How to Combine Multiple Styles in Your College Space

By Kaitlin Hurtado on January 31, 2017

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Once you move out of the dorms, you’re faced with the search for an apartment or house that is close enough to campus and one that won’t break your bank. Apartments that are closer to campus tend to be cheaper, and to lessen the financial burden, students tend to add as many roommates as possible to a single space.

The perk of a lower rent is compromised when it comes to deciding how to decorate the shared space, as it is more than likely that each roommate has different tastes and expectations when it comes to decorating their living space. In order to make the decoration process a little easier and to prevent conflict between roommates, here are tips on how to decorate a shared space.

Let everyone have their say — or their own pieces or decor — in your living space

Rather than having a single person have their own style shown in the decor of your living space, let everyone put a little bit of their style into your space. One roommate may want to put a tapestry up behind the couch, while another wants to put a specific rug underneath the coffee table. Instead of turning down the idea of two different styles in one room, be more open to it — two different styles does not necessarily mean two clashing styles.

Incorporating more than one style into your space also adds character to the space, making it more homey for everyone rather than just for the person that had the final say in decorating. Try to be as equal as possible when it comes to designating decorating to roommates — whether it’s the living room, bathroom, or bedroom.

To avoid clashing colors and prints when combining styles, go for neutral colors for staple pieces like the couch and coffee table. Make the decorations reflect each roommate’s personality.

Image via pixabay.com

Communicate what each roommate is bringing to the living space

Prior to move in, it’s important to discuss what each roommate will be taking to the living space and where you are planning on putting it. Without communication, more than one person can bring their couch without thinking anyone else would and you’ll have multiple couches stuffed into whatever space you can find.

To make combining styles easier even before you move in, work out who will bring what. Sharing the responsibility of filling the space with their own furniture will make each person involved feel like their own style is shown in your space’s decor.

Don’t overdecorate, but do de-clutter

While you do want to have everyone involved in the decorating process and have everyone be able to have their own say in decorating, learn when decorating/filling the space with multiple styles turns into making a living space a messy and overfilled space.

De-cluttering is each person’s responsibility; you shouldn’t move into a space expecting that everyone can live around your belongings and move their own possessions for the sake of your decorating plans. It may mean sending an armchair back home, or sending it to a nearby storage unit rental. It also may be as small as sending extra throws for the living room couch back home due to someone else already having the same idea.

When you de-clutter, consider renting a storage unit nearby with your roommates. Storage units can offer an alternative solution — rotate furniture and decor between your living space and storage unit to let everyone have a turn in decorating the living space with their style.

Decorate the space together – rent and/or buy furniture and decorations

Instead of bringing furniture and decor that reflects each roommate’s personal style, start anew when moving into the living space. Go furniture and decor shopping together, which will allow everyone to come to a mutual agreement on how to decorate the space and effectively fuse multiple styles into one.

Another option for starting anew is to rent furniture and decor rather than buying it. This option not only saves the money of buying furniture or scouring thrift stores and garage sales but also prevents the hassle of deciding who gets to keep what when it comes time to move out of the living space.

Be willing to compromise

At the end of the day, having your rug under the coffee table isn’t worth having your living space filled with tension and your roommates’ tip-toeing around each other just because one person got to have their rug in the living room and another couldn’t.

Be ready to negotiate and be fair when it comes to decorating. As much as you want to decorate the living room to replicate your dream living room, remember that your roommates want their own dream living room too. Rather than aiming for a replica of your dream space, aim to create a comfortable living space for you and your roommates — one that allows everyone to showcase their individuality within the space.

Looking for an easy way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Renting furniture from CORT saves you time and money. See how easy it is to get great looking furniture without breaking the bank.

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