Ever since my apartment tour racked up almost a million views over on YouTube (yeah, I’m starting this post with a humble-brag, get over it) one of the questions I see most often, when I dare to scan the comments, is how I’ve managed to convince my other half to agree to such a, er, pastel home? Or maybe just a bright, light house, at least…
The truth is, I’m blessed with quite a chilled out husband-to-be, so he’s rarely put his foot down to my pastel plans. Saying that, I’m still quite respectful of him as this is his house too, and I want him to feel comfortable in these walls.
Over the last few years of living together, we’ve worked together to create a lovely place to call our own, so I thought I’d share some tips on decorating when you’re a two-some.
Go Light, Bright & Neutral
I’m a fan of colour – I tend to avoid black and browns, and dark shades in general, so you really don’t see a lot of those hues in our house. Instead, I go for light shades – white walls, soft touches of nudes and greys, and lots of warm metallic accents.
I love blush, but I know it’s not realistic to inject pops of pink in to every room, so I usually get my pastel fix with light blues and majestic mints.
If you’re also trying to add colour but are getting a few complains from your lover, opt for subtle details like the occasional muted blush cushion or a mint side table.
I also recommend adding greenery in rooms where you do have more feminine details, it really diffuses the tones and adds more of a chilled vibe.
Split The Rooms
So in our home, we’ve kind of got rooms which represent us – I have the bedroom because I seem to own a lot of clothes and accessories. In this room, I’ve kind of taken the lead in terms of decor; there’s a mint table, my blush bag collection, marble details and more makeup than you could ever imagine.
Saying that, there’s a lot of Jordan’s personal bits and bobs around too, as well as a crazy amount of plants, so the room is quite neutral really.
Jordan has channelled his love of coffee and music in the kitchen and living room, and these rooms are definitely very relaxed – greys, golds, mints and monochrome. We have his entire vinyl collection on display too, which helps to make it a bit more representative of him.
Understand His Loves Too
When we need some new prints for a gallery wall, or some new ornaments for a new set of shelves, we pick out the new additions together. I try and add in the odd Star Wars print or buy coffee-related bits for the kitchen shelves, because when he’s happy, I’m happy.
We also share a lot of interests, like music and travelling, so I try and incorporate these where possible – it’s a nice way to make your home feel more personal too!
And yes, he did eventually get me in to Star Wars. It took five years, but he was persistent.
Involve Them In Your Decisions
Whenever I have an idea to change something, or want to buy a pink sofa (for my office! It wasn’t allowed in the living room, although he’s quite a fan of it now), I ask Jordan what he thinks.
I genuinely like to hear his ideas and plans for the house, and I also find it helps me make final decisions – after all, buying homeware can be pretty tough!
All you can do is create a home that you both love, and with everything in relationships, this too is all about compromise.
Any other tips for decorating with your loved one?