By Cheryl Luckett
Interior Designer
Developing a design plan for clients is not always an easy task. Add to that conflicting styles and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. When I’m pulling together spaces for couples there are a few things that I like to keep in mind that I believe are keys to merging two design aesthetics into one.
- I like to have a really good understanding of what each party is looking for in terms of style. Perhaps it’s bohemian for one and traditional for another. It’s my job to take the two styles, no matter how different, and make them work together. In order to accomplish this I have to know what each wants. The problem, when there isn’t a designer to mediate, is that typically couples don’t take the time to really listen and understand what the other desires. We have a tendency to so heavily on how different their style is from our own, that we close ourselves off from the possibility of meeting somewhere in the middle by merging the two.
- Find the Right Mix. The key here is to make sure that the design addresses both styles. You also need to make sure that there is equitable representation of each style. Adding in a single element to appease the other isn’t going to work here. Here’s an example.
For this project I needed to merge his affinity for modern with her love of antiques. This antique cabinet is a great example of how we combined their two styles. The back of the piece was outfitted with a cardboard insert covered in a modern green and white trellis wallpaper. The cardboard allowed us to jazz up the piece without damaging the valuable heirloom. He got a little modern and she got to keep her treasured antique. That’s what I call a win-win.
- Make it work. What most fail to understand is the fact that so many styles can work together. The rules are made to be broken. Often, the most beautiful spaces include an eclectic mix of styles. It’s your home! It should represent you.
Here are a couple of examples of how to make it work.
See! It’s not nearly as difficult as it might seem. The key is to take the time to listen, find the mix of what both of you want and make it personal. Your home should be an expression of who you are and most importantly a place you love to be.
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