Large spaces fit the bill when entertaining at home

Ellen Johnson loves to throw parties, large or small, at her home. She said she’s outgrown the days of meeting friends at restaurants for dinner and cocktails, and instead loves visiting at her friends’ homes or extending the same invitation to them.

Having friends over at least once a month can make for a fairly hectic, but fun, entertaining schedule, but Johnson and her husband Scott are always prepared.

And they made sure they were prepared before they even moved into their second Crystal Cove home. The couple had already moved into a home on the street below when their name popped up on the second-phase waiting list for another home, so they moved again.

And when they decided to move into the Twilight Bluff home where they live now, it wasn’t even built yet, but it featured better spaces for entertaining.

Johnson is not alone in her quest for a great entertaining space. Builder and designer Jeff Nunn, president of NunnCo Builders in Costa Mesa and a 22-year veteran of the business, noticed a trend over the last decade of more people leaning toward a “great room,” which blends the kitchen, dining room and living room into an uninterrupted space with no dividing walls.

“This great room idea is gaining in popularity,” Nunn said. “The formal living room and dining room is diminishing and are being replaced with a large multipurpose room.”

Prior to the great-room concept, Nunn said those formal spaces were more heavily developed.

“As far as remodeling for entertaining, people leaned more toward formal entertaining; they wanted a separate, smaller dining room area and a separate and defined kitchen area,” he said. “Sometimes even the food preparation areas were away from the central food preparation areas…. But people are taking a much more relaxed approach, a-la Southern California.”

Also, a perk of living in a place that rarely reaches temperatures below 50 degrees, Johnson loves to extend her party outside. Her backyard has a fire pit and her husband made sure the barbecue was sunk lower than the horizon so the sprawling views of the Pacific Ocean and Abalone Point won’t be blocked.

Before she had her wide open kitchen with an island bar connecting it with an open living room that looks out over the Pacific coastline and Catalina, Johnson noticed everyone at her parties squishing themselves into her kitchen.

Now when she is busy in the kitchen, she can still mingle with her husband and friends.

Costa Mesa real estate agent Valerie Torelli has had numerous clients tear down walls after purchasing a home.

“What’s nice is that the older construction lends itself to that because the interior walls are not always supported,” she said. “They can be fairly easily taken down.”

Newer homes, like the one the Johnsons own, often give owners the chance to customize their home with many options, including appliances like antique Spanish tiles — these are very sturdy and make for easy clean up, Ellen Johnson said — and sub-zero wine refrigerator.

Not in the market for a multimillion-dollar home or a remodel? There are simple things an entertainer can do for a great party.

“People need to look around at their furnishings and be willing to move and rearrange,” Johnson said.

She also suggested making a cocktail station rather than the host trying to keep on top of everyone’s drinks.

“People love to help themselves … and it’s especially good if the group doesn’t all know each other,” she said.

Small pieces of furniture can easily be moved around and nice looking ottomans can double for chairs in a larger group. But don’t necessarily set up extra chairs for the occasion, Johnson said.

“I can’t stand a party where people are sitting down. If someone is sitting at the party, that’s a sign it’s over,” she said. “The fewer chairs the better.”

She also suggested setting up votive candles and strategically placed hors d’oeuvres platters.