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How to Decorate Your Home With Your SpouseHe likes antiques, she prefers modern. Here's how to incorporate both of your unique styles into one home.
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Like so many things in a successful marriage, with design you need to be able to compromise and communicate. |
As Abe Lincoln once said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." The same is true of the design differences you and your spouse may encounter after buying your first property together. These differences in style can cause conflict and resentment, not to mention wasted money and unfinished projects in the home.
Teena Ingram, (www.tingraminteriors.com) an interior designer who specializes in newlyweds that have purchased their first home, notices this about her clients, "Usually couples become overwhelmed and frustrated with the numerous decisions to design a room," she says. "In turn, they take those frustrations out on each other by not speaking or one person decides to ‘give in.’"
Instead of bickering over every decision, these do-it-yourself tips can help bring a healthy balance to your home furnishings and develop the road to a better marriage.
Faith Sheridan, (www.faithsheridan.com) who was named one of Seattle's top designers in 2005, says color is a common trouble area for couples. "One partner may like bold, vibrant colors and the other soft neutrals," she writes in her blog titled, "Designing for the Sexes." To overcome this color conflict, Sheridan recommends Myperfectcolor.com, a website that offers unique color combinations and lets you try pint-sized samples before committing to one color for an entire wall.
Another complication is conflicting styles. For example, one person may prefer floral while the other wants leather seating in a living room. According to Sheridan, the best way to integrate the tastes of both is to go through design magazines and independently select styles of furniture, arrangements and accessories. From a collage of pictures, share your vision of the project as well as how much you think it will cost. This opens up the conversation for couples to understand one another’s likes and dislikes, as well as sets the bar on price.
While using design magazines may help create ideas, Ingram says it’s the unique, hand-picked items that truly give a home a personal touch. Certain pieces, such as the dress she wears when she wants to feel beautiful or a picture of him when he backpacked across Europe, add the personal touches, Ingram says. So the best way to create a compromise is to find out what inspires each person. By adding those inspirational pieces, you and your spouse can develop a space that represents your individual styles as well as one that marries your personalities together.
Once you’ve established the key pieces in a room, Ingram says to take a trip to a home furnishing store. Choose items you both like and could see in your home. Then come back together and explain why that particular item works in your space. What will soon be clear are the furnishing and fabrics you both want in the room, as well as the statement pieces and accessories you as a couple prefer.
"This is a great way for couples to work together as a team and also, they learn how to compromise and respect each individual's style," Ingram says.
By using a variety of textures and fabrics in furnishings, you can develop an eclectic room that is uniquely yours as a couple. A classic example is to combine couch pillows with colors that compliment the sofa, but aren’t the same design or texture. Mixing various accessories can also bring a multifaceted look to a room. For example, if you have pictures of your family, wedding or vacation, you can mix wood frames with silver accents or crystal lamps. Additionally, Sheridan recommends thinking about the placement of essential furnishings such as a TV and what to use on the windows, whether it’s shades, fabric or side panels. The good news is that today’s eclectic tastes allow for more flexibility. "The days of buying matched furniture is long gone," Sheridan says. "The mark of good design is when you can integrate the items."
Drawing out your compromise on paper can also be useful because it allows both to make a big leap visually. Though blending the personalities, beliefs and lives of two people can be difficult, remember that it’s also the beauty of bringing your lives together. Whether you’re changing out furniture or designing a brand-new residence, good design matters in making your house a home.
Teena Ingram, (www.tingraminteriors.com) an interior designer who specializes in newlyweds that have purchased their first home, notices this about her clients, "Usually couples become overwhelmed and frustrated with the numerous decisions to design a room," she says. "In turn, they take those frustrations out on each other by not speaking or one person decides to ‘give in.’"
Instead of bickering over every decision, these do-it-yourself tips can help bring a healthy balance to your home furnishings and develop the road to a better marriage.
Faith Sheridan, (www.faithsheridan.com) who was named one of Seattle's top designers in 2005, says color is a common trouble area for couples. "One partner may like bold, vibrant colors and the other soft neutrals," she writes in her blog titled, "Designing for the Sexes." To overcome this color conflict, Sheridan recommends Myperfectcolor.com, a website that offers unique color combinations and lets you try pint-sized samples before committing to one color for an entire wall.
Another complication is conflicting styles. For example, one person may prefer floral while the other wants leather seating in a living room. According to Sheridan, the best way to integrate the tastes of both is to go through design magazines and independently select styles of furniture, arrangements and accessories. From a collage of pictures, share your vision of the project as well as how much you think it will cost. This opens up the conversation for couples to understand one another’s likes and dislikes, as well as sets the bar on price.
While using design magazines may help create ideas, Ingram says it’s the unique, hand-picked items that truly give a home a personal touch. Certain pieces, such as the dress she wears when she wants to feel beautiful or a picture of him when he backpacked across Europe, add the personal touches, Ingram says. So the best way to create a compromise is to find out what inspires each person. By adding those inspirational pieces, you and your spouse can develop a space that represents your individual styles as well as one that marries your personalities together.
Once you’ve established the key pieces in a room, Ingram says to take a trip to a home furnishing store. Choose items you both like and could see in your home. Then come back together and explain why that particular item works in your space. What will soon be clear are the furnishing and fabrics you both want in the room, as well as the statement pieces and accessories you as a couple prefer.
"This is a great way for couples to work together as a team and also, they learn how to compromise and respect each individual's style," Ingram says.
By using a variety of textures and fabrics in furnishings, you can develop an eclectic room that is uniquely yours as a couple. A classic example is to combine couch pillows with colors that compliment the sofa, but aren’t the same design or texture. Mixing various accessories can also bring a multifaceted look to a room. For example, if you have pictures of your family, wedding or vacation, you can mix wood frames with silver accents or crystal lamps. Additionally, Sheridan recommends thinking about the placement of essential furnishings such as a TV and what to use on the windows, whether it’s shades, fabric or side panels. The good news is that today’s eclectic tastes allow for more flexibility. "The days of buying matched furniture is long gone," Sheridan says. "The mark of good design is when you can integrate the items."
Drawing out your compromise on paper can also be useful because it allows both to make a big leap visually. Though blending the personalities, beliefs and lives of two people can be difficult, remember that it’s also the beauty of bringing your lives together. Whether you’re changing out furniture or designing a brand-new residence, good design matters in making your house a home.
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