10 Tips for Harmonious Design

Buy something together
"I tell couples to invest in a couple of new pieces they both love," says Sarit Catz, an interior designer in Short Hills, N.J. "After all, they're investing in their relationship." Maybe it’s a new queen-size bed or a comfy couch to snuggle up on. It’s something that’s not his or hers, but "theirs."

Purge a little
If either party truly hates an item, get rid of it. You don't want your new love to simmer with hostility every time he or she walks into your home, says Catz. What if you can’t bear to part with the offensive item? Catz says to put it in storage for a while to see if its hideousness declines. If you’re lucky, you’ll both forget you even have it. If worst comes to worst and the hated item has strong sentimental value, get creative, says Regimnanti: "Give it a corner in the bedroom if it’s a ‘no’ for the living room." Or suggest re-covering the item so that it’s less hand-me-down and more the couple’s combined style.

Compromise on color
It doesn’t have to be a black-and-white world. If she must have a pink room, try a wine. If he must have brown couch, try a cafe au lait tone. When it comes to color choices for everything from walls to window treatments there is middle ground.