A loving and committed relationship doesn’t necessarily mean the two partners share the same tastes in Interior Decor. There are going to be differences whether these are based on favorite colors or the types of electronic gadgets enjoyed on a daily basis. With this in mind, I’ve collected together 5 living room solutions for newly married couples that will help prevent any tension and troubles resulting from differing design appreciations.

1) Plan Early – Collecting furniture, accessories, colors, wallpaper and units can take time and much deliberation. The sooner you as a couple come together in finding out what the other likes and dislikes in the home decor front, the better and smoother things will be once you’re married. This doesn’t mean going out and buying things immediately, merely that there is an understanding of the differences and commonalities.

2) Make a Scrapbook – Remember when you were at school and you were asked to brainstorm ideas for art or drama class? Take this concept and create an interior décor scrapbook together. Find magazines and newspapers from which you can tear out furniture and design images you like and stick them in the scrapbook. Do some sketches, doodles and stick some photocopied pictures in there as well. Make notes together and don’t worry about neatness.

After a while, you’ll both get a sense of what the other likes and dislikes. The resulting conversations will give you ideas for interior decoration concepts and themes for your living room. It’s also going to give you a chance to better know one another.

3) Build an Inventory – This will apply most to older couples who have collected together more belongings over the years than say, for example, a couple in their late teens or early twenties. Building an inventory of your individual furniture pieces, decorative items, electronic appliances and general accessories will help you both come to terms with what you really want to keep and what you might need to get rid of.

There’s going to be no room, in most cases, for two or three of everything, especially more bulky pieces of furniture like sofas, bookcases and coffee tables. By writing down a list together and figuring out what is surplas to requirements, you can collectively and carefully sort out what can be given to friends and family or alternatively, be thrown out.

As a hoarder myself, I know this can be difficult and will in fact be the hardest part of merging two sets of belongings together. Again, like in suggestion one, the earlier you start, the more relaxed you can be about all this.

4) Compromise – This is the golden rule I mentioned in an earlier post just last week which can be read here: His and Hers – 6 Ways of Avoiding the Battle of the Bedroom.

It’s rare that a married couple of 40 years will share the exact same tastes in things, let alone a newly married pair. The depth of love and devotion really has little bearing on interior decoration styles and tastes. Therefore, it is vital that a modicum of compromise is taken from an early stage of the relationship.

There are numerous ways to combine different styles in the same room. These include mixing and matching fabric types, colors, furniture and belongings in a way that satisfies both parties but also brings vibrancy and interest to an interior space. For example, a much loved armchair that has been in the husband’s family for decades but which looks like it has been dragged through a hedge, can be neatly covered in a fabric design that the wife loves. This still leaves the chair available to sit on during a football game whilst also being an attractive visual treat that merges in with the surrounding decor.

I’ll be mentioning many ways to do this over the coming weeks and months. Remember to subscribe to this blog to keep up-to-date with these posts.

5) Start Afresh – If you’re a young couple, still in your twenties, this is a pretty easy thing to do. You will have relatively few belongings and sentimental baggage which means you can start afresh with few problems. By starting afresh, I mean completely getting rid of all pre-existing furniture you might have had in earlier lodgings and beginning from scratch, together.

This has the major benefit of allowing you both to choose what will suit your home without having to work around pre-existing items that probably get on your nerves. Interior design themes and styles can be worked on together over time which will be equally enjoyed and added to by both husband and wife. Your personality as a couple will thus shine through more strongly.

These are just a few living room decorating solutions for newly married couples. Hopefully what I have written here will give you some impetus to work through the potential friction that can and does often take place when two individuals start living together as husband and wife.

1. Choose a fabric you love

This will seem obvious but it’s vital. Choose the fabrics that appeal most to you and that you feel you couldn’t live without. By doing this you will gain further inspiration and interest but most importantly, the fabric will become the basis of the color palette for your living room. Basically, choose the fabrics you love, then worry about the rest.

