There’s nothing I love more than having a special date night with my guy. It’s the perfect time to catch up and unwind without any distraction and a great way to reconnect with each other after a crazy work week. More often than not we check out a new restaurant, grab a retro cocktail at one of our favorite bars, or head to a viewing of that new movie we’ve been dying to see. But sometimes there’s nothing better than switching it up and staying in the comforts of your own home. Yes, it doesn’t necessarily sound all that exciting, but some of my best date nights have been of the stay in kind.
Here are some of my favorite, easy tips to make your night unique and memorable:
Get Creative With Cocktails
What’s fun about going out to grab dinner and drinks is that there are so many fun and interesting drink options to choose from. If you and your guy like to get adventurous with your cocktails, this is a fun way to add some spice to your date night. Pick something you two haven’t tried before, but with flavors you like. This is also a great way to get him involved in the evening prep – have him concoct the drinks while you get busy in the kitchen.
Recommendations:
French 75
Change Up Your Menu
You can totally order in if you’re not much of a cook in the kitchen, but what makes staying in fun is trying your hand at one of your favorite recipes, or challenging yourself by picking something entirely new. You don’t need to go all out and cook a five- course meal, but try making something from scratch to really treat your guy to something special – he’ll most definitely appreciate the effort!
A simple appetizer and a main course will be more than enough and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. Some of my favorite sites to look for recipes are bon appétit, Goop, and Pinterest (you’ll find a TON of great foodie blogs). Pick something you love, pick something new, but whatever it is make sure you pick something that you feel comfortable whipping up in the kitchen.
Recommendations:
Paired with:
Cal-Asian Turkey Burgers
OR
Artichoke and Lemon Fritto Misto
Paired with:
Asparagus Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta
Spruce Up Your Dining Area
To keep at home date nights from feeling like a normal night at home, try out some interesting seating. If you have a cozy living room, try creating floor seating with an in-home picnic or Japanese-style tatami seating using your coffee table and some pillows.
If you don’t have the space or aren’t a big fan of floor seating, then add some candles and/or flowers to your dining table to give the room more mood. If you prefer outdoor seating, try stringing some Christmas lights around your patio for some cozy, sexy lighting.
Basically, wherever you decide to sit and eat, remember to make it interesting and add to what you already have to make it feel like you’re having date night at your home away from home.
Inspiration:
Indoor Picnic
Modern Patio 
Table Decor
Plan a Fun Activity
What I love about date night at home is finding an activity that we can do together that we don’t do all the time but one that we will have fun doing. Whatever your activity is, as long as you’re doing it together is the only thing that matters. Try challenging him to a board game (this can be a fun relationship builder, too, but if you’re both really competitive you may want to save this for another time), take on a Guitar Hero tour (this is one of my and my guy’s all-time favorite date night activities), watch a classic movie you’ve both been longing to see and cook up some fresh, homemade popcorn (JiffyPop or popping kernels in a sauce pan are both great options), take the dogs for a walk around your neighborhood, or even try baking dessert together. Any of these are great ways to spend one on one time with each other while doing something different for a change.
Ideas:
Monopoly Millionaire Board Game, $19.99
Giant S’mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Healthy Movie Theater Popcorn
Don’t Stress
Planning an at home date night can seem a little overwhelming, mainly because you want to make sure everything is perfect. My tip to you is DON’T STRESS! There’s nothing that can’t be fixed and there’s nothing he’ll love more than the thought and love that you’ve thrown into planning this special evening! So take a breath, sip that yummy cocktail you’re making, and relax because your at home date night will be nothing short of amazing.
xoxo,
Emiko
Emiko Vaughn is a personal stylist and wardrober from Cleveland, OH. She currently co-owns and operates personal styling company Lageson & Vaughn with her business partner, Kirsten Lageson.
Find her here:
www.emikovaughn.com
twitter.com/emikovaughn
pinterest.com/emikovaugh
