Nest for two Creating a harmonious home

In this touchy-feely decorating guide, lifestyle writer Serrell advises cohabiting couples on the art of merging styles and accoutrements to create a perfectly meshed environment. For example, champagne glasses, she writes, ?are essential? to a celebration for two, pieces of artwork ?need not ?go together?? to coexist in the living room and ?one-of-a-kind items chosen individually by you and your partner? show off the personality of a bedroom and its inhabitants. Serrell stresses that a couple?s home should reflect who they are, both separately and as a pair. Tips for sharing the perfect breakfast in bed or lounging together in a flower-filled bathroom may seem unrealistic to couples strapped for time. And many of the decorating hints, such as balancing a ?streamlined sleeper sofa in soft gray? with a ?red leather vintage chair from the 1930s,? may be impractical for couples who are budgeting their cash. But Serrell?s advice is warm and Gowdy?s photographs are soothing, making this a pleasant design guide and gentle proponent of domestic harmony, both spatial and emotional. (Apr.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.