Local designer Killy Scheer shares tips for creating an inviting atmosphere in your home.
By Killy Scheer, Photos by Molly Culver and Ryann Ford
Recently, while at a favorite restaurant, Killy Scheer, owner and principal at Scheer & Co. Interior Design, realized how much she had missed the energy and ambiance of indoor dining. “The chatter of nearby diners, the clatter of dishes. Scents of food from the kitchen. Warm lighting and so many other little details that make the experience of dining out special,” she reflects. “I began thinking about entertaining at home and what that would look like post-pandemic.”
Most of us are ready to start seeing friends in familiar spaces again. But after being largely confined to our homes for more than a year, they may need a little revamping before the first guests arrive. Scheer, who’s Austin-based firm specializes in luxury residential and boutique business spaces, has created a list of easy yet thoughtful ways we can make our homes entertainment ready.
Cosmetic Upgrades
Refreshing your home doesn’t have to involve construction. Easy cosmetic updates can go a long way. Our Piedmont project is a great example. The newly built home had great bones and quality finishes. So in lieu of construction we focused on furnishings and decor that made a big impact.
Sofa and chairs from Lee Industries via Caffreys, coffee table from Four Hands, rug from Kaskas 
Piedmont Powder Room
We installed a custom woven pendant by Paris-based designer Julie Lansom above a wall-hung rug from Kaskas and a runner from Black Sheep Unique.
In the powder room we integrated new wallpaper by Villanova via Culp Associates, a white Rubinet faucet and matching bath accessories from Alexander Marchant. A CB2 mirror introduced both warm wood and a sconce from Roll & Hill with glossy white shades, and a wood base brought the whole look together.
The upstairs hall is swathed in a wallpaper from Supply that creates a whimsical backdrop for the client’s adjacent home office.
Take the Party Outdoors
Not yet ready to host indoors? Creating a flexible outdoor space is key. Modular or easily moveable furniture and overhead coverage make entertaining in most weather doable. Fans, misters, music and portable lighting will make your guests want to stick around. Take picnicking in the yard a step further with pretty individual tents and blankets for a unique, memorable experience.
A porch in our East Texas project serves several purposes, with the ultimate goal of creating an outdoor space that would accommodate our client’s growing multi-generational family. The chairs from Teak Warehouse and coffee table from Design Within Reach are light and easily moveable. Cots and bedding are stored in a nearby closet to allow the space to undergo a quick and easy transformation to a sleeping porch on warm evenings, capturing breezes and views from the nearby lake.
Keep it Clean
Though we’ve moved on from feeling the need to have hand-sanitizer stations in every room, making sure your home is clutter-free and squeaky-clean will help guests feel a little more comfortable as we ease back into home entertaining. Stocking bathrooms with hand soap, kitchens with ample paper towels and maintaining clean surfaces are a baseline. Set the mood with soft lighting, music and a great candle to make your guests feel like a night in is a special night out. My current favorite scent is Le Labo’s Santal 33.
Shop Your Home
Our homes have been working overtime. The rugs you’ve been walking on and the pillows you’ve been staring at may feel a little tired. Try moving a piece of art, decor or furniture from one room to another. You’d be shocked at how much this simple (and free!) change can inject a whole new vibe into a space.
About Scheer & Co.
Scheer & Co. Interior Design is a nationally published, award-winning multi-disciplinary interior design firm founded in 2013. We thoughtfully curate memorable, experiential private residences and small business interiors that are at once luxurious, livable and timeless.