Holiday Ready in a Hurry: How to Transform Your Brand-New Home into a Cozy, Guest-Friendly Space

Hosting friends and family for your first holiday season in your new build is special. It’s a chance to make fresh memories within fresh walls. But the excitement can come with practical challenges, especially if the neighborhood is still under construction, you’ve just moved in, or rooms aren’t fully finished and furnished.

As the home’s first owner, you get to shape its personality, including the cozy, lived-in feel that makes a home feel welcoming. While that kind of patina takes time, there are a few design and décor choices can fast-track warmth that will make your guests feel right at home for holiday celebrations or longer stays.

From setting a cozy glow to boosting curb appeal and maximizing functionality in flex rooms and open-concept areas to receive guests, here is how to get your new build ready to host this holiday season.

Add Comfort with Warm and Cozy Layers

If you’re wondering how to achieve the feeling of holiday cheer in a new build, remember that comfort matters most.

“It isn’t about minimalism or perfectly styled rooms, it’s about layering your space so it feels lived in and luxuriously inviting,” says James Mellan-Matulewicz, creative director at Bobbi Beck. “The aim is to make every corner feel welcoming.”

• Adorn walls with textured coverings and cover brand-new, bare floors with piled rugs for comfort under foot.

• Use table linens and runners that are decorative for parties while softening hard surfaces.

• Incorporate cozy throws and plush pillows, which add visual and tactile texture.

• Introduce natural materials such as stone, wood, bamboo, and rattan to add organic softness.

• Layer patterns in addition to materials, which will add dimension and warmth to any room.

• Lighting should be layered, including a mix of task, ambient, and decorative lighting.

• The holidays are the perfect time for festive twinkle lights and candles. LED candles are safer, practical, and decorative.

Achieve Holiday Curb Appeal While Under Construction

If your new neighborhood is still under construction, there may be fresh (or no) sod, construction fencing, and other items that say more “ongoing development” than “winter wonderland.” However, you can still add festive touches to create all-important holiday curb appeal.

• As the classic holiday tune goes, “the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be on your own front door.” Draw the eye (and visitors) to your front door so that your home stands out no matter what’s going on next door or down the street. Use strategic lighting along driveways and walkways, along with porch lanterns and outdoor fixtures, or hang a festive wreath.

• Landscaping may not be completed yet, so add your own greenery with festive planters.

• Parking might be an issue, especially if you are hosting a large crowd. Research and designate parking areas for your guests before they arrive. It’s worth talking to your builder as well, who might be willing to move equipment or other items temporarily to make parking easier at your new home.

• If sidewalks aren’t poured yet, let guests know so they can wear appropriate footwear.

Avoid Traffic Jams in the Open-Concept Floor Plan

Many new builds have open concept floor plans. Open areas are great for entertaining a crowd, but the layout needs to be decorated and designed to create space in the right place and guide traffic flow for the comfort of your guests.

“Think about creating comfort zones where people can gather, relax, and connect: a nook with an armchair and throw, or arrange a group of sofas designed to encourage conversation rather than screen time,” says Mellan-Matulewicz.

• Designate smaller zones within the larger space, which helps with wayfinding and communicating. Cluster furniture, use area rugs, privacy screens, and focused lighting, or even create small vignettes with holiday decor to transition between zones. A couple of cozy chairs and poufs around the tree or a loveseat and rocking chair around the fireplace make great, cozy nooks for guests to gather out of the way of thoroughfares.

• Avoid traffic jams in the kitchen by placing self-serve drinks and hors d’ oeuvre stations on the perimeter of the room.

• For overnight guests, arrange a self-serve coffee bar, so they can help themselves in the morning.

• Invest in movable furniture, such as poufs, modular sofas, and ottomans that can be re-arranged to accommodate a crowd.

• Ensure pathways out of the open-concept areas are clear, especially to the bathrooms.

• Cut down or eliminate clutter to keep paths and surfaces clear.

• If your home isn’t fully finished or furnished, open spaces and empty walls can echo and feel less inviting. Add sound-absorbing pieces, even if they are only temporary, such as rugs, upholstered furniture, and artwork, to soften the acoustics and warm up the space.

Convert a Flex Room to a Guest Room

Many new builds feature a flex room, and the holidays are a perfect time to test this space’s versatility, by converting it to accommodate overnight guests.

• “Clearing out the clutter so your guests don't feel like they are staying in a storage area is a great idea,” says designer Sharon Sherman, founder and owner of Thyme and Place Design. She suggests taking a visual inventory and removing anything non-essential.

• Make sure there is room for guests to store their belongings easily, which might mean clearing space in the closet or emptying drawers in a dresser. A handy addition is a folding luggage rack or a folding clothes rack. If you can’t clear out the closet, add an over-the-door hook for guests to hang items.

• Furnish the space intentionally, to suit guests easily, and accommodate your year-round needs, with a pull-out sofa or even a Murphy bed that converts to a desk.

• Lighting is often task-oriented in flex rooms, typically with an overhead fixture. Invest in side tables with table lamps, or a floor lamp near the bed, so your guest can read comfortably without getting out of bed to turn the light on or off. Better yet, use smart lighting connected to a smart speaker so your guests can simply say, “lights off” without getting out of bed.

Sherman also suggests these thoughtful touches to enhance guest comfort in the flex room:

• Place a small side or dining chair with a festive slipcover added. Sherman notes that guests don’t always want to sit on the bed.

• Add a soft area rug, for softness underfoot when guests take off shoes

• Using an inflatable bed? Plush bedding and cozy throws will elevate the experience.

• Add a small framed card or hang a bulletin board with handy info such as your wifi login and how to operate smart features. If you have a security system, ensure your guests know how to arm and disarm it – no one wants to call the police trying to get a forgotten item from the car!

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