Our design team frequently works with couples who have differing opinions on style or overall vision for their homes. We can often times feel like mediators, but we always strive to make both sides happy. We have over a decade of design experience and have learned so much about the decision process that couples go through. On today’s blog we share some of our best tips on how to discuss or plan for an interior design refresh with your partner/spouse/significant other.
Discuss your overall goals.
Before you reach out to a design professional, have a conversation on both of your overall goals for the space. Also, what is the general mood you both want for the room or rooms? What is the general use or purpose of the space that you are seeking to change? Is the room for lounging, entertaining, a combination of both? Considering these big picture plans, will help the design process and it will allow your designer to understand your priorities.
Discuss the details.
When we speak to clients, some may not know how to describe their style or know how to exactly translate their vision into words. Is your style modern? Transitional? Traditional? A little bit of everything?! We completely understand that! When you hit this type of road block with your partner, talk about details that are easy to address, like color for example. What are the colors you both like, what are the colors you don’t like? If one side doesn’t like a specific color but the other side loves it, we can help introduce the color in small accents that are not as big of a commitment.
It is also helpful to peruse magazines, Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram, or designer’s websites together so that you can have a better understanding of both side’s tastes and preferences. Doing this might even make you realize that your tastes are more aligned than you thought!
Make a list of your non-negotiables.
As you both gain a better understanding of your overall tastes and even some of the details you prefer, what are your non-negotiables for the design project? This can be a sentimental piece that one side is not willing to part with and needs to be incorporated in the design. Our job will be to work around it with aspects that the other side likes. This could also be material preferences like no white upholstery, no nailheads, or no down filling. It could also be more general like durability, ease of cleaning, etc. The more you both know and share with your designer, the better your project results will be!
Compromise is key!
Is this an obvious point? Well if it is, it is certainly true with any aspect of a relationship, even when it comes to interior design. When both parties are willing to respect the other’s preferences, you can achieve a look that both people will be happy with. With the long list of custom options that design firms can offer, it is easy to blend everyone’s preferences.
In short, the design process can be intimidating and stressful. However, with effective communication and time spent upfront to understanding each other’s preferences, our design team can help blend your styles and preferences so that you are both pleased with the outcome. To start the introduction process, fill out our questionnaire so that we can learn more about your project.