Making dinner reservations can not only be hectic but sometimes pretty expensive. Have you ever considered hosting your Valentine’s Day date at home? Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Why not surprise your date by transforming your space temporarily and staying in for the evening.

Step 1: If you aren’t a neat freak or a little behind on cleaning, clean up your place and get rid of any clutter. Do not underestimate having a clean space when you are entertaining. This will remove any distractions and really allow your date to focus on the amazing dinner you are about to have set up.

Step 2: If you don’t have dimmers to adjust the lighting, lamps and candles are great for creating mood lighting or a warm romantic atmosphere. Pretend your place is temporarily a classy restaurant. Most restaurants use lower lighting as well which usually makes people feel more relaxed. Layering different types of lighting that complement each other can be helpful as well. The images below show how you can accomplish this.

This image is a great example of mood lighting. The pink lighting really warms up the space and will instantly add romance to your date night. You can accomplish this through rope lighting, table lamps, floor lamps, sconces, or even just changing the regular light bulbs to colored ones for the evening. Lamps or upward lighting are usually best for accomplishing this.
Here is an example of a colored bulb you could purchase to temporarily replace the bulbs in your lamps. Red is a great option. Why do you think red is the color of Valentine’s Day? Besides the correlation to hearts, the color red inspires passion and people associate the color with being sexy.
It may be repetitive, but who doesn’t love flowers? If you want to place some flowers as a centerpiece on your table, make sure to pick a simple shorter vase so that it doesn’t interrupt conversation. If you have a table that is for some reason distracting, pick up a white table cloth to toss over it as the base for your amazing dinner setting. Mix things up by selecting a variety of flower types or a different type of flower other than roses alone.
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If you don’t have a vase or don’t have time to pick one up, you can always sprinkle a few petals around the table. Last but not least, don’t underestimate the power of candles. Candles are a great way to add another layer of light. They create a soft glow that will make your space more inviting.
Both the candles and flowers that you choose to incorporate into the space can have an additional impact due to their scent. Scent is one of our most powerful senses. As always, design the life you love!