10 Tips to Combine Hers and His Furnishings

Combining her furniture with his furniture when a couple moves in together can be as difficult as dividing their furniture in a divorce.

Do you recall the scene from the film "When Harry Met Sally" and the character Jess moved his wagon wheel coffee table in to Marie's elegantly furnished living room? He cherished that table and she hated it. Neither wanted to give in and neither wanted to break the relationship. In the film he eventually gave up the table after his friend Harry told Jess how awful the table looked.  You and your partner may not have the advantage of a Harry around to help you solve your furniture problems.

Most couples today are blending households. In each case, either partner may have a small or large problem living with the other's treasures. Here's a list of tips that can help to happily combine his and hers furnishings into theirs.

1.  If your tastes in furniture are different and you are planning to combine the furniture you each have, then decide that your new blended interior will be an eclectic décor.

2.  Remember that your mutual goal is to create an interior decorating scheme that looks like it was done purposefully.

3.  Hiring an interior designer can help. I advise that you select a designer that you both trust and who will have the ultimate goal of a great project, even if the number of items utilized in your home may not be an equal amount from each partner.

4. Remember that your partner has lived with their possessions for awhile and is attached to these items being around. If there are items you will not be using in the new décor, give your partner some time to either store them, recycle them for a new use or get rid of them.

5.  When there are items, maybe sentimental, that your partner wants to look at and you may not want these on display, you can try the following options. The items can be located in an area where the partner can view them but not on display for your guests. You may decide to limit the display of these items to a specific length of time. If there are items of yours that he/she does not care for, you can decide to interchange and rotate the display time for each partner's things.

6.  Regarding upholstered furniture pieces, if the size and style works but not the fabric, you can update the pieces. Select a fabric you both like and reupholster the sofa or chair.

7.  More than likely you will need some new furniture items to complete your home decorating. Decide at the beginning what style direction you will want to take your décor.

8. Be prepared. Most likely you have seen his/hers furniture many times prior to your moving in together. Before the actual move-in date, start to look around and think about what items are negotiable for you to give up, and what items of your partners you can accept or need to reject.

9.  Keep in mind that your initial attempt may be the most emotionally charged and difficult for both of you. As time goes by, and you both take an honest look at your room's décor, good taste will win out.

10. Have fun. It's a joy and exciting to combine your living space together.

Rightsizing Design Is In

The interior design trend for a growing population is to downsize their living space---to make their living space the right size for their current lifestyle. People of all ages and demographics find that a change in lifestyle to smaller living spaces is the answer to their present needs. Couples are finding themselves in large homes where they raised their family and now have too many bedrooms and recreation room spaces. Many people who retire find they would rather have a smaller living space to keep up so they will be free to travel more and visit family and friends. Suddenly, single men and women are moving to smaller space that feel cozy for one.

But the change to downsizing can be unsettling. Many people believe the process is too challenging and are hesitant to move ahead. If you want to be excited about your move from a large residence to a smaller home, condo or apartment you may need help. A professional interior designer can help you to alleviate your concerns and cross the barrier with new enthusiasm and confidence.

I work with many clients who are rightsizing for many reasons. Here are just a few of the services that a professional interior designer can provide to help you to do this.

 - review of present furnishings
 - analysis of your lifestyle and budget
 - study of the floor plan of your new space to determine fit of current furniture
 - proposal for design of new space
 - accompany you to retail or wholesale suppliers to select new furnishings
 - recommendations for estate sales, consignment sales, movers, remodelers