7 Remodel Ideas to Elevate Your Home Entertainment Game

Whether it is hosting for the holidays, a small gathering, or just a typical day, nothing beats entertaining at home! Hosting, no matter how big or small can be stressful and daunting, however there are many design ideas that will help make your home functional and perfect for entertaining guests.

Expert designers all over the nation have helped come up with pro tips on ways to transform your home into the perfect gathering place. A space that is comfortable, practical, and stylish are all key elements when it comes to home entertaining. To make this process as seamless as possible, TWD has compiled a list of the top seven ways to create the perfect at-home entertainment space!

1. Create a Welcoming Entryway

An entryway is the first impression your guests have when walking into your Arizona home. It immediately sets the overall vibe of the house. An entryway design should be both functional, inviting, and include storage for shoes, keys, and other belongings. Before you remodel to create an entryway that is warm and welcoming, consider including the following design ideas for maximum functionality:

• Hooks are ideal for hanging guests' coats, hats, bags, and purses.
• Cubbies for family and friends to take off their shoes, for storing blankets, baskets, and home décor to personalize the space.
• Floating shelf and/or a table for the company to drop off keys and other belongings. Shelves are ideal for adding candles and photos to add warmth to the space as well.
• Cabinetry or Lockers are an effortless way to keep your entryway necessities hidden and organized!

2. Focus On An Open-Concept Layout

When it comes to hosting, most of the gathering happens around the kitchen. It is important to remodel your Phoenix kitchen to create a multi-functional room that has ample surface space for meal prepping, cooking, cleaning, and entertaining. An open-concept kitchen design creates a spacious feel to your home and allows everyone to interact freely. To create a kitchen that is comfortable and accessible for your friends and family, it is key to consider the traffic flow and “work zones” of the kitchen while having minimal barriers.

• Kitchen traffic flow is an important aspect to reflect on when remodeling or renovating a kitchen space. Creating an efficient flow helps to enhance mobility and accessibility for everyone in the kitchen, making hosting much easier! Ideally, you want the kitchen walkway to have room for preparing and cooking meals, as well as room for guests to gather. Typically, walkways should be at least forty-two inches wide, and for those who love to entertain, it is recommended to have an allowance of forty-eight inches to avoid possible congestion moving about.
• Kitchen work zones are areas of the kitchen dedicated to a specific task to be performed. Typically, there are three major work areas in a kitchen known as the cooking zone, the preparation/cleaning zone (this is where your sink and dishwasher would be), and the food storage zone (the space where the refrigerator or pantry is located). These distinct areas are important to consider when designing your Phoenix kitchen layout, as you do not want them to be too close together where there is no comfortable room to move around. On the flip side, you also do not want these important task areas too far apart, making you inefficient in your kitchen. When comparing these layouts to choose what is right for you, consider the triangle rule. Optimally, the perimeter of the three main zones or workstations should be between 13' – 26' on average and arranged so they do not cut through the middle of an island or peninsula. This rule ensures that your workstations are arranged in a way that maximizes functionality and efficiency.

3. Hide The Clutter!

When hosting guests, a common stress for any homeowner is clutter! However, clutter can be kept under control with the help of unique and specialized storage options. To help get you started on maintaining and hiding the clutter in your home, we have come up with some ideas to get you started.

• Specialized cabinets: When it comes to renovating your Arizona kitchen, it is important to think of ways to make the most out of your cabinet space. By using an experienced Phoenix remodeling contractor, they will make sure each cabinet serves a necessary function. Before planning a cabinet layout, though, it is important to consider everything you store in your kitchen. This may include spices, cooking utensils, cookware, small appliances, dry goods, oversized baking sheets, and more. Whatever you hold in your kitchen, your cabinets can be used to hold those items in an efficient way. There are a variety of specialized options for your kitchen cabinetry such as pull-out pantry drawers, deep drawers for pots and pans, pull-outs for herbs and spices, built-in utensil caddies, pet bowl storage, racks for holding lids and baking sheets, and more! Customized cabinetry will make your life easier and give everything in your kitchen a designated home. Talk to an expert TWD designer today about cabinetry options to help get you organized!
• Appliance garages: Appliance garages are a very effective way to keep the clutter in the kitchen to a minimum. Their primary function is to keep your appliance necessities such as microwaves, air fryers, coffee pots, toasters, and other items out of sight until they are ready to be used. This helps preserve countertop space and keep your counters looking tidy. There are various appliance garages to choose from, such as rollups, tilt-ups, pop-ups, etc. They are typically built onto the counter or onto the wall to blend seamlessly with your other cabinetry. The diverse options make it easy to coordinate into any style kitchen.
• Butler pantries or scullery pantries: Kitchens are where most homeowners entertain and host their guests. This requires optimal storage space to keep the kitchen neat and pleasant for guests. Based on allotted space, butler or scullery pantries are great ways to keep the mess out of the main kitchen area. A scullery pantry is a hidden kitchen that offers added space for meal prep and smaller appliances. A butler pantry is a little smaller than a scullery yet still a clever way to have storage space for extra linens, dishes, or beverages. These (additional) pantry areas are normally found right off the kitchen or leading into the dining room or other entertainment space. Thinking of adding a butler or scullery pantry? It is important to consider spacing within your kitchen and living space first. To get started, the design experts at TWD will collaborate with you to decide which option is most practical and efficient for your home. Regardless of which you choose, both will help make hosting more fun and enjoyable!

