Now that you are married, trying to make a home together may be a bit challenging in terms of deciding on furniture, colours and basically making sense of your new style as a couple. Moving in together is a big step as husband and wife, in most cases, bringing together of property under one roof can result in a clashing catastrophe. Bachelor and feminine furnishings can collide and the end result may not exactly be pleasing. You want to be free to be you, but what happens when your spouse has a different taste and decorating style to yours? Now that the energy of the wedding event is over, and you have spent a lot of money, all you need to do now is to settle into your home. After spending a lot of money preparing for the wedding and honeymoon, you may not necessary be in the mood to spend on your home as well, unless you have budgeted for it and can afford it. If the wedding has dried you out of cash, you can always make a one year plan- or however long you need to save up and make your home a couple’s retreat/ haven. Now that you are sharing the house, accept your differences as an advantage. If you are willing to meet each other half way and join your styles as best as you can it will definitely help, and probably prevent future disputes. Your best bet is to join them as best you can. This requires patience, practice, and tons of creativityIf you are lucky, your spouse will have the same decorating style as you, or may simply leave all the decision-making in your hands. However if you both have particular styles, you should be prepared to compromise at least half the time. In addition, compromising does not have to mean sacrificing completely. For example, having the chair style you want in a different color means you would not be totally giving up on your own desires. You would both be giving up on something and meeting each other in the middle. Determine which pieces you could both live with or how you could change the look or alter some pieces to please you or your spouse. Before you know it, your house will be a home – with your signature couple’s style. Whatever your couple’s style is, it should be neat but inspiring. It should be representative of your unique style as a couple. If you cannot afford to redecorate your entire house, you can still make small changes to your home that will make a big difference. Here are some ideas: Clear the ClutterHow can you find space in a home to fit in belongings from two separate homes? When two homes or two people combine living space, the whole environment must be examined with fresh eyes. Write a checklist of what both parties need and then organise appropriate storage. Once things are tidied away in proper areas according to their type it is surprising how much space will still be left. Husbands Let Wives Make all the Design Decisions: This may seem like the ideal situation for many women but usually partners want to make sure he likes it and feels like it is his space too. They want their living partners to feel they belong. Men have not taken the initiative to be involved much in the interior design process in the past. This has resulted in women being in the driving seat when it comes to how the home interior will look. But nowadays, more and more men are taking an interest in the visual side of things and a creative balance is happening within many homes. The first step to setting the mood is creating the right kind of ambiance. To do that, you need to pick up and clean. Make sure there is a space for everything and everything in its space. Throw away some of the things you no longer need. Add a Dash of ColorOften, newlyweds are decorating a space for the first time. Many of their other living arrangements had been temporary. When you are used to renting and leaving the walls a neutral white or beige, color can be shocking. But it does not have to be so. For starters, you and your spouse can turn to other items you already have for inspiration. Maybe there’s a gold and burgundy throw rug in your bedroom that you both really like. In that case, you can paint the walls a gold to match the rug and use accessories that are burgundy. If you are really daring, you could paint an accent wall – perhaps the one with the bed in front of it – the burgundy color. Paint is a great way to make a dramatic statement without spending a lot of money. The best part is that you can simply paint over your work if you decide you hate it. Get Creative with FurnitureMany newlyweds have hand-me-down or dorm furniture that does not match and makes the room less sophisticated and stylish. Get a more grown-up room by painting the furniture all the same color, so it matches. You can change the hardware for a fresher, uniform look. If you have a silver light fixture, choose silver drawer pulls. Some paint and hardware can make your furniture look brand new for next to nothing. Another way to get creative with your furniture is to play with its positioning in the room. For instance, a bedroom overstuffed with furniture is not very inviting. Consider losing that extra dresser to make room for the bed under the windows. Maybe you could put a long bench from the garden at the foot of the bed and place a blanket on it for when you want to get cozy. Placing furniture – even items from other parts of your house – in different ways can give your bedroom a whole new look. You are limited only by your creativity. Make the Bed Your ShowpieceGet in the habit of using all those nice linens from your registry and clean your sheets regularly. Make or purchase a few throw pillows to give the bed some personality and bring in an accent color. Make sure it looks inviting. If you have only a bed frame and no headboard, consider making one. Framed photos or pieces of art that you might already have are one option. You could also use an old white-picket fence (that you’ve cleaned up and repainted), a long pillow hung on a dowel over the bed, or a padded and slip-covered piece of plywood. Another option, which will give you an ultra-romantic look, is attaching a canopy from the ceiling. The point is to make your bed the star of the room. As the focal point, it should stand out and be warm and welcoming for you and your spouse. Light Up Your LifeLighting can make your room sexier. Installing dimmers or simply placing red handkerchiefs or colored shades over lamps can go far to help you create a more romantic vibe. Candles are another way to change the lighting and set the scene for love. Hang dark drapes or blinds for privacy and to keep out the sunlight whenever the two of you want to spend the day in bed. Choose the Right AccessoriesYou can keep up that romantic ambiance by accessorizing wisely. Place bouquets of fresh flowers on the nightstands. For special occasions, you can scatter rose petals on the floor and bed. Hang art and photos that are meaningful to you. Keep a pretty box filled with love letters you have sent to one another on the dresser or a vase filled with shells from your honeymoon on a shelf near the bed. The important thing is to place objects in the room that remind you both of your love story, the wonderful memories you’ve shared, and the many possibilities for the future. Because your differences make your relationship more interesting, there is no magic formula for discovering one’s own personal style. However, it really isn’t too difficult to find out what each individual’s particular tastes are. If you still have no idea, then consult an interior designer. The author specializes in interiors and design.ms.efuahagan@gmail.com
