THE SECRET TO MAKING EVERYONE HAPPY WITH YOUR FURNITURE AND DÉCOR CHOICES CAN BE SUMMED UP IN ONE WORD: COLLABORATION.
Collaborative interior design may sound like a headache waiting to happen, but it’s easier than you think. It won’t be conflict- or compromise-free, but it will make the road to redecorating the family home a lot smoother!
In this how-to blog, we give you three big tips to get you started.
1. GET EVERYONE INVOLVED WHO WANTS TO BE INVOLVED
It might be easy and convenient for you to be the autocrat, but everyone will get along a whole lot better if people who want to be involved in home decoration are given the opportunity.
Even if there are people who don’t want to be involved, make sure you take their preferences. You never know what their preferences might be. They may have secretly wanted some safari-themed décor all this time!
2. INCLUDE THE KIDS
Just because kids are kids doesn’t mean they can't or shouldn't have a say. In fact, if you give them the appropriate time and space, kids can come up with plenty of reasonable and considerate contributions to your interior style. Plus, it will help them mature and they may even respect you more. (Check out our blog on the subject if you’re interested!)
3. FIND SOMETHING WHICH SUITS EVERY GENERATION LIVING IN YOUR HOME
Whether you’re a single parent with child or a household with grandparents, parents, half a dozen kids and pets to boot, designing and decorating your home in a way which works for all generations is something really worth thinking about.
You can read all about it in our multi-generational home blog, but basically it involves four steps:
- Getting to know your family, in terms of their interior design needs and preferences
- Planning for both common rooms and exclusive areas
- Sorting out safety requirements (depending on whether you have kids, pets, people with disabilities, or similar)
- Being realistic about the space you have without overly restricting your creativity
Do you have a big tip that we missed? We’d love to hear your thoughts in My Family Home, our dedicated Facebook group with 10K+ members. Join us for all things home decoration!