Design wars

Be prepared to mix and match different styles and periods
Karen wants fabric to reign in the living room and Eric wants leather. No problem: get a sofa in fabric and two leather club chairs or a leather ottoman. There's nothing wrong with mixing materials if that meets both tastes.

Re-jig, re-use, re-paint
If, between the two of you, there are a number of disparate pieces, you can unify them by painting them the same colour or reupholstering them with the same fabric. Maybe you don't like his dresser; update it with a coat of paint or new hardware.

Pick your battles
Remember: unless it's a family heirloom, it's just furniture. Don't let it ruin your relationship. Use pieces in places you wouldn't usually think to: If he really prefers his bedroom dresser to yours, put yours in the front hall as a place to throw keys, store gloves and scarves and other off-season necessities.

Think about scale
Just because your nine-person sectional (clad in butter-soft Italian leather and boasting hand-crafted springs) is a showstopper, his velour covered three-seater might actually fit your new square living room better.

Consider a pro
In the battle of the sexes, I recommend couples handle disagreements through a designer. He or she can mediate the relationship and create a harmonious look in the home. Being a designer is about understanding his tastes and her tastes and merging the two so in the end there's a cohesive look and each person feels represented.

Finally, hope your dream home has a basement where you can store things out of sight!

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