Sometimes we don't always agree with our partner on the same look that we want in our home.  One person might want a modern style whilst the other prefers a more traditional look and feel. How do you marry the two styles together to create a home that you both love and enjoy?

I'd like to share with you Mel's story because she preferred a modern style whilst her hubby wanted to incorporate an ethnic screen from their travels.   At least they both agreed that the red sofa had to go.

Mel's room before makeover

To bring the two styles together I created a 'Modern Ethnic' design with my new digital interior design. My design incorporated a new modern sofa in the lounge area and the ethnic screen in the dining area. The personal accessories from their travels will bring the design together creating a cohesive room for the couple to enjoy with family and friends.

Mel's Modern Ethnic Digital Design

  

A significant change to the current room was to change the layout, flipping the lounge and dining room.   This created a warm and welcoming lounge with an energized dining area. You can read Mel's story by clicking on this picture of the new room layout...

Mel's Modern Eclectic Lounge

If, like Mel and her hubby, you're struggling to create a design or decorate your home because you and your partner have different opinions then here is my 5 step process to help create your cohesive home...

  

1: Decide what you both want to keep and cannot live without in the room

For example, Mel wanted storage to display her holiday treasures and her hubby wanted to keep his ethnic screen.   They both decided that the red sofa would go to a new home and they wanted to replace it with something more modern.

2: Decide on the style for the room

Once you know what items you're keeping then you should be able to identify and agree upon a style for your room.   Maybe it's modern or traditional, Parisian or Moroccan, or even a little eclectic like Mel's lounge and dining room. Remember to give your room a name that will showcase the style you're aiming for - Modern Eclectic - because this will create a stronger image of the finished room.

3: Decide on the colour scheme for the room

Now that you know the style of your room you can decide and agree upon a colour scheme that compliments the style. For Mel and her hubby I chose neutral tones balanced with green which is the colour trend for 2017. These colours will provide the perfect backdrop to compliment the accessories from their travels. If you're unsure about colour then check out my colour video for additional guidance. Remember that you and your partner will see colour differently because your eye sight is different.

 

4: Decide on the furniture and accessories for the room

You may be keeping some furniture and accessories which gave you inspiration for the room style. Take photos of these items and carry the photos with you when you go shopping for any new pieces of furniture or accessories. The photos will remind you of what you have at home and will help you choose new items that compliment your existing items. Remember to pay attention to your agreed colour scheme when buying new items so that they blend together beautifully with your existing items.

5: Decide on lighting for the room

Once you have decided where the furniture will be positioned in the room, you can then place the lighting to make sure it's appropriately placed. For example, if you have a chair where you love to sit and read then you'll probably need a floor lamp nearby to give you extra visibility when reading.

Going through my 5 step process, in the order that I've shown you, will help you and your partner agreed upon the main sticking points that cause disagreements when decorating a room.

 

Mel and her hubby both love the new cohesive design for their lounge and I'm looking forward to showing you the finished room later this year: "We couldn't find a way to make the space work to suit our different styles and personalities. The digital design managed to interpret all of our demands and differing opinions, turning it into a space that reflects our personality, harmonises the space and compliments the rest of our home."

Good luck creating your own cohesive home and click here if you're struggling and want to find out more about my digital interior design.