When designing a home, your space should be a reflection of your personality. Many couples have differences in opinions on topics, and that could include your interior design styles. Both you and your partner likely have the same goal- to create a space that is both functional and aesthetically appealing, but disagreements could arise throughout the process. Anything from paint colors, furniture styles, and accent pieces can cause disagreements, leading to a pause in the renovation process.
Though they can be initially frustrating, embracing these disagreements can mean a more unique aesthetic and an enchanting home for your both. In fact, disagreements in the design process are an important step in finding a style that is right for your home.
Disagreements are Common
First, know disagreements are quite common when designing your home. Interior design is an exciting venture, which can make a huge difference in the feel of your home. Couples often disagree when it comes to design choices, but that can actually be a good thing. It shows that each of you are passionate about the choices you’ll be making, and will make an impact on the final style. Learning how to work through these disagreements and making compromises along the way can result in a truly unique and elegant design that meshes both of your styles.
Find and Embrace Compromise
As with any major decision between couples, finding the balance between each other’s styles is key both to happiness and to your home’s new aesthetic. Agreeing upon the amount of input you have over different spaces in your home can help mitigate any issues between you, while dividing the design control allows for both parties to have a hand in the design process.
For example, if you and your partner share an office space in your home, but you exclusively work from home and your partner only occasionally uses the office, you might consider bargaining for greater control over the space since you spend more time in that particular room.
Be Respectful Toward Your Partner and Their Opinions
Sometimes, certain aesthetic choices can be completely out of your comfort zone or style, and voicing these disagreements is important to reach a compromise. However, being respectful about approaching these disagreements is also important for working through any aesthetic disparities between you and your partner. When discussing these differences, being considerate in your tone and addressing each conflict respectfully is just as important as receiving disagreements as a surface-level issue.
As an example, if you are more likely to take a minimalist approach to the interior design process, but your partner is more of a maximalist, finding a common ground between both styles may be hard. Taste differences shouldn’t be taken personally, and a professional designer can assist in meshing your styles. Once you understand one another’s design preferences, you can work toward a compromise that allows both of your tastes to be displayed in the final design.
Create Visuals to Communicate Your Ideas
Sometimes, verbally describing a design plan for your space might make envisioning a particular style or aesthetic choice hard. Rather than just talking about your design ideas, try using images or magazine articles that describe your style to provide context for your aesthetic. Consider creating a vision board or “mood board”, using paint swatches, fabric designs, wood grains, and flooring samples. These elements can reinforce certain key points of your design, helping to accurately convey your style to your partner.
Encouraging the use of visual depictions for your aesthetic choices can help you convey your ideas effectively. You’ll be better able to find common ground and similarities that both of your individual styles and design ideas share. By creating separate boards, then comparing them when creating a design plan for your space, you can easily see where your tastes overlap, leading to more agreement when it comes to your final design plan.
Encourage Open and Honest Communication
Being honest about preferences in different design choices is one of the most important methods of solving any disputes between you and your partner. If you do have negative feelings about an object or design element in your home, choosing to hold in your feelings can lead to more conflict and resentment over these choices in the future. Being open and honest with your spouse about which design elements you dislike or feel uncomfortable about helps to create clear, respectful dialogue between you and your partner. It also encourages cooperation and conflict resolution when debating larger design renovations.
Starting the Design Process
Once you choose a particular style or aesthetic for your design, finding a professional interior designer is the next step toward making your vision a reality. Between their expert knowledge of different aesthetic choices to an eye for coordinating elements of multiple design styles, consulting a professional stylist to help with your interior design plan will ensure you create a space you both love. The right design strategy can marry your aesthetics and make you feel at home, but it takes an experienced eye to manage overlapping style choices.
At CRT Studio, we can bring your vision to life by creating a space that accommodates you and your partner’s aesthetic preferences, while keeping your space cohesive, stylish, and elegant. Contact Rob Turner of CRT Studio at (407) 440-4446, or send an email to rob@crtstudio.com to get started creating your ideal space.