The Art Of Compromise When Redecorating

Living with a partner will cause disagreements at some point. Arguing over who is going to put the washing out, do the dishes, change that flickering lightbulb – you know what it’s like.

On top of all that you don’t want to argue over the décor. A lot of time and effort goes into making your house a home so it’s something that needs to be carefully thought out.

Plan Together

Don’t just jump straight into decisions on your own because you will fall at your first hurdle. You may have different ideas of what needs to be changed and what can stay as it is, so it’s important you agree before you go out and buy a £50 lamp that your partner doesn’t think you need..

It might be a good idea to brainstorm your own ideas and then come together to discuss. You never know, your partner might suggest the perfect change you hadn’t even thought about. Talking your ideas through before you set off will make sure you’re both clear about what needs doing and how you are going to do it, hopefully preventing any disagreements later on.

Think about what you want to do and in what order. You can’t buy a sofa until you know what colour the room is going to be. So make a start with what room you are going to tackle first, and list what needs doing in that room so that you can both agree.

Budget

The main area which needs the attention of two heads is your budget. This should probably be decided before you do anything as how much you can spend determines what you can actually do.

I’m sure you have all had ‘the look’ when you tell your partner how much something has costs. This is why you need to think and talk about your budget together.

If you want to spend a lot on the lounge but your partner thinks your bathroom is going to cost more you need to think carefully about how you can compromise, and share you budget. This is a joint project so remember not to be selfish. Try and see if there is anywhere you might be able to save money. Doing jobs yourself will conserve money but be sure you know what you are doing.

Keep An Open Mind

When it comes to making a decision, particularly when the decision has to please two people, it’s important to keep an open mind. You might have your heart set on having a duck-egg blue living room whilst your partner would prefer magnolia. Listen to each other’s ideas and see how you can compromise. You might change your mind and be happy to have a magnolia living room, but with duck egg blue sofas. So don’t dismiss an idea until you have given it a chance.

Don’t Be Scared

Although it’s important to compromise when decorating, it’s also important to make sure you are both happy. While trying to avoid conflict, you need to remember that you should both be satisfied with the decision. The last thing you want to do is settle for a glass dining table then keep kicking yourself knowing the round oak table would have looked much better.

Don’t be scared about making suggestions whilst shopping. “I think a wooden table would complement our coir rug better.” Listen to each other and remember you both have to like what you choose. The art of compromising is listening to each other and being able to come to a mutual decision.

The most important thing to remember when redecorating with a partner is that it has to suit the both of you. Following these steps will make sure both of you are pleased with the end results and there is no moaning!

Have you recently redecorated with your partner? Let us know how you coped in the comments below.

Rosa is a creative individual who enjoys being hands on. She keeps an open mind and enjoys sharing new ideas. She writes for Oak Furniture Superstore.