Designer Brian Patrick Flynn of Decor Demon uses colorful indoor/outdoor area rugs to introduce color and pattern and delineate space on porches and decks.Summer is the season of inviting friends over for impromptu barbecues and last-minute, casual get-togethers. That means it’s also the season of cringing when you realize your house is in no condition to be seen by the guests who will be arriving any minute now.
On summer evenings, “my husband will invite people over after golf,” says interior designer Mallory Mathison. “He’ll call and say, ‘We’ll all be there in 30 minutes.’ ”
That’s when she begins rushing around, quickly prepping their home for the soon-to-arrive guests.
What’s the best way to use that half hour or so before the doorbell rings to get even the messiest home party-ready? Try breaking it down like this.
10 MINUTES OF CLEANING
“Most people don’t mind clutter,” says Evette Rios, a lifestyles blogger and a correspondent on ABC’s “The Chew.” “But they mind grime.”