The ability to compromise with your significant other on your home’s decor style is a good indicator of your communication skills as a couple. While arguing over paint colours and hardware may seem silly in the scheme of life, it’s actually a good exercise in bringing honesty and understanding into your relationship. It might seem easier to just let one person make the majority of the decisions – and for some couples this works. But if both individuals feel they have a vision for what they’d like their home to be, it’s best they work as a team to avoid resentment in the future.

Before even beginning a project, ask each other this question – what is important to you in this space? If your visions seem contradictory, try focusing on the commonalities instead of the differences. Do you both like warm colours? Clean lines? A particular pattern? Try and find things to agree on rather than disagree on. If it seems like you can’t agree on anything, a nature-inspired palette may be the way to go. Studies show that most people can live with spaces containing natural colours such as beige, light blue and soft green. But if one of you is craving boldness while the other prefers white on white, try going with a feature wall or integrating colour through accessories such as pillows and vases. Either option is easy to change!