Designing for hospitality
Hos:pit:a:ble ( hä-ˈspi-tə-bəl ) : offering a pleasant or sustaining environment
What does it mean to be hospitable?
Hospitality can and should transcend food and beverage into different industries and well into our homes. When entertaining, it is a high compliment (for me) for guests to feel like they can go barefoot if they want to, or for them to yawn and help themselves to a blanket. It says, I feel safe. I feel comfortable being myself here. Personally, these types of compliments will supersede most others on beauty or intelligence, and are such a pure reflection of security and trust felt in the body. This article will contain a few considerations when designing hospitable, welcome spaces for friends, clients, or yourself.
Entries
Discomfort upon arrival is often catalyzed by an incredibly stark contrast between points A and B. An entry sequence is arguably more important than an entry itself… the more this distance is drawn out, the more emphasis is put on liminal, or transitional, space. In this buffer zone, one might depart with one environment and prepare themselves for the environment they’re about to enter. It also provides an opportunity for reflection and wonder or curiosity about a journey to or from, and a chance to check in with the body before being thrust into a different energetic scenario. When we get there, a defined front entry is preferred; a gentle but official threshold that can be crossed over or into – this might inspire play with scale, or colour. An entry/sequence should promote safety, especially as a first impression – this might look like an approach along the side of a home as an anchor, a covered portico, or a path of light that guides one forward.
Lighting
We ought to recognize the significance of fire as it pertains to our biological tendency to equate heat and light to life and survival. The more we can use fire, or man-made light that mimics fire as closely as possible, the more hospitable, sustainable, a space will seem, and the more comfort one will feel. With dim, warm light when we need it, we are also minimizing the impact of blue light frequencies on our circadian rhythms and various body systems (particularly the endocrine system). When employed properly, lighting can also foster community, as with a shared candlelit dinner or a cozy gathering around a fireplace or outdoor spit. It is difficult to argue why lighting a candle just feels nice; we just know that its a vibe. There’s something very primitive and intuitive about this ritual that we can now replicate, to some degree, with synthetic light.
Furniture arrangements
Modernists of the 60s and 70s had a very architectural approach to furniture arrangements, with steps down into pits or up onto hearths or plinths (and sometimes around those saucer-like hanging fireplaces). This approach requires thought and some reflection to provide opportunities for gathering and socializing (which also inform safety through belonging) and also because these architectural, bespoke solutions aren’t always the most economical. Because they are so visually timeless and functionally sturdy when executed appropriately, I, personally, will forever be a proponent of them. Allow opportunities for non-confrontation… instead of sitting directly across from your guests, consider seating at perpendicular angles for maximum physical and emotional comfort. We now have access to a wide range of freestanding pieces that respect the curvature of our bodies. This is often made possible with plastics and synthetic fibers, so I would encourage you to invest responsibly, with product longevity, ecological impact, and even chemical exposure in mind.
Personal touches
Collect art! Keep your child’s macaroni necklaces! Display your collections! Brandish your beloved heirlooms! I’d like for us, generally as humans, to honor our emotional natures by showcasing more things that make us feel. To create/express is to be vulnerable is to be human. It enables us to connect, to relate, and to build trust with each other.
Décor (seasonal)
It is a lovely thing to experience the change of seasons. Much like in our bodies going through cycles of death and rebirth on microscopic levels, the world around us is changing all the time. For example, we in the northern hemisphere will gain two minutes of daylight every day until the summer solstice when the light will begin to recede again. What a lovely opportunity we have to reflect the change of seasons indoors too, where we spend nearly 90 percent of our time. Invest in willow, tulips, or daffodils in the spring, or whatever broken or fallen branches you find in the park or in your neighborhood; fresh cut blooms or market fruits in the summer; gourds or acorns in autumn; holly, fir, dried oranges, or popcorn in the winter.
Why be hospitable?
You don’t have to be or do anything you dont want to be. It is personally an honor to be a hospitable friend to others, and to provide comfort and safety to those who seek it. I think of Maya Angelou: “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
