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Ask Cristina:
Decorating in Pairs |
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Dear Cristina,
“¡Ayúdeme por favor! My husband and I have
completely different ideas when it comes to
decorating our home. I love bright, vibrant colors
like deep red and citron lime. His favorite colors
are beige, brown, and white. We haven’t been able to
agree, and we’ve hardly fought about anything until
now. Do you have any ideas that’ll help us figure
out a color scheme we’ll both love?”
M.E. Salazar
Since you both care enough about color to fight over
it, make the time to choose your color scheme
together. Don’t fall into the trap of choosing
colors on your own and then bringing the choices to
each other for approval—you’ll only end up in a
power struggle. Giving one partner veto power over
the other’s color choices is a sure-fire way to get
into another fight or end in a frustrating
standstill. |
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The colors you see in your home reflect the choices
you both make to define your life together. Use this
disagreement as a way to reach a new level of
understanding in your marriage. Here are a few
ground rules to start—add any others as needed:
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Don’t criticize any color choices (including
your own). You can say no to a color without
getting personal.
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Say things you would be comfortable hearing
yourself.
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Remember that you love each other. Compromise is
necessary for a new beginning.
Begin by working together to collect swatches or
examples of favorite colors. Go through your closet
together and collect piles of clothing colors you
love. You might be surprised to find that your
favorite color of faded blue jean is really more
blue-gray than bright blue. When you spot a great
color combination, like his natural-linen trousers
paired with your soft-turquoise shirt, take note.
Move your separate piles of clothing out of the
closet and set them aside.
Keep an open mind as you walk around the house and
collect other objects that have colors you adore.
Don’t limit yourself to the assortment of colors in
a few pictures or throw pillows. Open the kitchen
cupboards. You may love the deep, rich brown of your
favorite blend of café or the amber gleam of a cup
of brewed tea.
When you feel like you’ve collected enough samples,
sit down together and look at the collection of
items. Take turns choosing a favorite color from
your own pile and then a color you like (or can at
least live with) from his pile. You may both be
surprised with the color combinations you discover
you like. Remember his favorite linen trousers? Team
that soft-taupe color of linen with the deep red of
your favorite dress, and you’re on your way to a
great color scheme in the living room—taupe ceiling
and walls with a red accent wall. Pair the
cocoa-powder brown color of his beloved old leather
coat with the soft pinks of your best lingerie, and
you now have a sexy, warm color scheme for the
bedroom. Paint the trim throughout your home a soft
white or beige he likes that complements the colors
you enjoy, and it will unify the variety of colors
you choose in every room of your home.
When you choose your colors as a team, the home you
create together represents the life you create
together.
Do you have home-decorating questions for Cristina?
Email editor@latinastyle.com
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<
A single trim
color throughout the house unifies a variety
of different colors.
Cristina Acosta is a color consultant, home décor
designer, artist, the author of Paint Happy!, and a
contributor to a variety of home-décor magazines.
See more of Cristina’s work at
www.CristinaAcosta.com
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