ENGAGING THE 5 SENSES WHILE HOSTING

Life

May 3

Date

5.3.23

time

4:00 PM

Place

Living Room Couch

The Home Is Where The Heart Is..

If you know me at all, you know that hosting is one of my favorite things in the world. I love being able to pull together various elements to create a vibe, and really make my guests feel comfortable, welcome, and special. It’s something I really love doing! I’ve learned that one of my favorite ways to do this is to intentionally engage all 5 senses when hosting people in my home. If hosting overwhelms you, it’s super easy to get caught up in just the visual presentation of a space and really forget about the other four senses. But, putting in a little bit of extra work to engage all five senses can really create an inviting atmosphere that will leave a lasting impression on your guests.

Sight

Let’s start with the most obvious sense for hosting: sight. As you can imagine based on the creative work that I do, living in a pretty space has always been important to me! When decorating our home, we worked with an incredible interior designer, Kate Read of Read House, to help us evoke a visual emotion to our home. The bonus of working with Kate is not only is she an incredible creative, but she’s family and one of my closet gal pals..meaning she really knows me and Jason! Of course, we wanted a space that would be functional for our family, but we also wanted the space to be inviting to guests, encourage community, and feel very warm and welcoming. Aside from just having an aesthetically pleasing space, I also love the idea of having lots of different textures within my home to create a really interesting juxtaposition visually. This can look like having a boucle piece next to a marble surface or a really cool coffee table with sharp angles. Or, maybe you have a delicious throw that you toss over a comfy leather chair. The possibilities are endless with ways to create this texture dichotomy!

Smell

Moving onto smell - a critical thing to consider when hosting! Do you have any specific memories of going to someone’s house in your childhood, and when you close your eyes you can remember it so well that you can almost smell their home? I know I do! The sense of smell has an incredible power to evoke emotions and memories, and we can really use this to elevate a hosting experience in our homes. One really simple way to engage the sense of smell in your home is through candles. Some of my favorites are from Diptyque, Byredo, Nest, and of course the beloved Anthropologie Volcano candles. Fun fact: the thing that really inspired me to understand the importance of a candle was learning about the purpose for garnishing drinks when I was taking a mocktail class once! We know that garnishing a drink adds to its visual appeal, but a garnish can also have a major impact on the smell and subsequently the taste of the drink, too. If candles aren’t your thing, you can also use things like fresh flowers or essential oils to make your home smell inviting. Or, pop something delicious into the oven for a little two-for-one action. You can make your home smell yummy and have a sweet treat to serve to your guests at the same time!

Taste

Which, in turn, leads us to the sense of taste. Listen, rule number one for hosting, in my opinion, is to serve your guests delicious food. On a day to day basis, we purchase groceries within a budget just like everyone else. But the truth of the matter for me, is that hosting people is a way to show them I love them, and with that in mind, I truly spare no expense. If I am going to be cooking a meal for people, I splurge on the ingredients and the menu because it’s really important to me. Food is so communal, and I’ve found that good food can really set the tone to allow for deep and meaningful conversations. I want the food I serve to be delicious and thoughtful, to give my guests the experience they would have journeying through a meal at a Michelin star restaurant versus shoveling down a quick bite at an Applebee’s. If I’m not planning to serve a full meal, I still like to have something to offer my guests. To keep my home ready for hosting at all times, we always have a candy bowl and a variety of snacks. The goal,of course, is to make your guests feel comfortable and welcome, so a quick text to ask about food allergies or sensitivities is a great idea, too!

Hearing

Engaging the sense of hearing when hosting can be really overlooked, but it’s a great way to really elevate your guest’s experience. This is so simple - put on some jams that you like! Choose something that will put you and your guests in a good mood, and then set the volume to where people can hear the music in the background, but are still able to converse comfortably. Some of my music favorites when hosting are low-fi mixes, contemporary jazz, or a really cool vinyl. If you’re looking for an easy playlist to elevate your hosting experience, check out the Candace M Read playlist here!

Touch

Engaging the sense of touch when hosting can often be overlooked, but is just as important! Since my goal when hosting is to make people feel comfy and at home, I make sure to provide different seating textures, as well as plush pillows and even sometimes cozy throw blankets. Even pieces like rugs can provide a tactile experience for guests. One of my favorite ways to engage this sense is through the handwashing experience in the guest bathroom. I put my most favorite, luxurious soap in that bathroom, and make sure that my guests have plush towels to dry their hands. Setting out some yummy lotion is a great way to engage this sense, too! Another way to warm up the environment and engage the sense of touch is through using cloth napkins or a pretty tablecloth. This small touch can elevate the experience so much!

Remember, friends, hosting is all about creating a vibe that you love and making your guests feel comfortable! Providing a space for community and connection in your home is so special, and I truly hope reading this gave you some great ideas for how to host in a way that is authentic to you!