Do you and your SO agree on design aesthetics?

[Jennasis]

We've slowly (and I mean SLOOoooooooooowly) been updating our home. We've been here almost 8 years and some things haven't been changed since we moved in and they were pretty unattractive when we moved in!

Luckily DH and I pretty much agree on the kind of design we like (clean lines, very modern...our goal is to look like an IKEA ad! No small feat considering our home is essentially a cape style farmhouse).

We tackled our bathroom last year (if some of you recall) and just redid all the blinds in our dining room foyer this afternoon. Little things make a huge difference! Next year we hope to do the kitchen. not a total overhaul, bu a facelift for sure. I watch those renovation shows where the couples butt heads over colors, materials, etc and I can't imagine how much harder doing even little design changes would be if we didn't agree.

So anyone here vehemently disagree with their SO's design style? Not a fan of you DH's Budweiser mirror? Hate the wife's Laura Ashley bedding? how do you compromise?

 

[PghLybrt]

When most people walk into our home we get alot of Ikea comments! Luckily we both like it so we never have disagreements over the house. The only thing that we disagree on is her NY giants stuff, which belongs in the basement or in the garage! That way it leaves the breakfast nook open for our Pittsburgh Passion football stuff as well as our Steelers!

 

[kacaju]

my husband doesn't care. I do what I want. Now, that said, I will consult with him just in case I pick out something he hates.
In 19 years, it only happened once, he didnt like the couch I picked out. He had a chance to go look at it, didn't want to and grew to love the couch!!

 

[rie'smom]

We work well together. I come up with the concept and draw it up and if it's a piece of furniture or cabinets, he builds them.

 

[bumbershoot]

Apart from style of house (he has an abiding love for ranch style homes and I, um, do NOT), which is moot anyway b/c we rent a condo, we basically agree on the inside of the house.

When most people walk into our home we get alot of Ikea comments!

Heh heh...now that we're in a bigger place, our Ikea stuff is further apart and it's not just like walking into the Seattle store and seeing the first showroom (which I took a picture of and then bought most of the shelving units to replicate), we don't get that as much. But still, quite a bit of our stuff is from Ikea!

We work well together. I come up with the concept and draw it up and if it's a piece of furniture or cabinets, he builds them.

Ohhh why doesn't hubby trust that I could build some stuff???? He's an artistic type and could totally draw something. Then I could go to the small locally-owned lumberyard and get the wood (and probably some sage advice) and we HAVE the tools and even saws and stuff...it would be SO awesome. He just doesn't see it as being as simple as I think it would be!

 

[Acklander]

We're more a Pottery Barn ad, but I get what you're talking about For the most part, we agree. DH is a bit nervous about using color (I love bold colors, he likes the various shades of white or beige) but I'm usually able to get him to come around, and when it's done, he agree's that it's stunning. I just have to remind him of that whenever I go to change color again.

 

[PghLybrt]

Heh heh...now that we're in a bigger place, our Ikea stuff is further apart and it's not just like walking into the Seattle store and seeing the first showroom (which I took a picture of and then bought most of the shelving units to replicate), we don't get that as much. But still, quite a bit of our stuff is from Ikea!

It is kind of funny because I would guess maybe 20% of our house came from ikea. I think people see modern and think Ikea. I dont mind them thinking that.

 

[golfgal]

I suppose in a sense we agree, DH agrees that he has no clue when it comes to decorating and lets me take care of it. If he had his way though the walls would be white, there would be NOTHING out, no end tables, nothing displayed, kind of like the sanatorium look. He does agree now though that color on the walls and some things set around the house makes it feel more homey.

 

[Mimi1965]

We have similar tastes-he mostly agrees with me

He did sway me to a differnet bed for our Master a year ago & I am very glad we didint buy the one I first picked out.

 

[Hutchy]

Apart from style of house (he has an abiding love for ranch style homes and I, um, do NOT), which is moot anyway b/c we rent a condo, we basically agree on the inside of the house.




Heh heh...now that we're in a bigger place, our Ikea stuff is further apart and it's not just like walking into the Seattle store and seeing the first showroom (which I took a picture of and then bought most of the shelving units to replicate), we don't get that as much. But still, quite a bit of our stuff is from Ikea!




Ohhh why doesn't hubby trust that I could build some stuff???? He's an artistic type and could totally draw something. Then I could go to the small locally-owned lumberyard and get the wood (and probably some sage advice) and we HAVE the tools and even saws and stuff...it would be SO awesome. He just doesn't see it as being as simple as I think it would be!

You should check out this site http://www.knock-offwood.com/ she has FANTASTIC furniture plans on her site!! I've built a bed and dining room chairs by myself and my husband and I built a dining room table and a dresser for our bedroom. The plans are very easy to follow and I really enjoy building my own furniture and knowing it's sturdy and will last a long time.

To answer the question, my husband doesn't really care. Every time he deploys I redo some portion of the house without him. He does like the same stuff as I do luckly so it works out.

 

[MIGrandma]

DH couldn't care less how I decorate our house, he's happy with whatever I pick out.

When we added our family room onto the house he told me to take my Mother shopping with me.

The next re-do for our family room I would like the up north lodge look. Cedar wood furniture, very rustic. Pine and twig table/chairs, coffee and end tables. Every time we go to Cabela's (huge sporting goods store) I just walk around their furniture department drooling.

 

[tonilea]

No. For some reason he gravitates to gaudy floral patterned sofas. Blech!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It depends.
On some things we click..on others it takes a long long long time to agree.

A house--pretty much on the same page as far as floor plans and function. We tend to agree easily.

Our couches...took 7 years before we agreed. He likes comfy and I don't want couch shaped pillows in the living room. Took that long until we came across something agreeable.

Coffee table took much less time. That took 2 years.

Surround sound...I am okay with it ask long as wires are not exposed. In our new home he will have a theater room...and while he has "control" on pretty much every element in the room--he can do anything but expose the wires. The staircase has a crawl space on the very wall that will host his movie screen and tv. I made sure to remind him about wires.

 

[bicker]

A lot of things don't get done, or take a very long time to get done, because it is sometimes very difficult to find something we both like. DW is more often drawn-in by something she just saw, or just another just to get something done, while I am slavishly-drawn to something that we will enjoy for ten years or more. Generally, she will like what I end up liking, but most of what she likes, I don't like.

 

[onelilspark]

My boyfriend moved in about a year ago now. So I had the house decorated the way I liked. We switched the bedroom around to a more neutral gender decor. But our bathroom I had red rugs, a red trim on the wall, and a zebra print shower curtain. He dropped hints that he didn't like the shower curtain and this past week we re-did the paint on the trim and redecorated. It wasn't until after we had replaced everything that I discovered how much he hated that zebra shower curtain "I don't know what possessed you to put that up."

 

[monkeybug]

I like an Anthropologie/Farmhouse type of look and sometimes my husband doubts the bold colors (for accents, our furniture is very neutral). He tends to gravitate towards all neutral colors. Usually once I get something home or finish making it/painting it he loves it, he just puts up a fight initially because he doesn't get my vision.

 

[kellyg403]

We actually don't agree on much when it comes to decorating the house but dh always says 'well, lets see how it looks' aka..gives in. He honestly believes that the house is my department so whatever. He always says whats on his mind BUT I know that he will at least try a color or style. Its gotten so in the last few years he actually likes watching those home shows with me on HGTV!

Kelly