Hosting New Years Eve Drinks? YOUs Interiors Expert NICOLE GRAY Reveals How To Turn Your Home Into A Party Pad

QUICK FIXES

Low lighting

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Swap out harsh overhead lights for warm, layered alternatives. Use table and floor lamps to light up overlooked corners and LED candles (or fairy lights tucked into glass vases) to create a soft glow. If you have dimmers, set them low; if not, position lights at varying heights to avoid unflattering glare. For an instant affordable upgrade, replace cool bulbs with warm-white ones. The Calex LED dimmable bulb, £8.99 from johnlewis.com, is ideal.

A cheap and chic cocktail trolley

Even a casual gathering feels instantly elevated with a bar station, whether it’s permanent or rolled out on a trolley for the night. The Raskog trolley in black, £19 from Ikea, can be transformed from utilitarian to Gatsby-esque with just a couple of bottles of fizz and some fairy lights. Add a few mixers, a bowl of sliced lemons, an ice bucket and fancy glasses. If you have alphabet ice cubes to personalise drinks as people walk through the door, even better. Nothing says ‘party’ like sipping a gin fizz while watching your own initial bob around in the glass. Find them for £12 each at drinksplinks.com.

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Games station

The key to this is simplicity. Start by choosing a surface that guests naturally gravitate toward: a console table, coffee table, sideboard or even a cleared corner of the dining table. Add a small handmade sign or playful prop to signal what the area is for. Stack with games to suit different moods and energy levels. Think Jenga for tension-filled fun, Cards Against Humanity for laughs, Dobble or Uno for lightning rounds, and throw in a few sessions of Pictionary or charades to encourage communal silliness. Portable karaoke machines are always a winner after a few mezcals. For a selection of eye-catching party games, try printworksmarket.com.

Disco balls

Big, small, rainbow – whatever the size or colour, mirrored glitter balls are mandatory for New Year’s Eve. Hang them in corners, use as a pendant light or dot a few up the staircase to create a glamorous entrance. The disco ball pendant, £20 (20cm diameter), from therange.co.uk will bring the vibes without breaking the bank.

Photo props

Guests are sure to be snapping pictures so give them a spot that will look great on the ’gram. Hang streamers, use a metallic fringe curtain or simply style a corner with balloons, a mirror, and a floor lamp. It doesn’t need to be elaborate; it just has to look intentional. Sostrenegrene.com sells a fun selection of photo props from £2.20, which are ideal for silly selfies, and the pink tinsel fringe garlands, £19.50 for 1.8m, from merimeri.co.uk will add background sparkle.

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LONG-TERM PLANS

Set up a speakeasy

Recreate the buzz of your favourite bar. Space isn’t an issue for this – a cupboard under the stairs, concealed by a discreet curtain by day and revealed by night, will evoke the same after-hours vibe as a basement bar. Swap harsh overhead bulbs for softer, seductive lighting: a slimline LED tucked under a shelf or a clip-on spotlight aimed at glassware, will do the trick. Try the Georgi clip-on lamp (£25, dunelm.com).

Layer in the details. Cut-glass coupes, a brass shaker and classic cocktail jigger will add the right amount of shine. Potterybarn.co.uk sells a wide collection.

Add textures – a velvet stool, a dark wood tray or rich moody paint shades such as Rhubarb by paintandpaperlibrary.com – to make the space feel exclusive. Finally, make sure to serve old-school cocktails such as a French 75 and martinis. This is not a Wetherspoon’s.

Create a cosy cinema area

A dedicated screening den or even a cleverly styled movie corner will turn an ordinary night at home into an event.

The best bit is that you don’t need a separate room to make it feel cinematic. Your living room can be transformed into a glam movie theatre at night with dim lighting, a selection of lounge chairs (or a pile of throws and cushions) and a projector aimed at any blank wall. Bonus style points for dishing out snacks such as popcorn or sweets in glass jars with scoops for guests to help themselves, pick and mix-style. Try the glass vintage sweet jars, £10 each, from dunelm.com.

Space or budget not an issue? Convert a loft, spare room or even a garage into a dedicated cinema room with blackout curtains, a row of reclining chairs and a popcorn cart. Nisbets.co.uk sells a nostalgic popcorn cart, £315, for those who want to go the extra mile.

Make your own ‘conversation pit’

These were once a hallmark of mid-century-modern interiors, when home entertaining was at an all-time high. Now conversation pits are making a comeback, with designers such as Beata Heuman and Trilbey Gordon incorporating them into their latest residential projects.

You don’t need a sunken living room to get the look. Just carve out a dedicated zone – around a fireplace is ideal – somewhere that seating can wrap around and pull people in. Think low-slung sofas or lounge chairs (Habitat’s Scoop chair, opposite, is a good example), generous floor cushions or a modular corner unit arranged in a snug horseshoe shape. The curved three-seater Granvia model, £1,399, from daals.co.uk will create the same feel.

GET THE LOOK

All you need to get the party started