Text by Holly McAlister

Marriage is a wonderful event, full of promise, togetherness, and selflessness. Then comes Moving Day. All too often, couples have entirely different tastes in decorating, and it can appear upon first glance that there is absolutely nothing in common between the two styles. However, Mark Eliason, of Jenkins Eliason Interiors, gives these tips on successfully merging two households into one.

Compromise is the key factor in combining two people’s items into one home. What you want is a blended home, one with things that both of you like, not just one of you. There will most likely be some give and take for both parties, but there is almost always a win-win situation if you look for it with an open mind and with a willingness to try. Often a third party is helpful in negotiating and seeing things from a different perspective than the bride and groom. This person can be a friend, a relative, a designer, or even the doorman, as long as he or she understands your likes and dislikes and is willing to see you through to the end. Mark, with twenty-two years of designing experience under his belt, admits to playing the “bad guy” in many of these situations, but he doesn’t mind it a bit. "They can gang up on me if they want to", he says. “They’re sticking together and getting a fresh look, and it saves them from arguments”.

Utilizing a designer or other third party is especially helpful when one spouse will be moving into a space already occupied by the other spouse. A designer will work to make the space over almost completely, mixing both sets of furniture, linens, and artwork, instead of simply “sticking” the newcomer’s pieces wherever there is room. It becomes your space as a couple rather than one person’s space with the other’s belongings thrown in here and there.

Color plays a large part in any style or décor. Look for common underlying hues in fabrics and wood tones. Try to find a color scheme that both of you like. Sometimes, all that is needed to coordinate two fabrics is to find a common color in both and drawing it out by using the color on the walls or on a furniture piece that will pull both prints together.

Scale is important to consider, as well. Victorian style, for instance, is intricate and detailed, while contemporary style is, for the most part, larger and more simple. Often, two styles can be combined, but it can be tricky to do and may require some assistance by a designer or by consulting various decorating books or websites. Other times, two pieces just might not go together, no matter how you arrange them. But, before you give up your favorite chair or your great grandmother’s dresser, try to fit it into the décor of another room. Consider unconventional uses of the pieces, like a sideboard to hold your television and stereo system. Often, furniture can serve more than one function, adding to the options you have for placement.

Freshening things up can do wonders for a space as well as your belongings. A fresh coat of paint on walls, picture frames, or a coffee table can completely transform a room. A wonderfully shaped chair, headed for the garbage truck because of its worn, outdated fabric can be saved by reupholstering it in a new length of fabric. New cabinet hardware can update a piece in seconds, and new throw pillows on a sofa can tie in an armchair or a loveseat. Mixing and matching picture frames or trading them out altogether for new ones can completely change the look of a room’s accessories.

Above all, Mark stresses, you want to create an overall environment that is not his and hers, but theirs. No more yours and mine, but ours. Certainly, there will be areas that are predominantly his or hers, but this should be the exception, not the rule. A masculine study and a more romantic sunroom are good examples of using different styles successfully in different areas of one home. But, strive to give the rooms that you both use on a daily basis a comfortable feeling. Incorporate things in the living room, kitchen, dining room, and bedroom that make both of you feel at home. Use coordinating colors, patterns, or accents throughout the house to create a comfortable flow from room to room.

Don’t let your marriage get off to a poor start by sweating the small stuff. Sit down together and work out a plan. Make it a priority to design your home to be a comfortable one for both of you, even if your largest argument is whether to turn the ottoman to a thirty degree angle versus a forty degree angle, or your smallest argument is whether or not the Chippendale settee will fit in the same room with the silver inflatable chair. There is almost always a compromise that will make both of you happy in the end if you will only take the time to look for it. If you do, it will be a beautiful home that both of you will love in the end.