Rommates bring a lot of benefits: you save money, share chores, and have someone to talk to when you're hanging out at home. But shared living is also challenging, especially if you have a strong sense of style that you want reflected in your home. (We're guessing that if you read this website, you probably do.) Apartment Therapy has featured some warm and welcoming communal homes that have taught us a few things about compromise...
Work with your roommates' style, not against it. Sarah, who shares her home with good friend Megan, admits, "I often feel the push-pull of my desire for a sleek mid-century modern living room," but their real-life living room, which blends several styles, has a sense of character and warmth that comes from unexpected pairings.
Edit what you can. Alina, who shares a home with 3 roommates, says, "Because there are so many of us living here, clutter can gather quickly." To keep it under control, have a seasonal "purge" when each roommate gets rid of what they can. You may have to compromise and live with a few things you don't like, but you'll hopefully clear out enough space to keep your home in good shape.
Embrace color. When you've got a wide range of furnishings, you're probably also going to have a diverse color palette. Create harmony between rooms by painting walls in colors that compliment the furnishings. Alina's home combines several styles in "an appreciation for comfort, nostalgia and color." The brightly painted walls are a defining feature of their house.
• 1 Alina, Vice, Joey, and Sean's Mystical Punk House: 4 roommates
• 2 Phillip's Shared Arrangement: 5 roommates
• 3 Sarah and Megan's Home: 2 roommates
• 4 Artists' Loft in Williamsburg: a large group of changing roommates
• 5 The Rolling House: prototype for a communal home by Andrés Jaque Arquitectos
Photos: Phillip Maisel, Phillip Maisel, Kyle Freeman, JS, Andrés Jaque Arquitectos
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I absolutely LOVE that orange-red kitchen.
Emily
view Emily Sneds's profile
While this is good advice, it can't always be followed. The last roommate I had decorated with tacky 90s era wanna-be Pottery Barn furniture (in 2006 mind you). Remember when forest green was all the rage in home decor?? She was also a control freak and didn't allow me to contribute anything to common areas of the flat. Needless to say, I'm so glad I live alone and can decorate as I please!
view dmh's profile
I had a roomate who brought home an entire plaid burlap livingroom set, complete with ottoman and pirate-ship-suitable tables, that had sat in someone's garage for 20 years.
I'm not sure which was worse, the ugly, the dust, or the stink.
view ohjodi's profile
The best part of growing up/getting old is not needing to have a roommate...
view bepsf's profile
I, too, paid my dues living with a roommate who embraced Hobby Lobby - style decorating. The color palette included forest green (and burnt orange, and blood red, and royal blue...) and there were lots of knick-knacks. Nothing served a purpose, other than to collect dust. She even had a clock that didn't work, but liked the way it looked on the mantel (in front of some inspirational quote plaques). I am so elated to be gone from that apartment and free of the clutter. Kudos to the living arrangements highlighted here who are able to make it work and benefit from the multiple view points.
view alsoiloveyou's profile
i'm really happy apartment therapy is addressing communal/roommate decorating. a majority of the posts were often about couples.
i've lived alone, and enjoy living with others, even if there are clashes of style.
view bittenbyamouse's profile