Moving in with your partner is an exciting time! You’re taking the next “big” step in your relationship and officially joining your lives together in a whole new way. In addition to all the new experiences ahead, you’ll also be tasked with getting your home situation all squared away. Furnishing your home and decorating it to reflect both of your styles is not only time consuming, but can also be expensive! And if you’re bringing furniture from your old space’s to the new one, you’ll have the added challenge of blending your two design styles right away.
If you’re struggling to combine your interior design style with your significant other’s, here are five helpful tips to create a space that reflects both of your styles and personalities, that you can both be happy with and call your own.
1. Know What Each Of Your Design Styles Are
If it wasn’t already obvious, the first step to combining your interior design style with your partner’s is to know what your style is. And no, I don’t just mean being able to identify what you like from a photo. I mean, knowing what it’s called. Don’t worry if you don’t, not many people know the name associated with it. However, I encourage you to explore this a little deeper so you know what to start researching when decorating your new space. Here are some of the most common interior design styles that you can research further to give yourselves a starting point.
Types of interior design styles
- Mid-century modern
- Industrial
- Contemporary
- Minimalist
- Scandinavian
- Eclectic
- Bohemian
- Modern
- Shabby chic
- Art deco
- Rustic
- Farmhouse
- Traditional
- Coastal
- Transitional
- Cottage-core
2. Identify What You Like & Dislike
Identify what you like and dislike about the different types of interior design styles, specifically with the ones you tend to gravitate towards. The goal here is to find some common ground and things you both can agree on that you want to be reflected in your home. This could be anything from colors, textures, finishes, and more. Just write it out!
3. Discuss Functionality (How You Want To Use Each Space)
Moving in together will definitely test your patience. This is when you learn each other’s habits, routines, and how each other acts when you’re in a place you both feel comfortable. For example, do you plan to use the bedroom as a hangout spot, or use it as a quiet place to relax and unwind? Answering this question will help you make small decisions like whether to have a TV in the bedroom or not.
Similarly, if you work from home, where do you plan to do most of your work? Will you need a desk in an area of the house that’s private, or do you plan to work at your dining room table? Either way, knowing how you plan to use each space in your home will help you determine what type of furniture you’ll need and the layout that will fit your lifestyle best.
4. Find Common Design Elements (& Mix & Match)
I find this tip to be the most helpful when it comes to combining your interior design styles because most of the differences that we can pinpoint come down to the little details. Interior design styles often have a variety of masculine and feminine elements that can quickly change the look and feel of a room. A well designed space will have a healthy balance of both masculine and feminine elements and is one of the most common ways to combine interior design styles. I recommend listing out all of the masculine and feminine elements of each of your preferred design styles, identify which ones are similar, and which ones you’d each like to incorporate in your space.
5. Decide On A Color Palette
Sometimes choosing a color palette can be the most difficult task of them all—especially when you’re spending a lot of money on furniture and decor. Agreeing on a color scheme doesn’t always happen. First decide whether you prefer warm or cool tones. If you still can’t decide, try to get all of your larger pieces of furniture, and keep the walls and floors in a neutral color, and incorporate color into your accent pieces, like pillows, art, and area rugs. This is a low-level commitment when it comes to color and you can easy change it out anything you like.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Rush The Process
In the end, it’s important to remember that creating a home with your partner is a process and your style might develop over time. As long as you both are happy, working together to meet a common goal, and communicating along the way, you’ll be able to create a beautiful space that you love and your partner loves that feels like YOURS!
