Design Compatibility Key to Good Apartment Share

Looking for just the right roommate – or at least one you can live with – is hard work and time-consuming. The reasons renters might want a roommate can be financial or emotional, but especially in expensive and space-deprived cities, often practical. Finding someone who matches you in lifestyle, values, and attitude is not easy. And often the "interview" sheds little light on what the person would actually be like to live with.

But one way to assess compatibility is by checking out the potential roommate's design style. Elaine Griffin is a New York City-based interior designer and author of the book, "Design Rules: The Insider's Guide to Becoming Your Own Decorator" (Gotham). She says the way people decorate their homes can say a lot about their personalities – sometimes even more than their appearance.