- For couples who live together décor choices could pose an interesting challenge for lovers with different aesthetics
Rebecca Snowden, interior style advisor at Furniture And Choice, has teamed up with Billy Reid, relationship coach of Get Your Dream Partner, to share just what your home décor habits reveal about your relationship.
Whether you have recently moved in with your new squeeze or are years into co-habiting with your life partner your home decor can say a lot about your relationship.
Rebecca said: ‘Moving in with a significant other is an exciting milestone in many people’s lives and is a huge step to showing your commitment to that person.
‘Make sure to take time when decorating your house together, enjoying the process and reaping the benefits of quality time spent together.
‘Decorating your house with love will ensure you have a home for years to come.’
The always work-in-progress home
Means: unity is needed to bring balance
‘An unfinished home could be symptomatic of a relationship that is looking for unity in terms of a shared goal and purpose.
‘It’s key for both partners to be on the same page when approaching any task, especially one as big as a home renovation, so it’s important to ensure there’s the right communication tactics and desire to progress in place.
‘Setting time aside to finish the project, and spend time together whilst doing it, can be key for seeing this through to the end.’
2. The show home
Means: respect and mindfulness
‘The best adjusted couples tend to have organised rotas, schedules for chores and housekeeping and even simple things like maintenance when things break around the home, where each partner is mindful of what the other has done and will contribute in another equal or noticeable method.
‘These relationship structures are as much about fairness as they are about respect, mindfulness and conscientiousness.
‘It also can be incredibly sexy having a partner anticipate a situation and step into executing a chore you were not able to do unprompted.
‘Don’t sleep on chores and organisation, it can help other areas of the relationship too.’
3. The functional home
Means: appreciation and understanding
‘In couples where they appreciate the same things, function can suit both as much as appearance and homeliness can.
‘Where the couples are usually split, one couple may concede over the other for their wants if they feel more strongly about it.
‘One person may prefer to have all utensils out of sight but is not necessarily against pots and pans on display if there is an aesthetic visual benefit.
‘Often this battle is more about the tidy against the untidy, the uncluttered against the hoarder and issues can be dispersed by each respective partner taking time to familiarise oneself with the other’s bugbears and not to poke them.’
4. The knick knack home
Means: making memories is key
‘Where some may see clutter, you might see trinkets that act as a reminder of the happy years you’ve spent together.
‘Whilst a busy interior could potentially reflect a lack of organisation or time, ensuring you’re both spending time on household activities can stop tasks from building up and offer up a chance to be attentive to your living space.
‘There’s one thing for certain, having a home filled with bits and bobs that have sentimental value can really help in creating a comforting home that will show off your relationship to anyone that enters.
‘Just be careful not to over-do it as this can mean more upkeep is required which can have more impact on your relationship.’
5. The up-cycled home
Means: passion and creativity
‘If upcycling is a shared passion, then this can be an amazing bonding process for a couple. Shared values with regard to the environment, thrifting and recycling can represent a strength in a relationship.
‘It can be fun to look for new furniture and new places to find that furniture. The creativity involved to make one thing into another, can become a social enterprise as well as financially more conscious.
‘Equally, if one partner cares more than the other it can cause friction. Shared values, respect and communications should always be the first step before embarking on any purchasing or designing with a shared property or living space.
‘Introduce your partner gently into the things you care about if they are alien to them.’
