Moving in together? How to find common ground when decorating

Taking the big step to move in together comes with many challenges. An important one that many couples overlook is the difficulty of unifying two different living spaces into one. Whether one is moving into the other’s space or the two are moving into a space that’s new to both of them together, their various tastes, color preferences, styles, and histories will have to come together to create a unified space. If you don’t want the relationship to end just as it’s really starting to move forward, consider the following tips.

Communicate honestly

If you’re ready to move in together you should be at a point in your relationship where you can communicate honestly with each other regarding what you want and don’t want for your new home together. Get everything out on the table. If there’s a piece of furniture your significant other has that you can’t stand, let him/her know. You may find that you’re in agreement about many things and it would be silly to both live with a design decision you both hate for fear of offending the other person.

Start with what you agree on

After you’ve sat down and hashed out your likes and dislikes, you can set out taking care of the things you both agree on. Pieces neither of you are wild about can be sold off and the funds set aside for a redecorating budget. An agreed-upon base color can be painted on the walls. Purchases like a new bed or sofa that you both agree need to be made can be completed. By getting a solid start on what you agree on, you’ll have a foundation from which to address the things you may not agree on.

Find ways to unify conflicting pieces

There will undoubtedly be some things that clash with each other somewhat and neither of you will be willing to budge. All is not lost. In many cases, these conflicting pieces can be made to go together with some kind of unifying third piece. An area rug might be just the thing to complement two different pieces that otherwise couldn’t have looked good together. New baseboard radiator covers can help an outdated looking baseboard heating system better fit in with more modern home decor.

Don’t get hung up on making everything match perfectly

One very important thing to remember that can resolve a lot of disagreements is that not everything in your home has to match perfectly with everything else. In fact, professional decorators unanimously agree that every good interior design requires some contrast to give it that authentic look. So don’t strive for the magazine cover or catalogue look. You don’t want to live in a home that looks like it was staged by a realtor to make it easier to sell. It should like like your home and it should reflect your varied tastes and life experiences. If you work hard together and are both willing to make compromises you can have a space that is both unified and a little eclectic.

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