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dominique traina | lusk & associates sotheby’s international realty
  • Office: 717.291.9101 | Direct line: 717.683.0092

At the Heart of Home Entertaining

Writer michael vyskocil
Photographer Eric Forberger

As the waning days of summer yield to autumn and cooler temperatures signal the shift in seasons, homes become a place of gathering at this time of year. On crisp fall evenings, you can bring the family together for an evening of s’mores and storytelling around an outdoor fire pit, host friends indoors for dinner or present a casual Sunday afternoon football spread served buffet-style from your kitchen countertops.

Dominique Traina, York-based Real Estate agent for Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty, encourages homeowners to embrace creativity when it comes to at-home entertaining. Even historic homes can set the scene for hosting both formal and informal events. This 1899 Queen Anne Victorian overlooking the Ma and Pa Railroad Heritage Village of Muddy Creek Forks in southeastern York County is no exception.

The home’s spacious dining room creates a comforting setting for large gatherings with extended family at holiday time or an intimate weeknight dinner for two at the kitchen island. Outside, the wrap-around porch beckons guests to linger for after-dinner conversations over cocktails until the sun goes down. Living rooms and family rooms can also do double duty as functional areas for entertaining.

“It’s about learning to use spaces more than what they were intended to be,” she says. “You can create dining areas in living spaces. You can spread blankets out in the backyard and have a picnic at home.”

Working with a home’s architectural elements can also give you inspiration for entertaining. Inside this home’s dining room, for example, pocket doors between the kitchen and dining room can be opened to allow conversations and guests to move freely between the two spaces.

Traina also believes in paying attention to details, such as a mix-and-match tablescape featuring a collection of dishware and DIY decorations. “Visit consignment shops and look around your home for pieces you can reuse and adapt,” she says. The littlest touches can often make the largest impressions.

INSIDER TIP

If you’re selling a home, don’t overlook the value of home staging, says Dominique Traina, who works with home sellers to make their living spaces attractive to homebuyers.

Go behind the scenes of the charming 1900s-era home you see here now for sale at 1316 Muddy Creek Forks Rd. in Airville.

Contact Dominique at 717.683.0092.

dominique traina | lusk & associates sotheby’s international realty
  • Office: 717.291.9101 | Direct line: 717.683.0092