Generational Home Decorating

House Member Input

• When you're decorating a space in which more than one generation of a family or friends live, you'll be more successful in your decorating efforts if you get the input of everyone living in the space. Find out how each person would like to use each room. Get their decorating ideas. Talk about what's possible for each space. While you won't be able to incorporate every idea, you will give all the people in your generational home a chance to have at least some of the decorative elements they want.

Coordinate With Color

• Although family members of different generations will have different color preferences, choosing some colors that everyone likes in common will help you unify the look of your multigenerational home. Talk with everyone about the color schemes they prefer. Use the most preferred colors as your main decorating colors, as well as for accent colors. Paint the walls that connect two rooms the same color to provide a visual tie between those rooms. Select decorative accessories, such as rugs and pillows, as well as furnishings, such the couches, that feature these colors. This will allow you to introduce decorating styles in separate parts of the house that appeal to each generation, because color will be the tie.

Room Dividers

• For rooms that all family members use, create separate spaces with room dividers. Many types of dividers exist, including divider screens. You can also use furniture items such as a tall, free-standing bookcase to divide the space. Decorate each side of the bookcase or room divider so that it appeals to the age group that will be using that side of the room. For example, if you use a bookcase as a divider, position the shelf side of the bookcase on the more adult side of the room. Keep items for crafts projects, such as knitting, as well as books that the adults will read, on the shelves. Utilize the backside of the shelf as a game room area for the kids. Hang up Velcro dart boards, posters and other decorative elements that appeal to that generation of the family.

Retro

• Working with retro styles provides you with a simple way to settle on a decorating style that appeals to more than one generation. Retro motifs allow the older generation to relive an era from their youth while introducing the style to a new generation of retro enthusiasts. For example, a '50s-style kitchen complete with chrome chairs and a mini-jukebox will appeal to teens who are just discovering the music of that era, as well as the adults who lived through it. Finally, incorporating a retro decorating style gives older family members a chance to display some of their heirlooms, adding a personal touch to your retro decorating scheme.