Furniture and fabric designer Joe Ruggiero often finds it difficult to bring partners together when it comes to furnishing their homes. One wants a look that borders Barbie-town and the other - a bachelor pad. According to Ruggiero, meeting somewhere in the middle can be a daunting, even divorce-defying task.

"I've saved a lot of relationships," Ruggiero jokes, "by finding a common ground, and from there combining both individual styles and personalities throughout the home."

Making his job more interesting today is his collection of classic upholstery designs from Norwalk Furniture and Sunbrella fabrics that mimic fashion apparel, specifically menswear. Today, menswear is no longer a gender-specific style. In fact, you might say it has moved from the male body to the female body to the androgynous home environment with all the style and grace of an Astaire greets Hepburn movie set.

Suiting up your upholstery

The migration of masculine fabrics and patterns - from argyle to herringbone, tweed, plaid, flannel and even the necktie stripe - to women's apparel, even couture, is proof of its staying power and "unisex" appeal. "The look is right for the home," says Ruggiero, "because it is something you will never tire of. It's pleasing to both him and her."

To suit up upholstery profiles, Ruggiero resorts to menswear-inspired blends from his Sunbrella collection of performance fabrics. His favorite pattern is the ever-popular, traditional glen plaid - appropriately called Glen. Inspired by a classic 1930s men's sports coat, the designer softens it "for her" with a hint of tropical color in a custard coloration. "It has a little bit of melon worked in with dark chocolate," says Ruggiero. "Melon makes her happy - because it is seen today on the fashion runways - without losing any of the masculinity in the pattern for him."

Ruggiero also recommends classic herringbone to clients - with row after row of tiny V patterns. His interpretation, however, is more subtle, making it even more appealing to both sexes. Houndstooth represents another option - a woven design of broken checks that find their way into high fashion collections each fall.

Appreciated, too, is the fact that Ruggiero's fabrics are considered 'performance'-making them resistant to everyday wear-and-tear.

Selecting classic, not trendy upholstery

Upholstery anchors the room, says Ruggiero, who has been designing interior spaces for nearly 30 years. So, what to do when you want a high back tufted sofa with traces of Victoriana and he wants an old-school style recliner for Sunday football?

When tastes don't match up, Ruggiero offers these tips to couples.

* Steer clear of a room full of furniture that is tied to a specific era of design. "It can be too limiting especially when accessorizing," says Ruggiero.

* Look for designs with a traditional meets modern day persona. For Norwalk Furniture, Ruggiero has designed a collection of "trad mod" upholstered pieces. Among the sofas, chairs, ottomans and occasional benches and headboards are a mix of more structured silhouettes for him and, for her, softened, more detailed styles.

* Especially suited for him is the English club chair called Arthur, extremely tailored with capped arms and a tight seat and back, while pleasing her softer side, you can add trim or embellishments to the chair, such as nailheads, buttons and luggage stitching, all influenced by fashion.

* Take an elegant piece of furniture and cover it in a subtle menswear texture, such as beautiful camelback sofa wrapped in sophisticated herringbone.

His Study vs. Her Sitting Room

When confronted with a stalemate where neither side will budge, Ruggiero often recommends his-and-her spaces. "If you can't get a couple to agree on a specific style in a main area of the home, then you try to give them their own personal spaces," says Ruggiero.

Getaway rooms range from sitting to sewing, to reading and crafting for her. For him, the media room is becoming number one, followed by close seconds: the library or den, and today's modern home office. "I encourage 'personal' spaces because the house is melding into one large gathering area," says Ruggiero.

Souce : ARA