Ready in 30 Minutes: House Party Ideas

When you see the phrase “house party ideas,” your mind might conjure up some National Lampoon-type imagery. Teens jumping off balconies into swimming pools, beer pong with red Solo cups, and lots of hootin’ and hollerin’. Honestly, nothing sounds worse. The good news? A much more refined house party is only 30 minutes away.

Sometimes you get home at 6PM and the party is set to start at 6:30PM. While you might have had to reapply your lipstick on the subway home, you have plenty of time to prep for your get-together once you’re there. How? We’ll show you. We’ve gathered the best house party ideas that can be ready in half an hour or less so you can spend more time mingling — and less time stressing. Let’s party.

Broma Bakery's dining table is all set for an elegant and easy house party — We love how food blogger Broma’s Bakery mixes old and new for a casual dinner party. Her solid wood Seno dining table is big enough to entertain a large group — and intimate enough to foster lively conversation.

Furniture for Every Festivity

Gone are the days where your pals perch on overturned plastic milk crates while you rip from a communal baguette. Real furniture is a basic requirement for any grown up house party, regardless of how much time you’ve had to prepare. While you could just toss out a few modern dining chairs and call it a night, some mindful furniture choices can help your parties feel purposeful and not thrown together last minute … even if they are.

Think about the kinds of get togethers you want to throw and go from there. Do you dream of hosting rustic long-table dinners on a piece like the Atica, or do you find comfort in a cozy movie night with your closest confidantes burrowed into a sectional such as the Gaba? Whatever your hosting style, there’s furniture ready to provide the perfect backdrop.

No-Fuss Dinner Party

You might be thinking that there’s no way you could prepare for a dinner party in the 30 minutes between you getting home and your guests arriving. We’re here to tell you that it’s possible. All it takes is a little planning.

The key to bringing a dinner party together in that precious half an hour is keeping things unfussy and preparing as much as possible beforehand. If you’re hosting Friday night festivities, keep your Thursday evening free for the prep work. Pick up any groceries, set your table (our extendable Oscuro has room for all of your dishes and platters), put out glasses and red wine on your sideboard (the Bios has plenty of space to stash backup bottles), and do a quick tidy.

Family and friends eat dinner at the Article Atica dining table — The Atica table‘s rustic Acacia wood finish is perfect for relaxed dinner parties.

Above-Standard Fare

When it comes to food, stick to delicious meals that require as little day-of attention as possible. Big one pot feasts like chilli, stew, or pulled pork are crowd favorites — and can be easily prepared ahead of time. A quick search on Pinterest will get you countless easy slow-cooker and make-ahead recipes so you can tailor the menu to suit your style. Throw all of your ingredients in the pot of a slow-cooker the night before and stick it in your fridge. All you have to do on the morning of your party is pop it in the base and switch it on. Dinner is done.

Pasta is another magnifico option for quick and easy entertaining. Either cook a hearty sauce in the slow cooker using the method above, or pick up a sauce and fresh linguine from your favorite deli the day before. While the noodles cook, do a last-minute vacuum of your space, give your toilet a fast and furious wipe down, and light some candles. When everything’s done, toss it together and serve in a big bowl or heat-safe platter. Set up a buffet station on your sideboard, like the Madera, and let everyone choose their own portion size. Second servings are encouraged.

And don’t worry about these meals not being ‘fancy’ enough to serve guests. If you put yourself in their shoes you’ll quickly realize that any meal made by someone who cares about you is special. If you’re really worried, beautiful dining furniture, like the Madera table and Ceres chairs, can make any meal feel Michelin-star ready.

A house party idea for small spaces. Blogger Cupcakes and Cashmere features Article's Seno bar table in a 300 square foot home. — Neutral linens and natural stoneware crockery add to the relaxed feel of blogger Cupcakes and Cashmere’s dinner parties. The Seno bar table makes sure that even the smallest of spaces — like the 300 square foot tiny home pictured — can host perfectly imperfect get-togethers.

Get in the Spirit

As for drinks, grab a variety of your favorite bottles of wine during the week and plop them down on the table when dinner begins. You can also follow the ‘one big pot’ theme and make a big batch alcoholic punch or sangria ahead of time. The night before, mix all of the ingredients except for the alcohol and any fizzy components in a pitcher or large drink dispenser. When it’s time to party, quickly dump in the alcohol, sparkling elements, and ice if desired. Your party guests will be pleased as punch.

Remember: if things go awry and your chilli is too spicy or your pasta isn’t precisely al dente, don’t panic. Just make sure you have a couple bags of chips on hand or your local food delivery app ready to go on your phone. A no-fuss dinner party is all about embracing the perfectly imperfect. Besides, you did this in 30 minutes. Bravo.

Relaxed Evenings with Friends

The best house parties are the ones where you can have as much fun as your guests. While we initially promised that these house party ideas would take 30 minutes of prep, this one might take even less.

An intimate night in with your closest pals has definite lean-back-and-get-comfortable vibes. Your entertaining style should reflect this. This isn’t a prim and proper get-together; it’s tuck your feet up on the couch season.

Guests enjoy the comfortable atmosphere with the Article Texada sofa — Offer a variety of seating options so guests can lounge how they please. Here, the Texada sofa is joined by a pair of Savary lounge chairs to give guests a “choose your own comfort adventure” experience.