4. Wet Bar

If you enjoy hosting friends and family or parties often, a wet bar may be a terrific addition to take your entertainment game to a new level! A wet bar includes a sink with running water, which is used primarily for mixing and serving cocktail beverages. These bars are typically in a separate room from your kitchen, such as a media room, basement, or even an outdoor space. These built-in bars offer another place to gather and help move guests out of the kitchen. Guests gather where there is food or beverages; a wet bar is the perfect spot to serve finger foods and drinks.

5. Dry Bar

Another possibility for an in-home bar is a dry bar, which is just like a wet bar but has no sink. A dry bar offers a handy place to store and prepare beverages such as coffee, tea, wine, or mixed drinks. This bar is designed to hold everything you need for your cocktail or coffee beverage. These spaces are ideal as they keep all the accessories in one place, making it very convenient when hosting gatherings, enabling guests to grab their drinks when needed. Most dry bars are countertop height and may include shelves, wine racks, glass storage, or a mini fridge.

6. Powder Baths

When it comes to hosting, a powder bath or hall bath is necessary! Powder and hall baths are primarily used by the guests that enter your home. They are not necessarily your primary bathroom that you use for showering. These baths allow your guests to quickly freshen up without going through the private spaces of your home, such as bedrooms. When designing these bathrooms, it is important to consider ways to make the most of the space while still being stylish and functional. If you have a larger powder bath, get creative with sink options such as a furniture-style vanity, console sink, floating cabinet vanity, or a built-in sink. For adequate storage, it is good to consider a vanity with deep drawers to hold extra toiletries to accommodate guests and restock as needed. Big design ideas can still be beneficial for small bathroom remodeling. If space is really limited, a pedestal sink and wall-mounted shelves are great options that take up minimal space. Since powder baths are used by your guests, it is recommended to leave a lasting impression. To do so, homeowners look for opportunities for bold designs in colorful or playful patterns. This will help make the space feel luxurious and full of character. These baths are transitional, meaning there is room to experiment with unique accents.

7. Media Wall

Media walls are a highly requested feature in Phoenix homes, as they help centralize an entertainment space and bring everyone together. A feature wall combines functionality with aesthetics and is completely customizable! These walls are designed to be the central hub for your electronics, such as televisions, speakers, smart home devices, and even gaming consoles.

There are many reasons why media walls are an increasingly popular renovation project. Specifically, they offer an aesthetic appeal, help save space, and are designed specifically to suit your exact needs.

• Visual appeal: Media walls enhance the visual appeal of a space and is perfect for home film nights, an interactive gaming experience, or for watching your favorite sports games. A huge advantage of media walls is the ability to conceal wiring by hiding it within the wall. This makes the space look sleek, organized, and secure.
• Space-Saving: These walls help make the most of your entertainment space by having all your electronics in one location. This trendy wall feature has a central location for your TV, cables, wires, sound bar, and fireplace. This integration is not only stylish but efficient.
• Customization: There are limitless ways to customize your media wall to fit your home and style needs. Top customized trends are built-in cabinetry, seating nooks, floating shelves, task lighting, sound systems, concealed cabling, and electric fireplaces. Media walls are tailored to each living space and can be introduced anywhere in your home. Primarily, media walls are in the main living area of the home, but can be found in a home office, game room, or bedroom as well!

Do you want more information or design inspiration for your media wall? "7 Practical & Stylish Media Wall Design Trends" blog has many useful tips on trending designs for media wall renovations!

Incorporating Peach Fuzz Into Your Home

When it comes to hosting and entertaining guests, your home should express a space of warmth and invitation. The Pantone color of the year for 2024, Peach Fuzz, expresses just that! This color will make your guests feel immediately welcomed into your home. Peach Fuzz is the perfect mix of orange and pink, communicating a message of community and collaboration. This is a great color to incorporate on accent walls or in a powder bath, as it is soft and can easily complement other colors in the home.

Ready To Become The Ultimate Host? Give TWD A Call!

If you love to have family and friends over, a home that functions well for entertainment is essential! To get started on showcasing your impeccable hosting skills in a newly remodeled space, give TWD a call. Our expert designers are here to help create your ideal home for hosting, entertaining, and celebrating. Visit TWD online at www.twdaz.com to request your free initial in-home or design showroom consultation today!