I’m debating on what to do with the curtains, throw pillow, rug, etc. I just moved across the country so I’m trying to budget wisely, but this is the first room you see coming into my home.

What's behind the blackness?

Is that the exact view when entering? Imo, art !

Has 100 good reviews.... for you both?

What colors for you each? Do you like red or blue?

Just the first in a long series of compromises and sacrifices you'll both make over the course of this relationship, if it's a healthy one.

You have a common interest: modern. The challenge will be to find pieces you can both live with happily.

I would suggest getting him on Houzz and you can both save some pictures of rooms that appeal to you, in seperate ideabooks. You'll be able to comment on each other's saves; hopefully you'll find some that you both love. Then you can work toward creating the look of your room to express your individual and couple personalities.

Keep your colors calming.

You can mix styles, but maybe try to have a consistent color palette. If you both like blue, you could use a couple shades of blue and mix with neutrals such as tan, black & white.

I would opt for simple modern coastal as a compromise : ) . Think about what coastal means to you. Is it color, such as various shades of blue and green? If so, is this something your boyfriend could live with? Or does coastal mean a weathered looking sign that says "This Way to the Beach" and paintings of lighthouses? Or does it mean the look of the beach house in the movie "Something's Gotta Give"?

If you're trying to budget, look at Ikea if you have one nearby for curtains and a rug. Ikea has some great linen curtains in various colors (white, natural, gray, aqua), such as the Aina style. Look at Ikea for rugs, too. Their Stockholm striped rug, which has made the rounds of design magazines and blogs, is very modern, very coastal : ) . They also have some nice jute rugs which fit the bill.

Etsy has an amazing selection of throw pillows in all sorts of colors and patterns. Then again, so does Ikea : ) .

Thank you all so much. As for what’s behind the black, it’s a window to my front yard! I love these ideas. Thank you for being budget friendly!!! I like keeping it cheap because then I can switch it up without being like “gosh I wasted this money..”

Drapes! Look at the pics posted above, the drapes lift the rooms and add such warmth and sophistication.

At least you have the modern part in common!

Nothing to me says coastal more than a crisp navy. Maybe just by layering in some navy and white/cream throw pillows and seagrass accents, and a sisal rug, it will give it a coastal Vibe without it being too overt for him?

Yes, drapes. But notice how the drapes are hung in the pictures above. The rod is just below the ceiling and there is plenty of fullness in the drapes. This look is so much better than a rod at window height with not enough fullness. That simple addition of height and fullness makes a world of difference to the room. As mentioned above, Ikea is a great spot to find curtains in many colours and textures. The bonus is that most of theirs also come unhemmed so getting them long enough to hang closer to the ceiling shouldn't be an issue.

If you and your partner can each contribute a few accessories that suit your style, I think you can blend both of your choices into your room. There is a lot of opportunity to make that room by adding some accessories: area rug, wall art, cushions, art pieces on the tables, different lamps or different lampshades. Maybe some plants if you can agree and they aren't going to be an issue with pets. A really lovely tall plant in a nice planter could really convey either modern or modern coastal.

Another popular site that seems to be mentioned quite a bit here is Wayfair. Even if you don't buy there, they have endless amounts of ideas that you can review and customize for your space.

curtains rug art ,is pretty bare

Can we see more pictures of the room and at least one with natural light (blinds open)? I'm wondering if you will have a tv in this room and if the furniture arrangement should be changed...loveseat in front of window, sofa facing tv on wall, sofa on largest wall if no tv, etc. What are the connecting rooms?

I agree with Kim, it would be helpful to see more of the room so as to be able to comment on whether you need to rearrange the furniture. If there
is any choice, it is rarely the best layout to have your largest piece
of furniture under the main window in the room. While you're at it re: more photos it would also be helpful to see what else is going on in the house re: layout and over-all style.

I’ll get pictures with natural light tomorrow!! The only rearranging I could do would be to switch the sofa and the loveseat! It didn’t look right the other way but definitely could be tried!!