2. Using patterned fabrics

Patterned fabrics can really accentuate the colors in a home interior. They are ideal for freshening up a room. There are a few things to consider regarding patterned fabrics in relation to the size of the space. In a small living room, large patterns across the walls and floors might become too busy and headache inducing. In this instance, it’s best to use the patterns to highlight a chair, curtain or rug.

In a larger living room interior, then patterned fabrics can be used with a lot more freedom. Very small patterns can be successfully incorporated thereby adding a delicate feel and ambiance to a big space. Think about the furnishings in the room. You can cover an old armchair with a more modern fabric-look. Little things like sofa cushions and foot rests can be covered which will create small features and highlights throughout the interior. These add character.

You don’t have to stick to one pattern-style either. Perhaps have stripes for one area of the room and zig-zags or floral patterns for another. The best thing to do is buy some samples and place them inside your living room interior. This will give you an idea of how they will look in situ.

3. Mix and match fabric textures

There are so many different fabric textures to choose from. By using different textiles you can add layers, movement and variations of the same color to a living room. For example, a red velvet covered cushion will add shine to a sofa whilst a red cotton covered cushion will diffuse the glow of brightly toned item of furniture.

Fabric textures come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and materials. They also range in price from very cheap to very expensive. Some of the textures you can consider include: velvet, cotton, silk, wool, suede, leather, fake fur, hemp, sisal, jute, taffetas and even bamboo and straw.

4. Revise the interior look

A well designed room will have balance. This is a vital necessity otherwise the people that walk into your living room might come away with headaches and nausea from too much going on. Blending well is key. You can achieve this by contrasting different sized patterns in the same location for example. Think about mixing stripes with floral patterns or zig zags with circular designs. Break up colors with neutral tones so as to avoid glare and an overwhelming focus.

Sometimes it’s best to focus on simplicity and avoid stuffing the room full of fabrics, even if they are all your favorites and look great. You can always add to the interior space later on when you have actually lived inside the newly designed living room for a few weeks. It’s important to step back, relax and gently revise the textures and fabrics, once the initial design process has taken place.

Interior designers and decorators use mood boards before and during the designing of an interior space. Find some magazines, newspapers and fabric samples and create your own mood board. Add some of your own doodles, paint colors and written ideas. This will create a reference point and also add further inspiration. It’s fun, believe me.

Using fabrics and textures as inspiration for a home interior will provide you with an array of stimulating ideas that will match with your personal tastes and intended charachter of your living room. By taking a little time to consider the four points outlined above, you will eventually be able to complete a living room re-design that will compliment your personality and be central to your home’s identity.

The wood panelled walls in this room have been painted with a light green. For more warmth you could consider using a color such as the Katydid yellow-green paint. The rustic feel has been achieved with the ‘tongue and groove’ effect of the wall structure.

Some charming wall hangings will enliven the wood panelling. Think about some artsy rugs or folk music inspired paintings. Traditional twig brooms would be a great addition. For a heating source, similar to the one in the picture, think about this stylish wall mounted Flame Ambient Fireplace.

With existing furniture you can modify chairs and tables by painting them white and adding attractive folk art designs and motifs. These can include animals, stars and decorative patterns. Think about adding these in red or green, even in cream.

Wicker baskets and such items like silver pots, jugs and candlesticks can add a great deal to the rustic and country feel of a New England folk interior. Little fabric decorative items will creative a homely feel which is important in a living room.

Patchwork quilts for the sofa can be purchased which will add further to the folksy charachter of the interior space. Notice in the above picture the flooring. With this New England theme you can either go for wooden floorboards, painted or natural; or alternatively a rustic carpet made from Sea Grass or Sisal natural fiber.

I hope these picture examples and suggestions will help inspire you when designing a room in a folk art theme. There are a lot more possibilities which I will cover in future posts.

See also: 101 Living Rooms: Stylish Room Solutions from the BBC