Home décor is important; it can have an effect on your self-image, stress levels, and overall mental health. If you’re moving in with your new spouse for the first time after the wedding, you’ll both have to determine how to combine two distinct styles. Taking the time to consider each other’s design ideas will ensure you have a cohesive cohabitation space during this exciting
transition time. From his to hers to a perfect combination of the two, these tips and tricks will help you create a unified home décor style that will appease both hubby and wife.
The Non-Negotiables
You both are likely coming into your new home with furniture, so a purge is going to be a necessity. This is your chance to get rid of items you might have been hanging onto unnecessarily, and throwing away or selling old pieces will give you more space to work with in your home and more reason to shop for new pieces you both might like. This is also your chance to sit down and talk about your non-negotiables on each side. You both need to be honest and open about the pieces that have meaning to you. Listening to each other’s concerns will make it easier to compromise on items you might not have been okay with before. For him, it might be the coffee table from his grandfather’s study, for her, a floral patterned couch she fell in love with the moment she saw it. Marriage is all about compromise after all, so consider this a crash course. You might find your pieces blend together perfectly with a few accents, so get to taking inventory and decide on the things you won’t be willing to part with.
The Thing About Clutter
A surefire way to have you both at each other’s throats over design? Clutter and chaos. One of the easiest ways to avoid clutter is to focus on modern clean lines, within your furniture and décor. Stay simple and experiment with different mediums. Wood, metal, and cement may sound like masculine materials, but with the right lines and sleek finishes, you’ll wind up with the perfect feminine touch to make the room appeal to both parties. Find art pieces with modern appeal that both husband and wife adore at a site like www.touchofmodern.com, keep shelves free of clutter by being extra selective with your décor, and take time every week to organize together.
Neutral Big Ticket Items
When it comes to furniture and appliances, your best bet is to go neutral and add individualized accessories. Stainless steel appliances in the kitchen will fit both styles with the addition of vibrant colors, a basic entertainment stand will be easily dressed up with smaller pieces that reflect both styles (but don’t expect the fights over what to watch to be easier to handle), and a neutral headboard and bed frame can be individualized by sheets and bedding.
His and Her Spaces
If you just can’t seem to agree on his sports posters or her penchant for pastel furniture, it might be in the best interest of your marriage to dedicate separate spaces for each spouse. A man cave for him, a woman cave for her, of sorts. That way he can hang up that beer sign he’s carried since his dorm days, and she can use all the chevron she wants on the walls. We all need alone time every once in a while, and this will give you both the chance to design a room exactly how you like. When compromise just won’t hack it, this is the route to take.
Have Patience
It’s going to be a slow process, and it may take months or even years to finally get to a place where you both feel like you have equal input on a space. If either of you have drastic or unique design ideas, give the other time to warm up to it. You can draw out your plans, allowing for better visualization, and slowly gather the pieces that will contribute to your overall vision. That way, neither of you will feel blindsided and both parties will be eased into your new cohesive living space.