure your invite sets the tone for the style of party you’re hosting. If inviting neighbours you don't yet know it can be best to keep it casual.

Decorate your entrance: This is the first thing people will see when they arrive so make it bright and inviting. Bling up your entrance with fairy lights and welcome guests with a creative chalkboard message.

Think outside the box: Create something different that will have guests talking at your party and after. Consider interactive games such as karaoke or giant jenga, and maybe organise a photo booth with lots of props and a display board for everyone to view.

Let guests create their own food: Supply ingredients and let guests make their own meal or snacks. Pizzas and cupcakes lend themselves well to a bit of party DIY, or, if budget allows, bring someone in to cook live for your guests. The same goes for drinks - have a cocktail bar with fun recipe cards for guests to follow, with mocktails if you’re going alcohol free.

Incorporate a grazing table or confectionery stand: This allows people to nibble at their leisure and creates a space for people to mingle and get to know each other in a relaxed way.  

Music, music, music: Keep the mood upbeat and keep the volume lower at the start to allow people to talk comfortably. Change the tone of music to more relaxed towards the end of your party to encourage people to wind down.

Create a space that is dedicated to the party: You want plenty of room for people to stand, sit or dance if they want to.

Relax and have fun: There's nothing worse than seeing a host running around busy instead of enjoying the company of their guests. Relax, smile and enjoy the ambience you have created!

Originally published as 10 tips for a housewarming party to remember