No dining table? You can still throw a grown-up dinner party.
Plenty of homes don’t have space for a proper dining table, much less a formal dining room. But such technicalities don’t have to dampen your entertaining spirit.
“The intention of any gathering is to bring people together,” says Mariah McKechnie, owner of Northland Special Events in Duluth, Minn. “It’s not going to be a traditional sit-down meal without a table, but that enables you to get creative and have fun.”
With a little planning, even a tiny house or apartment with no designated dining area can play host to a memorable fete. We asked event planners and professional organizers to share some of their best tricks for throwing a dinner party without a traditional table. Here’s what they recommend.
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Put your coffee table to work
Without the luxury of a dining table, event planners suggest using your coffee table as the central congregating spot and letting that guide your cuisine. Some possible themes include a Moroccan-inspired feast or a Mediterranean spread with dips and food on skewers.
“Many cultures sit on the floor to dine, so you can plan a menu inspired by any of them,” says Anna Bond of Wonder Party, a rental and event planning business in Fairfax, Va. “I would serve a variety of finger foods so people don’t have to worry about cutting with a knife, which can be awkward at a low table.” To ensure you have enough to amount to a full dinner, the pros advise planning on 12 to 15 small bites per guest.
As for serving your partygoers, a buffet - set up on a kitchen island, for instance - will allow people to graze at their leisure. For smaller groups, shareable dishes placed directly on the coffee table may also work. Either setup will encourage a social vibe and a sense of community.
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Bring in reinforcements
One way to get around the lack of a dining table is to rent one from a party supplier. A 60-inch round table that seats eight to 10 guests can be had for as little as $10 for the night. “If it’s important to you to have everyone seated at a dining table, it may be a matter of moving furniture around to make it work,” says McKechnie.
You can also invest in your own furnishings that pull double duty, says designer and professional organizer Amelia Nicholas of Urban Cottage NYC. “Try and find pieces that can be at least two things in a small space. For instance, an ottoman that has storage inside, or a drop-leaf or gate-leg table that can be an everyday landing spot for keys but then expands [into a dining table] when you have guests,” she says.
Pieces that can be stashed neatly away when not in use are another “do” for Nicholas. “Depending on how flat they fold, you might be able to fit a couple of decorative folding chairs under your bed or in a hall closet,” she says. Even a foldable camping-style table can be drafted into use for a party. “Dressed up with a red-and-white-check tablecloth, you can serve sliders and embrace a cookout theme.”
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Dress up your eating surface
Event planners agree that incorporating real dishes and glassware will elevate even the most informal gathering. “To help people get over the fact that it’s going to be casual and there might be people sitting on the floor, lean into using nicer things to help make it feel more intentional,” Nicholas says.
If you’re expecting a large turnout, and the prospect of all those dishes is too daunting, at least opt for higher-quality disposable items. One great option: compostable plates and utensils made of bamboo that are both eco-friendly and nice-looking.
For serving, Nicholas favors simple wood cutting boards for charcuterie and any form of whiteware for platters because it goes with everything. “It enables you to pull a gathering together pretty quickly that has some style,” she says. To save yourself stress, she suggests table linens in prints or darker hues that will camouflage spills. She also points out that anyone is capable of making a mess, but the host is in control of the menu and beverages: “If you know you’re going to be on edge about spills, you can always choose to serve white wine and vanilla cupcakes - anything that’s less likely to create permanent stains.”
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Set a festive mood
Even if you don’t have a large table to display a floral centerpiece, you can dot your space with bud vases and smaller arrangements. “Flowers aren’t just appreciated en masse, they are also admired stem by stem,” says McKechnie. “Single tulips or ranunculus are beautiful on their own and don’t need to be in a large-format arrangement to have impact.”
When it comes to lighting, you want enough so your guests can see what they’re eating, but not so much that it kills the party vibe. Small, battery-operated lamps can illuminate a buffet, and a few candles can add ambiance, though pros recommend staying away from strongly scented ones since smell accounts for about 80 percent of taste. (And no one wants the overwhelming perfume of a sugar-cookie candle to ruin their dinner.)
You’ll also want to make sure your lightbulbs are in the same tone, preferably a warm one. “For instance, you don’t want cool bluish bulbs in a chandelier and warmer yellow light in table lamps,” says McKechnie.
“Your lighting should flatter everyone,” adds Nicholas. “A low-lit, intimate space is always going to encourage people to feel more at ease.”
And making guests feel comfortable and welcome is the key to a successful gathering. “If the host is in a bad mood or they feel self-conscious about the setup, it sets the tone and people sense that energy,” McKechnie says. No matter the size of your home or the seating arrangement for the meal, “the most important thing in entertaining is the spirit of the host.”
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Michelle Brunner is a writer in D.C. who covers interior design and culture.
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