As the founder of the popular blog, book, and podcast, “The Skinny Confidential,” Lauryn Evarts has built a business around her personal point of view on all things lifestyle … including home decor. So, when Evarts got married in November 2016, she was determined to preserve the “light, feminine” she (and her readers) love, while also creating a home that was a reflection of her new husband, too.

One year later, here are the tips that have served her best.  

How to decorate as a newlywed

Get a new place.

Lauryn and her husband Michael moved in together for the first time after they got engaged, and while each already had a home they loved, they knew the best thing for their relationship would be to start fresh in a new space. “I didn’t want it to be this battle of ‘you’re not putting things away right,’ or feeling like it was one person’s space more than the other’s. We always said I would never move into his space and he would never move into mine, and I think that’s served us well.” 

Carve out your own space.

One of the first orders of business after the couple moved in together: they each chose their own space. He has a man cave, while she has her office. “Michael’s man cave is super dark, the paint is black, and it’s filled with lots of books he loves to read. My space is my office. It’s white and bright and light, and I have an exaggerated desk with a custom marble top. Ideally, I’d love to have my own bathroom, too, but our place isn’t that spacious,” she laughs.

Don’t rush.

Don’t feel like just because you’re married, you need to have an “adult” home right away. “When you get married it’s like you suddenly feel like you’re an adult and have to have this finished house,” Lauryn says. “But if you rush, and go out and buy everything all at once just so your house is finished, it won’t have any personality. Resist the temptation to just go to one store and buy everything, and collect things over time.”

Get creative with your budget.

Newly married couples are often decorating on a budget, but Evarts says not to let that limit your creativity. Her strategy: to spend more on staple pieces like sofas, bed frames, and statement items, and take a thriftier approach to accents and art. “There is so much you can do on a budget,” she says. One example: “When I first had my own apartment, I would frame scarves to make these huge pieces of art,” she says. “They looked incredible and cost almost nothing.” 

Let your style evolve.

Instead of a compromise, Lauryn views the style of her shared home as an evolution. “My style at my first house was very light and feminine. The colors were white and bright, with pops of teal and pink, and Michael’s style was obviously a lot more masculine. But I’m all about evolving, so when we moved in together we really just embraced the contrast of the masculine and feminine pieces to create our home. We even emphasize it.” 

Want more from Lauryn? Check out her TDN TV series, “How to Style,” here.