Waiting until you are married to move in together may be a wise choice, with those who take this path having a 50% lower divorce rate than those who live together first. It also means that your first job as a married couple is moving to a new house, which can be an exciting start. With a fresh home, you have the opportunity to add your own touch to a building which represents your marriage. However, negotiating paint colors and ornaments can be rocky territory for couples. Once you’ve had the perfect wedding and returned from the honeymoon, here’s how to get starting on doing up the house.
Openly discuss your needs and tastes
Everyone knows that marriage is about open communication, but have you properly discussed interior design with your partner? Before any furniture is bought, you’ll need to discuss both needs and tastes in this area. That way, you’ll avoid the groom building his man cave in the bride’s office.
Just like you negotiated the financing for your property and the location of the house itself, you need to also come to an agreement on aesthetics. You could both be hiding wildly different tastes and need to come to a sensible compromise. Homes generally have a theme throughout, such as traditional vs. modern, which should be maintained. However, if you both agree, then you could switch it up and build a contemporary design into an older property.
Start safe and neutral, before adding a personal touch
If an agreement on something bold and exciting can’t be reached, then hopefully you’ll both agree on neutral colors and simple designs. This might feel like a disappointment at first but think of it like a blank page. As you journey on into married life, you’ll be able to slowly add to the property as and when you find decorative items that you both like.
This way, your home is like a scrapbook, with each item having a sentimental value linked to a specific moment in your marriage. It also lets you try out different styles in a small area of the house. You can then live with it for a few weeks and see if you like it. This slower approach is usually a better option if you, as a couple, don’t have a clear and unified vision in mind for how you want the property to look.
Go shopping together
If you do manage to settle on an agreement in terms of taste, then it is time to go shopping. This is best done as a couple. That way, you can both agree on something before a purchase is made. A piece of furniture can look much better in person than it does on a photo, so physically seeing and trying out the items as a couple will make purchases easier.
Designing your dream home as a couple is an exciting step, but it can cause problems. Be open with each other about needs and wants, being willing to build from a neutral starting point if that works better. Do everything together, including the shopping, to ensure that everyone is happy.
