Seating tips for house parties
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Do you need to a plan for seating for a house party? View my tips below.
Do you need enough chairs for everybody?
If people will be dancing at your party then the answer is probably not. Additionally some people might be outside standing and smoking.
If you envision a big crowd of people dancing then I wouldn't worry too much about seating. However you would probably still want some seating as some people can't handle long periods on their feet.
Seating tips for low key drinks amongst friends
This is easy. You can have seats in your lounge or put seats in the garage. If necessary you could move seats from other areas. If you do have enough you could get some fold up seats.
You may want to clear away objects and have a table small table in the middle so people can put their drinks on it.
Fold up chairs
Fold up chairs can be useful for parties in gardens or garages. Click here to get some fold up chairs at Amazon. This one comes with a four can cooler.
When you're not using them you can store them in places like a closet or shed. If you're throwing parties often store them somewhere you can easily get to.
They're also portable and most will fit in a car; this is great if you go on camping or to the beach.
You can also put them to the side if you need more room for people to dance. If you don't want a bunch of empty chairs at the beginning of your party you could put them up as more people arrive. They could be easier to move around too.
Garden party
You may want some fold up chairs.
Bringing chairs out from the lounge may not be workable. Some lounge seats can be heavy. If they're expensive perhaps you don't want them for your party.
Dinner party
Providing seating at a dinner party can also be pretty easy if you have enough seats around your table.
You can put up a kids table if you need more space at the main table. This can be in another room.
You probably want to impress your guests with some nice chairs that go with your table.
If your table is against the wall you may want to shift it so you can have seats around it.
Which party areas need seating?
It might be good to have some seating in every area of your party. If your party is primarily inside, consider putting some seating outside for the smokers.
You don't need much seating in the dance area but a few seats around the edges could be worthwhile.
Plan ahead of time
Get seats in advanced of your party as this may reduce stress.
Getting RSVPs can give you information on who's coming to help you plan. However it could be a mistake to just rely on Facebook RSVPs but you can message the people to ask if they're coming.
If you didn't plan ahead of time you could message people to ask them to bring their own seat.
B.Y.O. seats
If you don't want to store extra seats around your home you may want people to bring their own seats. You can tell people to do so on the invitations. Although this may not be an option if people are biking or walking to your party.
Borrowing seats
Borrowing seats from friends or family might be an option if you don't have enough seating at your place. This could be inconvenient if you are throwing parties frequently.
You could also borrow seats from other areas of your house. For example if your party is in the lounge you could borrow some seats from the dining-oom. I don't think that it matters if the seats don't go with the room unless you're throwing a posh party.
Get creative
It's possible people may not mind sitting on a small table if you don't have seats available.
Some surfaces outside can be used as seating. This option could be unsuitable on a wet day or if people are getting beyond tipsy.
Another option could be putting a blanket down for people to sit on.
Stains
It might not be a good idea to have expensive seats at your party which could stain. You may want to move such seats to another room or have your party in another area. Alternatively you could buy plastic covers and have them over the seats for protection.
It's not impossible to get stains out but for best results you may want to give it attention immediately. This may be an inconvenience though.
Steady seats
If seats are unsteady, they may be annoying for your guests. If seats are wobbly you may want to replace them.
Sometimes it could be the ground that's causing the problem so if you notice that a seat is unsteady try it in another area.
Accessibility
Ensure that your seating doesn't obstruct paths. This makes it less likely that a person who uses a wheelchair will have to ask people to move.
Some people may feel more comfortable with backs and sides on seats. If a person with a wheelchair can't take the wheelchair in your house they may be able to transfer to such a seat. Sides allow people to push on them to get up from the seat.
However if you do want some stools you can get them at Amazon.
Low seats might be difficult for some people to get out of.
Some people may want a seat close to the entrance.
Lighting and safety
You may not want to make it too dark in the seating area otherwise the seatss could be difficult to find.
I'd put them on the edges of a party area. People may bump into seats in the middle of the room when it's dark.
Seats with sides and back can be safer.