Nate Berkus relied on these two decorating rules when he moved in with his husband

Today, interior designer Nate Berkus and his husband Jeremiah Brent, who is also a designer, have a home that exudes taste and cohesion. But it wasn’t always like that. When PureWow recently spoke with Berkus, the home expert explained exactly how he and Brent blended their styles, keeping conflicts to a minimum, because let’s be honest: Coexistence can be difficult when it comes to design.

When it came time to build a house together, Berkus says he and Brent followed two rules. The first rule? Each partner has the right of veto.

“If a person absolutely hates (an item), it’s not discussed. We’re not going to try,” explained Berkus.

Berkus, who recently collaborated with Novartis’ My Home in Sight kit, went on to say that this system also works for items they’re not so sure about. “If one person doesn’t like an idea, that’s a no,” he said. “But if a person is on the fence, then we’ll try it, whether it’s (changing) the look of a room, adding a piece or even taking something away.”

The the second rule will resonate with anyone who has ever shared a space with someone. Berkus says it’s important to recognize your priorities and don’t put your love for a rug over your relationship.

Berkus explains that the general order in any household should be “people, then pets, then things, as far as priorities in both design and life.” With that in mind, he says, “It’s not worth fighting your marriage over a table lamp.”

You make it sound so easy, Nate. Now if only our partner loved that blush velvet sofa as much as we do…

IN CONNECTION WITH: Exclusive: Father-of-two Nate Berkus has a white couch — Here’s how he keeps it clean