I RECEIVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOCUSING ON THE BEST DESIGN STYLES FOR COUPLES.
Although women often, but not always, take more of an interest in a home’s interior design, it is still important to make sure that shared spaces are designed to meet both partner’s needs. To make this process a bit easier, I’ve gathered my four favorite (and most effective) strategies for designing homes for two.
EARTH TONES
Earth tones can be the perfect middle-ground for two people who enjoy completely different color schemes. For someone who enjoys bright, vivid colors living with another who prefers a darker palette, earth tones come in enough hues and saturations to meet both needs. Take for example a lovely vivid yet deep orange mixed with earthy browns, crisp whites, or sage greens; this color combination offers both energy and tranquility, providing a perfect solution for two different styles. Using subtle earth tones such as beige, gray, and blue is also another popular choice that provides gorgeous results, especially when paired with medium-colored wood furniture.
Whichever color palette you and your partner decide to go with, looking through combinations of earth tones will be a helpful starting point. Finding an earth tone in your preferred vibrant or deep color scheme is extremely doable, and the neutrality of the colors are easily adored by all people while adding a level of sophistication to the home.
ORGANIC MATERIALS
Looking to nature is always a good place to start. Houseplants, wooden furniture, and metal and copper decor are some of the most popular organic materials, but bamboo decor, seagrass rugs, and wicker furniture are also stunning components of an organic interior design.
Finding ways to implement these items into the home is both an easy and wonderful way to combine different styles while keeping one overall look. Feel free to use a natural material area rug, a large wooden table, and trendy metal pendant lights, a combination that will give your home a natural eclectic style while still being trendy and current.
Adding houseplants will, of course, be the icing on the cake. Whether displaying gorgeous floral centerpieces, adorning a room with large green plants, or a mixture of the two, you and your partner are bound to enjoy the au naturel aesthetic that is known to create a calming environment while also boosting our psychological well-being.
SHOWCASING YOUR INTERESTS
Incorporate some of you and your partner’s interests into your home’s design. If one of you is a traveler, place some of those spectacular finds on the coffee table, shelf, or mantel. If one of you has a favorite artist, hang up pieces that you both enjoy. Seeing these interests as part of the home not only creates a personalized space that you will both feel “at home” in, but it will also unify individual aspects of your lives.
If you and your partner are starting from scratch and don’t have much decor, here are a few tips: when shopping for artwork, unless you both like the same artistic style, first start with photographic images of landscapes, skylines, and other “neutral” images. Another option is to opt for black-and-white artwork which makes any photograph, portrait, or painting look polished, something both of you will appreciate.
Feel free to choose a few decor pieces individually, as well. Once you’ve both chosen around two pieces that you absolutely love, work them into your design and then take a look to see what style you’ve got going on. The next time you two go shopping together for decor and accessories, you will both know what will and will not pair well with what you already have.
CREATIVE INTEGRATION
Integration in a home’s design is always key, but this especially rings true when combining furniture and decor from two separate homes. Spaces can look especially chic when styles are joined together; it’s just important to make sure each area represents the both of you equally.
For example, if your partner has a large leather couch that he will not give up, but the look is a little too macho for you, mix in a few soft textiles such as blankets and throw pillows. On the other hand, if a space is looking a bit too dainty due to the number of fabrics, add in some organic materials or dark furniture to balance out the look.
Remember to have fun mixing and matching you and your partner’s belongings. Don’t veto something just because it’s not your taste; you might be pleasantly surprised with the organically integrate design that surfaces when bringing together his and her decor items.
