21 Party Decoration Ideas For Adults That You'll Love

Just because you’ve outgrown a magician at your birthday party doesn’t mean you still can’t create a magical evening. With a few props and a creative mind, you can transform your casual dinner party into a night your friends and family won’t forget. To that end, here are 21 party decoration ideas for adults you can put to use at your next gathering.

21 fun party decoration ideas for adults

Party decorating ideas aren’t just for kids’ birthdays. Adults certainly enjoy getting together – who doesn’t love parties? With the below party decor ideas, the answer will certainly be no one.

1. Light candles to create an intimate space

If you don’t want to spend a ton of money or buy something extra fancy for your party, candles make for great low-key birthday party decorations. You can use them for any occasion when you want to fill your room with a more intimate vibe. Transform the room into a romantic candlelit sight right out of your favorite rom-com with candles of all shapes, scents, and sizes. For a more cohesive look, place your candles in glass jars.

2. Decorative buffet

When you think of high-end party food, you may picture a decadent charcuterie board with brie, prosciutto, and fruit. As birthday party ideas for adults go, that’s a great start (and it’ll work wonders for other occasions too). The main idea here is: When it comes to food, presentation is the name of the game.

You certainly don’t need to spend a fortune on a good design. To create art from your food, simply mix and match! Instead of stacking your cheeses into a straight line, arrange them around different fruits and chocolates. This visually appealing party decoration idea for adults is both striking and a main event at any gathering.

3. Make dessert a centerpiece

If you’re on a tight budget, get creative with your pals and make a DIY dessert table. Grab some fun, fancy platters and assemble an assortment of your favorite cakes, cookies, and candy. To make your table stand out even more, add some tinsel around your serving platters or bring over one of those candles we mentioned earlier. Your table-turned-art piece will transform your room from ordinary to thoroughly enticing.

4. Spruce up your food table

To reimagine a casual dinner party as a glamorous gathering, simply swap a few traditional items for other things. Replace your ordinary plates with bright patterned dishes, stash bread loaves in crates or atop wooden boards, and add an eye-catching tablecloth. With just these few items, you and your guests will see your ordinary dining room table in a truly new light.

5. Brighten up the space with fresh flowers

Transform your indoor space into a blooming spring garden with vibrant, fresh flowers. Choose a few of your favorite bouquets and add them to your dinner table to spruce up a quiet evening with family and friends. Doing so is a wonderful, inexpensive way to add a pop of fresh color to any casual venue. And color is key to setting the right mood – a calm party looks much different than a dance-ready one.

6. Turn your wall into a photo booth

You can make a picture-perfect activity without a professional camera or lights. Designate an empty wall as a photo booth, set up your phone on a tripod, and toss in a few props -- and viola, your guests can make memories, take them home, and post them to social media. Use greenery, florals, balloons, garlands, lights, and streamers to turn a plain wall into a photo area that makes all kinds of parties fun. Add some twinkling lights for the ultimate photo booth experience, or use the BlissLights Velarus to create a dazzling aurora backdrop.

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7. Add some garland

You can use garland year-round, way before or after the winter holidays! Your garland can highlight your snack table or another centerpiece – no mantle required. You could even add a garland atop a cake for a true decorative pop. Choose from natural earthy tones or bright rainbow colors to transcend the everyday and create memories that last a lifetime.

8. Create your own personalized barware

Whether for a bachelorette party or a guys’ night in, creating your own personalized barware with friends simultaneously provides a great activity and party favor. Pick up some glasses at your local home store and a few decorations suited for drawings and words. The mood will be playful, and the creations will be useful – not just tonight, but for any future get-togethers.

9. Go monochromatic

For business or professional parties, going monochromatic is a great bet. Neutral colors such as white, black, and gray are sophisticated and simple, plus you can easily find decorations in these colors. White linens, flowers, and dinnerware will transcend your everyday dining room into a five-star experience for colleagues and friends alike.

10. Full-blown color

Neutral monochromatic hues might be best reserved for more formal parties. At more laid-back events, you can spread joy and happiness with a buffet of colors that’ll make you shout, “it’s party time!” Plus, colorful party decorations are everywhere, from confetti to streamers and balloons. They also come in the form of laser lights like the BlissBulb, which shine red or green starry skies into your party from your typical light fixtures. It’s an outdoor color party right from indoors.

BlissBulb Laser LightBulb

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Transforming your world is as easy as changing a lightbulb.

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11. Let nature do the talking

On a gorgeous, sunny day, there’s nothing better than hosting an outdoor picnic or barbeque. At these events, the trees, grass, and flowers around you are the decorations – just let nature set the scene! All you’ll need is a picnic table (a classic red and white checkered pattern is always nice) or a nice seating option, classic dinner settings, and a few vases filled with garden-fresh florals. For a moment, you and your friends can make the world around you your own sacred space.

