Home Sweet Home…or is it? You’ve just moved in with your significant other and couldn’t be more excited; however your new home isn’t exactly boasting the ideal look and feel you were hoping for. You’ve been inspired by sites like Pinterest, and you have an idea of the overall theme/look you’re going for, what pictures to hang and where, and which accent pillows you want to use. The problem is you’ve now got to include your partner in these plans.

So, now what? You could try the ol’ “Well… you can decorate this room yourself (the one that is hidden in the back corner of the basement – which nobody ever sees) if I can decorate the rest of the house”, but that isn’t always going to cut it. Some partners want to share their opinion and incorporate their own interests in the decor. For example they may want to put up a poster of their favorite sports team or movie, a quote or even a piece of art that has nostalgic value. So let us tell you this, in the interest of a healthy and successful relationship, get to know what the word compromise really means.

Here are 5 tips on how best to compromise when it comes to decorating your home:

1) Make your partner feel included by getting them involved in the process early on.

2) Share your inspiration and ideas BEFORE buying new items.

3) Engage in open and honest communication about things you both like and dislike – make a list of all shared likes so you can refer to it when finalizing decisions.

4) Be open to new ideas. Explore new styles together. After all, you may find one that you both like.

5) Make an effort to display both personalities throughout the home in different rooms.

Again, we can’t promise you anything, but by working together and following these tips, the two of you should end up with a beautiful looking home that you’re both happy with and a space to call your very own.