Client:
Vignette Home Decor, Inc.
Batavia, IL
Contact:
Vignette Home Decor, Inc.
630-482-3000
Responsibilities:
Conceptualization to Execution
Originally Published:
May 2014 - Kane County Magazine
Mesh personal styles into a home you'll both adore
How can two people with differing personal styles blend those tastes into a home they both love and feel comfortable in? And what happens when he hates her antique dresser and she hates his couch?
The advantage we have in design today is that “eclectic” is very much the new trend. Perfectly matched sets have given way to a mixed array of items – old with new, geometrics with florals, mixed woods and metals.
The trick is to tie these items together in a manner that works for the room, and for the couple. Like a wedding and a marriage, compromise is key, and we try to integrate what’s important to both of them.
The first step is determining what each person likes…collectively. More often than not, there are pieces they both like. Those get integrated first and foremost. Then we look at the favorites, The big leather chair, for instance, or the floral sofa.
You can use a common color to integrate the two styles together in the same room.
More often than not, it’s the accessories that provide the means for the meshing. Geometric pillows are contemporary, but you can pair them with a floral pattern of the same color palette.
That being said, certain colors always will be sticking points. I would never put pink in a common space. In a bedroom or bathroom, sure, but not a kitchen or family room.
Much like color has certain places, so do certain pieces of furniture. We wouldn’t put a big oversized leather chair in a kitchen.
But you can repurpose items. Paint them, refinish them, and blend them together. Everything goes with solid colors and clean lines, and it’s a great way to keep a favorite piece intact.
Finally, even in the best of circumstances, there may be pieces one person wants which just don’t fit in the style scheme of the common parts of the home. In those situations, we recommend picking rooms in the home where each person can have their own space.
While I am not a fan of the term “man cave” you can create a place each person can claim as their own. This is particularly helpful when we talk about artwork, which can be a real challenge. It’s very subjective. Whether the couple has been together a long time or a short time, it’s often hard to place. Sometimes, it just needs to be seen as the “touch of whimsy” in the room.
Most important, a couple should embrace the differences in style and preference, just like they embrace the differences in each other. And throughout the marriage begin to choose items you both appreciate, and which become your own, together.