7 easy changes i made when my S.O. moved in

text by ARIEL FELDMAN photography by JANE BEILES

After living alone for five years, Homepolish designer Ariel Feldman had to adjust her style when she moved in with her boyfriend (now fiancé!) in December 2015. Besides sharing a bathroom, swapping her beloved prints and cheeky monograms for a sleeker, more neutral vibe was a task she was excited to take on. After learning the three most important things about co-habitation: compromise, compromise, compromise – Ariel created a beautiful and whimsical first home for two that’s mature, yet still feels comfy at the end of a long day. Click through to find Ariel’s S.O. tips for moving in with your significant other, and follow Ariel’s design account @fenimorelaneinteriors for daily #interiorinspo!

INVEST IN A QUALITY SECTIONAL SOFA.

Before my boyfriend moved in with me, I had a fancy crushed velvet dove grey sofa from Z Gallerie that I adored; functional, it was not. For the new addition of lazy football Sundays in my life, I found a comfortable (but still chic!) sectional sofa in a similar dove grey color, mixing form with function so we both had room to spread out and relax during Game of Thrones.

SWAP OUT BUSY PRINTS FOR “GENDER NEUTRAL” NEUTRALS.

The only request my fiancé had before moving in was “please do something about those chairs.” (Those chairs being a great set of four grey and white chevron dining chairs from One Kings Lane.) Since his style skewed more neutral and mine skews slightly more whimsical, we met in the middle with a versatile set of white Louis XIV Modani dining chairs – with easy-clean “pleather” fabric for the inevitable dinner party Bolognese spill.

EVEN OUT THE KITCHEN AND BAR CART.

Prior to cohabitation, my kitchenware and bar cart were slightly girly – think champagne glasses with a subtle lipstick kiss motif. To even out the vibe of our servingware, I invested in some small Mason jar cocktail glasses, a set of marble coasters and a small marble tray – perfect for cheese, nuts and the occasional sweet treat. I also created a uniform color scheme of white and blue for the kitchen, from

enamelware to a versatile rug and dishtowels. (We also added some Knob Creek to the bar cart – guess who that belongs to)?

ADD SOME PERSONALIZATION FOR BOTH OF YOU.

Having lived alone before the big move-in, some of my stuff had my initials on it (thank you, leftover towels from college.) To up the ante and make our space feel (significantly) more grown up, I swapped all of my old initial gear for crisp black and white linens, and added two simple Jonathan Adler black and white pillows with both of our initials – one for each side of our bed.

ORGANIZE THE BATHROOM.

The biggest adjustment to sharing any space, I think, is sharing a bathroom. I made the process a bit more seamless by hiding all of my products behind our mirrors (great storage trick!) and housing things like Epsom salts and bath oils in beautiful glass apothecary jars for a clean, hotel feel.

STYLE THE BOOKSHELVES WITH BOTH OF YOUR PERSONALITIES IN MIND.

In college, I was a dual English and Journalism major, so when my S.O. moved in, I had a ton of books, organized library style. We agreed that I would have to part with some of them, which left more room to stylize our bookshelves with the addition of trinkets, photos and coffee table books that reflect both of our interests, like design, architecture, and travel.

PURCHASE ART THAT’S MEANINGFUL TO EACH OF YOU.

When we moved in together, I had a lot of art that didn’t necessarily fit with the space we envisioned having together. We scoured online sources and local vendors for art that reflected both of our personalities and interests and the home we wanted to have. In particular, the “New York” piece, with the fonts of several different local magazines and newspapers, is one of our favorites – my fiancé is a born and bred New Yorker, and we both are avid readers. The 1967 Slim Aarons print above the sofa is also meaningful – you can see the street my parents live on in the distance!