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How to Decorate When You Don't Agree

03-02-2022

Love. It's a splendid thing.
And then you decide to do something crazy and move in together. Suddenly, all bets are off. You fight over the most ridiculous of things. Money? Yep. Free time? You bet. Housework? That too.
Furniture? Wait, what?
It sounds absurd, but it's true. But if you really think about it, it's not that crazy. After all, we spend a lot of our free time hanging out in our home environments. We spend time caring for it, dusting it, cleaning it. And we spend a lot of money on it. It's no wonder our decorating style often becomes the center of a major blowup.
That's where your local furniture store here in Portland can help you out.
Before you hire the moving van to carry the sofa and chair you've had since college to the new place you'll be calling home with your partner, maybe it's time to pay a visit to one of our personal designers to help you understand how to bring your two styles together.
Purchasing furniture is a major decision that, when made wisely, can last for years. It can welcome you at the end of a day and be a source of enjoyment. Here's how.
Create Your Own Personal Space
No matter how much you love one another, we each need a little bit of time alone. A place to relax, check out, refresh your spirit and rebuild your mindset. For some, it may mean binge watching the latest shows on Netflix. For others, it may mean snuggling up with a good book and a warm cup of tea. That's what makes us all individuals and unique.
That's also why we need to create a little bit of personal space we can call our own. That's why man caves, offices, and sunrooms are some of the most popular rooms in a home. Because they are personalized and becomes a place to retreat. A place to get all the "me time" you need.
Personalized space doesn't have to be large and you don't even need your own room. How about a daybed tucked into a corner of the bedroom, or a big comfy chair by the window in your home? The point is to create the space with you in mind, to allow you to do whatever you need to do at the end of a busy day.
Create Shared Space
When you create a home together, it's equally important to create space that brings the two of you together. Respect each other's preferences. Make sure you keep both of your taste's in mind as you select individual pieces for your space. While there may be differences, the sheer number of pieces to select from are vast. If you keep an open mind, you're sure to find pieces you'll both enjoy using every day.
At Paul Schatz Furniture, we pride ourselves on our professional design services. Because our designers have years of experience, they can be a neutral party that can help you make a decision. After listening to your goals and desires, and walking you through your options, we can make suggestions that will leave you both happy with your final decision. And the look you achieve will be one you're happy to call home.
Shop For A Sofa Together
What's the one piece of furniture you spend the most amount of time on? Your sofa. It's the place you crash after a busy day, spend a few hours on over the weekend taking in the big game, spend time with family for movie night when it feels right to stay in.
And while you can find what seems like an unlimited supply of sofa options available at furniture stores throughout the Portland community, you'll also find that they vary vastly from style, comfort, and durability.
Sit on a few sofas and you'll discover you both have different tastes and desires. He wants soft; you want style. And if you only satisfy half the equation, you're likely to hear about it for months, even years. What makes you happy? Your partner? Never settle for the one you're bringing from your college apartment or select one on your own. A sofa is the center of your living space; choose it together.
Shop For A Dining Table Together
While we're on specific pieces, let's discuss the dining room table as well. For some, the dining room table may be a dumping ground from the day's chores. For others, it may be a place of serenity to relax and unwind after a busy day. One may rarely remember family dinners around a table. Others may think back fondly to the many hours they spent learning and sharing with one another.
What is your goal? What are your expectations? Not only will shopping for a dining room table help build a place you both can be proud of, but it will also open up discussions about expectations. It can lead to finding alternative locations for daily pocket change and rings of keys, and how you'll spend your nights together after tiring days at work.
Discuss Themes and Styles From The Beginning
Contemporary, traditional, vintage, retro, modern, rustic. If you look to major furniture manufacturers, you'll find they describe their styles using these common phrases. But modern or traditional can take on a world of different meaning between two individuals.
Instead of being pigeonholed into a type of furniture, try working with your partner to understand the look they would most like to achieve? Do they prefer a day at the beach? Or are they the type to spend Friday nights at the local art museum? This can help you discover a style to recreate, a place that makes you both feel at home.
Catering To One Person's Interests
Collections can quickly take on a life of their own. You might have appreciated your partner's affinity for music before you moved in together. After, the stacks of vinyl records and the racks of sports equipment may quickly get on your nerves.
In many cases, furniture goes beyond providing comfort and style and can help you find a place for everything important in your life. The crates may have worked when it was just you, but now that you're a couple, it's time to up the ante. They say there is a cabinet for everything and we believe that's true. Hobbies become more tolerable when they have a perfect place to be easily found and easily hidden from view.
Letting One Style Dominate
We see it all the time. One person is very vocal about their preferences. The other … not so much. In short order, the vocal person lets their free spirit shine. They choose and select based on their interests, their style, their personality. And very soon, their style begins to dominate.
It can quickly make the other partner feel devalued. It can create a rift even when it's subconscious, maybe not even discussed. If it's your house and your furniture, where do I fit into the picture?
Take the time to find the right style for both of you. If one shies away from making decisions, take that to heart. Step back for a day and think about what you want. What look are you trying to portray? That's also a good time to come in and use our design services. We can break through the differences and find ways to incorporate both of your styles into every selection you make because a house is only a home if you both enjoy the space. And isn't that a very good place to begin each day?