Jemma Smith Furnishing: HOW TO BLEND YOUR STYLES INTO ONE GREAT LOOK

You and your partner are a great match in so many ways. If only you were on the same page when it came to your taste in home decor…

Take heart in the fact that you’re not alone. Few couples find instant harmony as they “combine their assets,” so to speak. Not to worry. Consider this an opportunity to collaborate on a common goal: great style that works for both of you.

Embrace Your Differences—to an Extent

We’ve all heard the term, “eclectic style,” the concept that it’s OK to mix and match. While that’s very true, there’s a fine line between cool eclectic and flea market hodgepodge. If your styles are highly different (e.g., he likes European traditional while you love loft chic style), one of you is going to have to give up more than the other to make it work. Think of it as the 80/20 rule.

As long as about 80% of your room decor conveys a particular style, you can accessorize and really play around with that other 20% by incorporating some very different style accent pieces.

Make Easy Adjustments

Say he’s bringing a very expensive dining room set to the table. He loves it, and he paid a lot for it. So it’s staying. But it’s not quite you…too heavy, too traditional, too dark. Here’s an idea: elevate the space with a light and airy wall color…a crisp white or maybe even a sky blue can be instantly uplifting.

The right accessories like accent tables, lighting and wall art can bring the space closer to your style. Looking to modernize the traditional? An inspired choice in upholstery furniture, curtains or floor coverings can weave the “old and new” beautifully. Take, for example, rugs. A bold striped pattern or something "organic" with a flowing feel is still restrained enough to play with traditional furnishings. It’s just got a fresher, more contemporary slant.

Have a Common Thread

When you’re trying to merge a lot of different elements, consider the three Cs: color, consistency and commonality.

Color and consistency: If you think you have a “lot going on” in a room, an easy rule for tying the look together is to have a consistent thread throughout the space. Say that dining room set of his has upholstered chairs. A particular color in that upholstery might be an inspiration. Sprinkle that color throughout the space using pillows, throws and accent pieces to create your signature design.

Commonality: If you both have wall art you’re proud to show off, consider a “gallery look” so that they share the same style frames. It looks so much cleaner. A set of lamps that “talk” to each other or different accessories of the same material (e.g., a distressed goldtone metal) are all great “unifiers.”

Bright Idea: Check out our “How to Create a Gallery Wall” and “Going for Gold: Decorating with Metallic Gold Accessories” blogs for even more tips on how to liven up your space.

We’ve devoted an entire blog to the theme of getting a mattress that works for both of you. Check out "How to Choose a Mattress with Your Significant Other" to find out more. And don’t miss our partner blogger Jenna at Visions of Vogue who did an amazing job restyling her living room using exclusively Ashley HomeStore furniture!

These are just a few of the ways you can each express your individual tastes in a highly cohesive fashion. Most importantly, have fun and let your creativity shine!