If you’re anything like me (utterly addicted to Instagram and Pinterest) you’ve probably got a very specific idea on how you want your home to look. For me, that meant lots of light bright spaces, neutral tones with pops of pink and green and gold. For Connor, that meant lots and lots of black, white and grey. For the most part though, Connor was happy for me to
Finding a middle ground where we were both happy was easier than for some couples, since we have fairly similar taste anyway, but even so I thought I’d share a few tips!
IF IN DOUBT, OPT FOR NEUTRALS.
One thing Connor and I agreed on was wanting the flat to feel light + bright, so we opted for white walls and grey floors throughout. This was a great canvas for us (not least because it made decorating a breeze), as it meant that we could have any colour scheme in any room moving forward. It also meant that when we disagreed on something, like me wanting lots of pink accessories in the kitchen, and him wanting silver, we were able to compromise with a bit of both.
COMPROMISE.
When we started this process, Connor was quite keen on a few brown neutrals scattered throughout the flat, an idea I was NOT on board with, but our choice of grey floors kinda quashed that one so that was good. I wanted a mid century teak dressing table which Con was on the fence about, but once our bed arrived and our fitted wardrobes were in, we realised it would look really out of place. Instead of vetoing stuff outright, find ways to incorporate each other’s style.
HAVE YOUR OWN SPACE.
Something that definitely helped us when it came to decorating was having our own space. We both have our own offices within the flat, so if there’s something one of us wants that the other isn’t keen on, that’s where it goes! It’s nice because it means neither of us has to veto each other’s ideas and irritate each other!
PAIR DOWN ACCENT COLOURS WITH MORE NEUTRALS.
Just because you want hints of blush pink, doesn’t mean a room has to be overtly feminine. I won the battle to have pink fur cushions on the bed, by pairing them with a deep navy blue, and I bought gold accents into our living room by pairing them with natural wood textures and grey furnishings. You’re likely to find that when faced with a little of something that blends well with other colours or textures in the room, your partner will be less opposed!
ASK FOR THEIR OPINION.
Despite Connor’s willingness to let me plough ahead with decorating, I didn’t pick anything big like furniture or artwork without him. At the end of the day it’s our space, and just because I take more of an interest in interiors, doesn’t mean he shouldn’t get a say! Whilst trips to IKEA and late night furniture building isn’t something I’d recommend as good for a relationship (find me one couple who doesn’t argue in IKEA), keeping him involved in the process has meant he’s genuinely really pleased with how our flat has turned out, and has even picked some things that I love but would never have thought of!
How do you juggle your tastes with your partners?