7 DIY ideas for a fab New Year’s Eve party

The countdown to 2018 is on, so if you’ve put up your hand to host a New Year’s Eve bash at home, you should get your party planning underway, stat! Pulling off a rockin’ celebration that will cement your status as a pro party planner needn’t be an expensive affair. With these clever and customisable DIY ideas, you can transform your home into a fun and glitzy space that’s fit for NYE festivities, without starting off the New Year with a post-holiday financial hangover.

Deck your walls with (temporary) confetti

Confetti may be fun, but it’s a royal pain in the behind to clean up. For those who aren’t a fan of this party staple (or just don’t want small bits of paper tracked through their home for weeks to come), consider sticking metallic confetti-like decals on your walls instead. They’ll not only add sparkle and a party vibe to your abode, but they are easily removed.

Copper confetti decals: OhhhMhhh

Set up a self-serve drinks station

Let your guests mix, shake and stir their own drinks to sip on throughout the night. Before your party, stock up your station with all the main spirits and liqueurs, such as vodka, rum, gin, whisky, Amaretto, Kahlua and Baileys. Make sure you also have plenty of mixers (like sodas, juices and cordials) for cocktails – or mocktails for the designated drivers and non-drinkers in your group.

String a sentence together

Capture the spirit of the occasion with a bespoke DIY banner. Recreate a design similar to the one pictured here at home with black ribbon and cut-out cardboard letters painted in decadent gold.

Go large with DIY decorations

Turn up the fun festive factor of your NYE party by hanging handmade disco balls, patterned pinwheels and tissue paper pompoms from your ceiling. They make a great backdrop for a grazing table, bar or photo booth.

Disco balls are a cinch to make. Simply take one large styrofoam ball (or use old Christmas baubles to make mini versions), cover it in glitter or high-shine silver sequins and voilà! – you’re done.

Making paper pompoms is another breezy DIY project, as is crafting large paper pinwheels from leftover strips of Christmas wrapping paper.

Take two strips of paper cut to the same size (the wider they are, the bigger your pinwheels will be) and fold them both in an accordion style. Fold each accordion in half, and fix the central seam together using glue or double-sided tape. Fan them both out, then attach the two pieces together along the bottom seam to create a circle.

Glue a small circle of paper or cardboard onto the middle of the pinwheel on both sides to secure the shape, then punch a hole in one of the ridges to thread a hanging ribbon through. Too easy!

Get the party started with a photo booth

Photo booths are a hit at any event, but especially at New Year’s Eve parties. After all, everyone is dressed to the nines and keen to capture memories of the night – and polaroid shots are great souvenirs to take home too.

There are plenty of instant camera options available in Australia. Fuji cameras can be bought for under $100 (without film) and Polaroid have a range of more sophisticated models. Set it up in a prominent spot and let your guests help themselves to photographer duty.

A fun and festive backdrop is essential for any photo booth set-up – you can’t go wrong if you hang sparkly streamers, balloons or other glitzy decorations from your ceiling or on your wall. Finally, set up plenty of playful props that your guests can pop on for their shoot – moustaches, kissable lips, glittery top hats and sequined masks are always a hit.

Make your ceiling rise to the occasion

Balloons are an essential element of any New Year’s Eve celebration. While there’s nothing wrong with opting for a classic look and arranging clusters of helium-filled balloons around your entertaining area, if you want to ramp up the look and mood of your NYE bash, set the balloons adrift and let them fill your ceiling. The striking display will not only wow your guests, but will add sophisticated cheer to your soiree too.

Want to take things to the next level? Tackle a DIY balloon drop. You’ll need two large pieces of lightweight fabric (mesh or even paper tablecloths will do the trick), as well as masking tape and plenty of colourful (non-helium-filled) balloons.

To create the net, tape the two pieces of fabric together along one side; leave a tab of masking tape hanging down, as this will act as a ripcord and allow you to release the balloons when the clock strikes midnight. Next, use the tape to fix the four corners of your fabric net to your ceiling – keep the material loose so you can easily fill the net with balloons and confetti.

Create a resolutions tree

A resolution tree makes for a striking table centrepiece, and it’ll help get the conversation started at your NYE bash too. Sharing your resolutions with others may also help you and your guests stay on track, as you’ll be accountable to others and, therefore, more determined to make your goals for 2018 stick!

This article was originally published on Houzz.com.au. Read the original article here.

For more NYE party inspo take a read of our key ingredients for a toast worthy bar cart, 20 poolside entertaining essentials and easy home decor inspired by Chinese New Year.

Written by:
Nathasha Saroca is a Houzz Australia Contributor and a freelance journalist who began her career working across a number of home design and lifestyle magazines, including BuildHOME and Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly. She enjoys writing about design and colour trends, decorating ideas (particularly how to transform rooms with colour and patterns), organisation tips, entertaining ideas and easy updates for the home.