Expand Your Dinner Party Setup With This Overlooked Space

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If your home is short on dining space, you may think the joy of hosting a dinner party is off the table — pun intended. But with a little creativity, you can absolutely entertain with a compact kitchen or diminutive dining room. The best hosting experience is one that's as stress-free as possible, so you can actually enjoy that quality time with family and friends. This is easily attainable if you think outside the box when you're planning. One of our favorite tight-space solutions uses a washer and dryer as serving stations.

In an Instagram post from The Gathering Gal, she demonstrates how she drapes her washer and dryer with white tablecloths, places her dishes, glasses, utensils, and serving platters on top, and then decorates the spread with bud vases of charming floral arrangements. It's surprising how quickly you can forget that there are kitchen appliances underneath that cloth — you might wonder how on earth a washer and dryer could ever help someone host a dinner party, let alone do so elegantly, but in seconds, they can be transformed into a French farmhouse-chic space enhancers. 

This, of course, only works if your laundry setup doesn't have its own room in, say, the basement. But if you're working with a tight dining space, it's likely you're in an apartment setting where the washer and dryer are within closer reach.

While there are plenty of unexpected things you have to be ready for when entertaining, from parking issues to guests' spilled wine, how you make the most of your space is something you can be in complete control of. By incorporating your washer and dryer into your hosting area, you'll benefit from serious surface area, avoiding headaches around where to place the ever-accumulating number of things you need for your spread. Plus, you can easily, quickly, and affordably transform the washer and dryer as you need them — they're like blank canvases.

White tablecloths or even sheets if they're in perfect condition are a great starting point; once you add your plates, glassware, utensils in pretty canisters, and elements like cake stands or elegant serving platters and accent them with something like small plants or bouquets, you've got a stunning spread. But if you're brainstorming a fall dinner party, for example, get festive with something like this Romanstile orange pumpkin tablecloth. Pin on this Hohotime autumn eucalyptus garland or sprinkle in the pumpkins, pinecones, acorns, and leaves of this Artgar decor set, and illuminate the look with these Kate Aspen vintage glass tealight candle holders. The holidays call for this Horaldaily boho Christmas tree tablecloth, pine garlands, ribbons, and ornaments repurposed as tablescape accents; lean into all things floral for springtime, and explore any number of themes for birthday parties and personalized celebrations.