Learning the art of compromise

MOVING in with your significant other is a big step.

Whether you’re a new item or have been looking forward to sharing the same address for years, there’s always a few new things to learn.

In the past 12 months my boyfriend and I have successfully navigated the seas of compromise that come with forging a life together under the same roof.

We’ve established complementary morning routines that result in fair use of the bathroom and survived the division of chores, such as washing, folding, dusting, pet grooming and unpacking the dishwasher.

But despite having a shared love of all things Kmart, there has been times when our interior design preferences haven’t quite matched up as well as our personalities.

I’ve accepted that my budget won’t allow the colour co-ordinated beauty of a Bed Bath and Table catalogue but I am a big believer that “things” have a role to play in making a house a home.

I’m not big into knick-knacks — I don’t have a front yard full of garden gnomes or a mantelpiece covered in babushka dolls — but I’m not the kind of minimalist whose style screams hospital room chic, either. A trip to Ikea is my cheaper, adult version of a day at Disneyland and I take great pride in my strategically placed throw rugs, scented candles and indoor plants. Perhaps our biggest cohabitating victory to date was successfully negotiating a home for my boyfriend’s framed, life-size Michael Jordan poster that wasn’t in the hallway or master bedroom but rather in the bungalow (read: man cave) where they can be appreciated by fellow sport loving friends when they come over for pizza and footy nights. But a few styling challenges remain.

We’re yet to agree on a permanent place to put the microwave, which is currently sitting on “to be sold” furniture in the spare bedroom because my boyfriend thinks it causes clutter in the kitchen.

And we’re in a Mexican stand-off over the potential purchase of European (read: decorative, oversized but really pretty) pillows to complement our new quilt set.

We might be dealing with some adult realities like paying bills and submitting planning applications for renovations but I think the only fair, immediate solution to our interior design woes is a game of rock, paper, scissors.