Moving into a home with your significant other can be both a rewarding and yet sometimes stressful process. It’s exciting because the space you live in can serve as a blank canvas with which to express the mixture of your personalities. However, it can be stressful when trying to merge tastes and styles into something that makes sense and will complement the home. If this is an issue you’re dealing with, here are a few tips.
Merge Styles
The ability to compromise is a skill that will prove its value again and again throughout your life, but particularly in your relationships. Look for ways to use accent pieces that reflect each of your personalities without clashing with each other. This way you can select items that best tell your story as a couple rather than individuals.
Make Individual Spaces
While a compromise is often a workable solution to a problem, it doesn’t work in all instances. There are some times where it may make more sense to preserve your individual preferences for some pieces and create individual spaces. Perhaps you spend the majority of your time in one area of the home while you’re partner is seen to reside in a different area altogether. This would allow you to have a space where each of you can express your individual tastes and preferences without too much contention.
Set Expectations at the Beginning
Whether your choosing to merge styles or maintain individuality, it’s important to set the ground rules early and know what can be changed and what can’t. However, try to keep your vetoes to the things that are most important to you as your partner may want the same opportunity.
Purchase New Things Together
As you learn to merge styles where possible and compromise in other areas, you’ll eventually have a need to purchase something new. This is an opportunity to showcase your ability to be flexible as you and your partner discuss what the items should be. It will allow you to discuss the purchase beforehand and come to common ground and begin to build a style that best reflects your composition as a couple.
Even though decorating a home with conflicting tastes may be a challenge, remember these tips and try mixing interior design styles so the house will feel like home for both of you. For more tips or for help in finding that perfect item, come see us at our Joplin, MO location. Our teams of designers and interior decorators can help you find the exact piece you’ve been seeking.