12. Set the mood with BlissLights

If you really want to get the party started, ditch your boring classic white lights for an immersive with the Sky Lite Evolve Galaxy Projector. This plug-and-play, multi-color galaxy projector can create any mood! Plus, you can control and customize the astonishing, full-room intergalactic sights of your party right from your phone. It’s that easy to unwind and destress as you dance the night away under transcendent stars and nebula clouds.

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The latest evolution in smart galaxy lighting.

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13. Float away with balloons

As Footloose has shown, balloons can make a dirty old barn look like a classy, rustic party setting. All you need is a few packs of balloons in your favorite color or a mix of colors that change the look of your whole space. Scatter them all over the floor, hang them from the ceiling, or create a beautiful archway for guests to walk through. It’s a simple way to add some pop to your space! And then, when the party's over, you can pop the balloons to honor the occasion.

14. Add some glitter

Nothing screams “night out at home” like a room filled with glitter! Bring the glitz and glam right to your home with glitter on your balloons or drinkware. You can even set up a little DIY project with your friends with a glitter and glass station. Set out glitter and untouched glasses, then have your guests decorate their glasses however they please.

15. Create a streamer wall

A streamer wall is a quick, effective backdrop for pictures or a memorable night even without any photos. You can create the desired effect with three colors of streamers and some tape and scissors. Plus, there are so many ways to hang streamers – on walls, atop tables, you name it. Streamers are truly a versatile pick for adult party decorations that match all occasions.

16. Turn your home into a glow-in-the-dark rave

For a party that goes all night, ditch dinner for an at-home rave! Stock up on glow sticks and fluorescent lights that recast your home as a mysterious warehouse full of people gathered to dance the night away. It’s like jet-setting straight to a Vegas nightclub without moving an inch at all (well, except when you’re dancing).

It’s also a party idea that truly makes an impact under the blues and greens of the Ark Ambient Aurora Light. This compact laser projector shines a gently oscillating green aurora against a blue backdrop and fills your entire space. It’s glow-in-the-dark rave lighting with a twist: You’ll feel like you’re shimmying under the northern lights. Few other occasions take you so far away right from home.

ARK Aurora Light

$29.99

Transcend reality with a moving abstract aurora.

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17. Amp up date night with fairy lights

If you’re planning date night at home, add fairy lights to make the night a party for two. Dangle your fairy lights from the ceiling or around the backyard for a soft, subtle glow. Wrap them around your bed, curtain rods, or other indoor fixtures to thoroughly infuse your home with this restaurant-like shine. Though typically available in white or soft yellow, you can also find fairy lights in other shades to set a truly romantic mood.

18. Designate a gift table

Bringing a gift to a party? Not knowing where to put it can make for an awkward situation. Instead of having your guests toss presents all over your living space, try dedicating a surface as your gift table. You can keep your gift table simple with some low-key linen and a homemade sign or personalized message. This way, you add just the right amount of adult party decor and show your guests exactly where to place their gifts without needing to state aloud that they have one in tow.

19. Floor pillows for a casual night in

For happy hour or a casual date night, floor pillows are a super comfy option that can help you settle right in. Sure, this idea doesn’t exactly have the same pizazz as bright lights or streamers, but it’s a great choice for an intimate, casual affair. All you need to create the right atmosphere is a long coffee table, a big carpet, and comfortable pillows and blankets. It’s a great idea for fancy-yet-casual cocktail parties, board game nights, or other get-togethers where the chill vibe is the mood you’re going for.

20. Add a piñata

Who said piñatas are just for kids? You too can hit the piñata and change it into an adult game. Replace kids’ prizes such as candy with more adult prizes such as gift cards, luxury chocolates, and – if you’re really going all-out – AirPods. Plus, as you attempt to swing your hardest at a stuffed, colorful animal, laughter is inevitable. And, then, so too are bonding and a bunch of great memories.

21. Make the room feel rustic with lanterns

Lanterns give all kinds of rooms a soft glow and a little bit of extra decor. Whether you go plastic, glass, or the DIY paper route, you’ll find that lanterns fit any decorative vision or budget. They’re also highly versatile: Use them to light a path for guests to enter the party or illuminate other decorative centerpieces. Either way, the result will be a gorgeous party glow.

Bring the party to your house with BlissLights

The above party decoration ideas for adults can provide an exciting launch for your next casual dinner party, all-out celebration, or any other occasion in between. No matter the event, BlissLights provide party lighting that transforms your space into an intergalactic expanse that takes guests miles away without moving an inch. Browse the BlissLights collection now to start planning a party that lasts a night – and create memories that last a lifetime.