Set the tone for your night in with furniture and decor that encourages conversation and group hangs — and that won’t need a major deep clean before the party. Our Texada sofa is big enough for a few friends and adds a natural texture and timeless look to your gathering. Due to its durable leather and lack of removable cushions, the Texada won’t need a big fluffing before your guests arrive. It came ready to party.

If you’re hosting a movie night, a sectional sofa like the Divan is a star. Adjustable back rests let your guests curl into corners and change things around as the night progresses. Minimalist style lets the focus stay on your company rather than fussy furniture. If it’s missing a backrest or two from your nap the day before, just pretend that’s how you meant to set it up. It will still look amazing — nobody will know the difference.

In Good Taste

When it comes to quick and easy food, drinks, and decor for a small night in, less is more. Embrace a chill vibe by ordering in from everyone’s favorite take-out place. Total time spent: 6 minutes. Or, if you know your pals have good taste, this kind of house party is perfect for a potluck. Ask everyone to bring their favorite dish — or bottle of wine — but make a strict no chips rule. We’ve all been to those potlucks that consist solely of chips or those bagged kale salads everyone liked in 2017.

Guests share a potluck on the Tavola dining table. — The Tavola dining table offers tons of space for a potluck spread — and the complimentary bottles of wine. Use it indoors or out for a relaxed get together anywhere.

If your idea of a get-together is a movie night with your pals, a popcorn station is a high-impact, low-effort treat. Pick up a few flavored popcorn toppings from your local grocery store the week leading up to your event. Set them out on your sideboard (we like the Bios) along with a pile of cute bowls so guests can help themselves. All you have to do on the day of is pop the popcorn.

As for drinks, this isn’t the place for elaborate cocktails or precise wine pairings. Take 15 minutes on your way home from work during the week to grab a selection of wine and some non-alcoholic options. Done.

Following the cool, calm, and quick theme, keep your decor on the minimal side. You’ve already got the show-stopping sofa, so everything else is an accent. If you’ve got 10 minutes, straighten up the books and magazines you’ve got lying around, refill your diffuser, and stuff any dirty dishes or garbage in your oven to be dealt with later.

Even if you had more than half an hour, large structured bouquets of flowers aren’t necessary. Instead, run out to your garden or the overgrown front bush near your apartment building and nab some stems or branches. Place single fronds in vases and randomly scatter these around your space. Spend all day decorating for a night in with your gal pals? Not you.

Seasonal Cocktail Party

If you’re looking for an excuse to bust out your pearls and gold-rimmed martini glasses, a seasonal cocktail party is here to the rescue. And yes, you can achieve a glam get-together in 30 minutes or less.

With an abundance of jewel-toned hues (a sapphire velvet sofa, anyone?), geometric patterns, and lush textures, this type of house party calls for a tastefully maximalist approach. Maximalism… in under half an hour? It can be done. The trick is maxing out on one element. Not all of them. Are you a bonafide mixologist? Or are you someone who can’t stand when decor isn’t on-theme? Figure out where you want to prioritize your time for the biggest impact, and go from there. You’ll be sipping champagne in your Forma lounge chair before you know it.

Article furniture is the perfect backdrop for a mod glam get-together — Set the scene for a seasonal cocktail party with plush velvet, brass accents, and a mix of textures. Guests can sink into the blue velvet Cirrus sofa, the Forma lounge chairs, or lean into the drama on the Sven daybed.

Shine Bright

Even if you’re a self-identified foodie, food takes a backseat at this kind of soiree. Don’t let your guests go hungry, but a few platters of small crudités and store-bought charcuterie fixings suffice. Buy a pre-made veggie platter or two from a grocery store the day before, along with a bunch of cheeses. The key to a good cheese platter is offering a variety, so ensure you grab a soft, a semi-firm, a blue, and a hard cheese. If you need any inspiration, check out the Instagram hashtag for #CharcuterieBoard for a plethora of beautiful and easy options. Prepare the whole cheese board the night before, cover it, and stick it in your fridge. When you get home from work, just take it out and unwrap.

Because you’ve basically spent no time at all on the food, sparkling wine and carefully crafted cocktails take center stage. Leave all the fixings for mint juleps and gin fizzes on your Geome sideboard — and don’t forget the retro glassware. All you have to do on the day of is put the chilled champagne — and maybe a Mad Men-style ice bucket filled with ice — on the cocktail station.

Article's Geome sideboard works great as an impromptu bar. — Your vintage glassware and bar fixings can be set up on the Geome sideboard the night before. Just add cold beverages and ice right before your guests arrive.

When it comes to decor and ambience that evokes a glam style without the time investment, you can go as sparkly as you want. We’re not suggesting you go full disco ball (unless that’s what you’re into), but a touch of balanced brass, like our Equa side table, adds a playful nudge to refined glam style. If you can’t imagine a party without some greenery, buy a few bouquets up to a week before. The key to getting away with doing this so far in advance is choosing long-lasting flowers. Varieties like zinnias, chrysanthemums, delphiniums, and freesias all last for at least a week in a vase. Flower power, baby.

As you can see, you don’t need to go full DIY blogger to put these house party ideas to work. In fact, please don’t. With some thoughtful indulgences and conversation-ready decor, you can count on a gathering that’s elegant and enjoyable for all — even you. It’s time to hunker down and get hosting. You’ve got 30 minutes.