How To Combine Interior Design Styles With Your Partner | 247 Blog

Do you find yourself arguing with your partner about home interior choices? You’re not alone, over half of Brits admit to disagreeing with their other half about decorating their living space according to a recent survey of 2,000 people we carried out.¹ With the number of people cohabiting increasing every year², there are sure to be many design debates happening in homes all over the country.

Are you torn between curtains and blinds, or do you think you and your partner are compatible when it comes to interior styling? We’ve put together some ‘this or that’ style choices to put your relationship to the test below.

Take the quiz with your other half to see how your styles align (or differ!) by keeping track of whether you’re mostly A’s or B’s and comparing results.

Your Results

Did you get mostly A’s or B’s? Or did you and your partner disagree on any of the above? If so, you might not be compatible with your partner when it comes to interiors! That’s not unusual, though, since nearly a third of us have different styles to our other halves. 

Want to know the key to a harmonious home? Keep reading.

How to combine your styles and find a happy medium
 

Our Creative Director, Amy Wilson suggests that for couples moving in with each other, the best place to start is by creating a moodboard. It’s a fun activity to do together and can really start to get the inspiration flowing, whether that’s making a shared Pinterest board or being more interactive with a real life pinboard.

Whichever your preferred method, create an overall vision board, where you can collect images and samples of everything from colour schemes to completed houses that excite you and inspire. Then make a more detailed board for each room, including décor ideas, furniture inspiration and any materials or textures you want to include. These joint boards allow you and your partner to see where your tastes and preferences meet and coincide and should help to avoid any potential conflict.

Struggling to decide on paint colours?

The most common conflict when it comes to combining interiors is paint colour. Amy suggests that you should consider the direction of light in your room so you know whether you need warmer or cooler shades depending on the light. 

Take into consideration where and when you and your partner spend the most time. If you only use your living room in the evening, then you can opt for dark, warm tones that will be illuminated by lamps and candles. Equally, for conservatories or sun filled rooms, cooler blue and green tones will work well.

Blinds or Curtains?
 

Another cause for debate is whether to opt for blinds or curtains for your window dressings. Whilst blinds might feel like a more practical option, they can also be stylish too. Consider choosing roman blinds for a compromise between your typical roller blind and curtains - they’re available in various different colours, fabrics and textures and give a really luxe look to your windows.

Alternatively, if you can’t decide between the two – do both! Layering a full length curtain over your blinds is a great way to build more dimension into the room; as well as having heat benefits.

Golden rules for choosing the size of your furniture
 

Typically, couples tend to disagree on the size of TVs, sofas and accessories. When deciding on key investment pieces, Amy says the first question to ask is whether this is your ‘forever home’. If you think you may upsize at some point then make a wise investment and scale up your big ticket items, so they can work in a bigger space eventually. 

You should consider saving for the items you really lust after and stick to the rule of ‘1 in 1 out’ - each time you buy something new, you should gift or sell another item to keep your home free of unwanted clutter. 

Big scale items often have the opposite effect in a small room of actually making the space look larger and more luxurious, so if you see an oversized chandelier that you just have to have-go for it! A clever trick to make rooms look bigger is to take curtains and blinds outside the window and wider than the window reveal – this gives the illusion of bigger windows and adds a touch of drama to your room.

If you’re still struggling to come to a unanimous decision, contact our interior designer for more styling suggestions at interiordesign@247blinds.co.uk or visit our Inspiration Hub for some creative inspo.

References

¹Survey conducted by Censuswide on behalf of 247 Blinds - further information available on request

²According to ONS survey data published in 2021