Unless you have the rare fortune to marry someone who aligns with your stylistic tastes, decorating a home as a couple wall decor can be trying.  Either you will argue over very important things (which probably aren’t!) or you will both compromise, ending up with items neither of you like.  No matter how much you love someone, creating a home you both love can be tricky.  Here are a few tips that can help with one of the most difficult rooms of all – the living room:

Tip 1: Find the Objective

Jointly, you must decide on the purpose of the room.  Is it to watch TV?  Enjoy the view?  Take advantage of cozy reading areas.  Gaming?  Whatever it is for your home, make sure you are both clear on how the room will be used.  Finding common ground can handle a lot of disagreements right off the bat.  If something doesn’t assist the purpose of the space, it can be discounted without further discussion.  PRO TIP: Some objectives may not require the whole space; look for ways to address different ideas within the same room like a cozy reading nook in the corner of a room intended for watching movies.

Tip 2: Create a Neutral Base

If you create a base of neutral choices (such as walls, flooring, and major furniture) it increases the chances that you both will be able to add items important to you, without clashing.  It also helps over time, as you can swap out colors, art, decorative items, and smaller pieces of furniture without a full redo.  PRO TIP: Color palettes can be notoriously difficult to agree on.  The easiest way is to find something you both love (like a rug or a piece of art) and pull two or three colors from it. 

Tip 3: The 80/20 Rule

Designers often tout the importance of the 80/20 rule, which states that as long as 80% of your décor coordinates, 20% can fall outside of those parameters and the room will still look cohesive.  For example, you can have a very modern room with a single rustic art piece, and it will work.  You just have to trust the process!  PRO TIP: Another common design rule is 60/30/10; 60% of the room should be a dominant color, 30% should be the secondary color or texture and the last 10% should be an accent.

BONUS TIP: If you still find yourself stuck, consider hiring an interior designer.  They are accustomed to melding differing design styles and can often provide a communication bridge between couple wall decor.  They are also very good at alternative options for beloved items that may not need center stage in your home.