A visit becomes warmer when there is room for doing little together.

Warmth in a visit rarely comes from the planned parts. It comes from the stretch where nobody is performing hospitality, when you are both reading, or washing up, or looking out of the same window without talking. Filling every hour with outings can leave a visit pleasant and oddly unmemorable. Being together in an unimpressive way is what makes a house feel shared rather than shown.

If someone is coming to stay, leave a morning with nothing in it. If you are the guest, resist the urge to earn your keep by suggesting things. Those quiet hours are usually the ones people mention afterwards.