4 Realistic Tips For Agreeing On Home Decor W/ Your Partner
As much as my fiancé and I love each other, our aesthetics haven’t always aligned. Even though we’ve learned to compromise, it’s taken trial and error to get to this point. Whereas I’d have accents of pink and green everywhere, my fiancé prefers minimalist energy that combines Scandinavian and Japanese energies.
Since we’re always talking about our early days of living together, I thought it would be fun to share how to avoid big arguments if you’re thinking about moving in with the love of your life.
Get Clear About How You Want Your Space To Feel
Before you start buying new furniture and accent pieces, you and your partner need to talk about the vibe of your home. I promise this matters more than you think because it’ll help you buy things that matter. The last thing you want to do is waste money on a lackluster sofa or coffee table just because you think it looks nice.
Even if you’re renting, don’t be afraid to treat your space like home because you’ll likely spend at least 12 months there. You want to make sure you’re creating an environment you actually like regardless of what’s going on outside your front door. There’s no point in buying random things if you’re going to feel miserable!
Questions you and your partner can ask each other are:
Do we want our space to feel energetic or cozy?
Does it matter if our home has a signature scent or not?
Do we plan to host friends and family often?
2. Be Honest About Your Decor Tastes
I know you don’t want to ruffle feathers, but not being clear about what you like isn’t going to win you brownie points in your relationship. But, don’t take this as a sign to approach the conversation with a “my way or the highway” attitude. It’s a conversation not a war!
If you love coastal decor while your partner prefers art deco, this is the time to talk about why you’re both drawn to what you love. My fiancé completely skipped this step and took digs at each other’s tastes in the beginning so I don’t recommend that.
3. Create A Mood Board
Things are still a work in progress, but here’s how aligning on home decor looks in our living room:
Now you can focus on the fun part — creating a home decor mood board! Doing so helped my fiancé meet in the middle so our home can look the way we envision. It also helped cut down disagreements because we can visually see what both of us are drawn to. (See our joint vision board here).
4. Don’t Forget To Create A Budget
Whatever you do, don’t bypass the opportunity to discuss a home decor budget. As much as people love to shop at places like Crate & Barrel or West Elm, that may not be in your budget. Don’t be ashamed of this though!
I know it’s tempting, but don’t try to keep up with the Joneses on social media because everyone’s financial situation is different. Make sure you and partner have a clear understanding of what you’re able to afford before buying a ton of furniture and decor to flesh out your home.
Truthfully, my fiancé and I are not above bargain hunting at places like T.J. Maxx, At Home, or even Marshalls for unique pieces we love. Aside from that, we’ve purchased things from Wayfair or Joybird.
Decorating your home isn’t going to happen overnight so try to pace yourself. You don’t want to give up on having the beautiful space you envision before you and your partner reach an agreement!
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