When a couple moves in together for the first time, the experience can bring up a lot of feelings, whether you are daunted by the prospect of giving up some of your extremely valuable personal space, excited about being able to spend more time with your partner or even nervous because this is something you have never done before. Whatever the feeling, it is all totally understandable.
Whenever two people move into one space, arguments will always happen!
a. Common Argument One – Design
One of the biggest problems couples will run into when they move into a home together for the first time is clashes in their design choices. Typically, women tend to choose lighter colours such as whites, creams, and pinks to decorate their homes. Whereas men, typically, tend to choose darker colours such as blacks, charcoal greys, and even blue tones in their interior design. This is a problem that needs to be overcome, for the simple reason that you cannot have different rooms which clash in colour and style in the same home, it makes it look messy.
One of the easiest ways we have found that couples get around this is by choosing neutral tones to form the base for your interior design, such as creams and white tones. And then incorporate more pieces of colour into the furniture you place and the areas around this furniture. Maybe you have a navy back wall behind your TV, or you incorporate a lovely grey rug into your living room to compliment your furniture in there.
The key here is communication. Communicate about your likes and dislikes, which colours you would be able to stand and which colours are a complete “no-no” for you. Consider using a “veto” list to create a list of colours that you cannot stand and do not want in your home.
Also Read: Bring your Culture Home Through Interior Design
b. Common Argument Two – Cost
Another big argument couples will run into when they start to focus on their interior design is cost. Different people will naturally have different budgets, or one person in the relationship will have a more expensive taste than the other. This will inevitably run into disagreements, especially if you have purchased your first ever home together, and money may be running a bit short.
The best thing to do here is to incorporate a budget! Especially if one partner has expensive taste. Allow a bit more room in the budget for a few more expensive items. Maybe you were only looking to spend £200 on a desk, but you bump this up to £300 to please them. In return, you need to agree to make sacrifices of your own. Maybe there was a lamp you really wanted, but you leave it this time around as it takes money out of the budget for something more important.
Also Read: How To Decorate Your Home According to Zodiac Sign
c. Common Argument Three – Sentiment
Here is one of the most common issues some people run into, especially when a couple who used to have their own separate living space decided to move into one home together. Often, pieces of furniture have a sentimental value attached to them. Maybe a sofa has been passed down from their mother, who has since passed away. Or a desk you cannot get rid of because it brings back memories of you and your Grandfather together.
There is always going to be occurrences of this for both parties in the relationship. So, it is worth deciding early on what really needs to stay, what really cannot be lived without. Then, the rest of the furniture can be passed along and kept with other members of the family, kept in storage, or given to charity. Of course, you can sell them as well to earn a little bit more to put in your budget.
As mentioned above, some items will not be able to be lived without, so it is important here that a space is made for them. Providing they suit the style of your home, make time for them. Your partner will really appreciate it.
d. Common Argument Four – Comfort
Another argument here, are you starting to sense the theme of this article yet? Men and women typically have different tastes when it comes to furniture. Typically, men will prefer furniture that is a tad harder than a female would like. This is especially true when it comes to important furniture in the home, such as sofas, beds, and outdoor seating.
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The easiest way to solve this kind of problem is to test furniture out together. Many sofa stores, bed shops, and mattress companies will allow you to try out their products to ensure you are really going to like them before you purchase. This is a great way for them to minimise returns. Visit some of these shops and have a sit-down and test out some of their furniture; if one of you really doesn’t like that, then you can move on and try and find another solution.
Colours to Use
No matter your individual style, there is no denying that certain colours used within a home can positively impact your mental health. Try incorporating some of these colours into your home and get ready to see some amazing benefits:
- Blue – One of the strongest hues in the colour psychology spectrum! They’re amazing for evoking confidence and can often be associated with really attractive qualities in a person, such as trust, peace, loyalty, and success. This is especially true for the bold, deep hues of blue. Lighter shades of blue instill a feeling of calm in a home! So, dark blues for your home office and light blue for your bedroom!
- Purple – Purple is naturally associated with amazing emotions, all the way from depth and creativity to fantasy and nobility. Naturally, it will look right at home in feminine spaces! But deeper versions of the hue can also be extremely masculine. Making it perfect for a joint home. One of the best places for a purple tone? Your dressing room or dressing area. It makes you really ready to go out.
- Grey – Perfect for joint homes between a couple, grey is one of the most versatile colours on the spectrum that is able to take on a range of personalities. Known for stirring a calm and composure feeling, it makes it a great choice for a family home. Whether you and your partner have children already or are planning to have children, be prepared with grey.
Also Read: The Colors of Emotion: Through Color Wheel
Make Compromises
You will have gathered that a lot of the solutions I list in this article involve compromise, and there is a very simple reason for this because it is key to ensuring you can move into a home with your partner without huge arguments. If your partner likes something that you don’t, do not immediately dismiss that idea. They will just feel as if their opinion is not valued. Instead, explain why you don’t like that idea and offer a solution, potentially in the form of a compromise!
This can be said for every single interior design issue when couples move in together. Don’t dismiss ideas, offer compromises and make things work for both of you, not just one of you! This will inevitably lead to a happy home for the both of you to live in peace in. In a home, you can both be proud of!
Why Starting Fresh is the Preferred Option?
In almost all cases, it will be better for a couple to start a fresh and move into a new home for the both of you. In the case of trying to merge two homes into one, you will run into more issues. More furniture may be kept, leading to a more cluttered home overall.
It is sometimes possible for the partner who moves into a home can still feel like a guest. This is why it may be a better option to sell/rent both of your individual homes and move into a completely new one on your own as a couple.
