TREASURE OR TRASH? PARTNERS MAY CLASH.

• Position: Interpersonal relations - Brief Article

What happens when your partner clings dearly to a "cherished treasure" that makes you cringe every time you look at it? Whether it is grandpa's old recliner, a 1970s cocktail table, or a sofa that never should have left the college dorm, persuading your partner to remove it from plain sight is no easy task.

The American Furniture Manufacturers Association offers the following tips to help find a solution that could work for everyone and preserve the harmony in your relationship:

* Express your concerns openly and accompany them with alternative suggestions. For example: "I know you love that wall unit, honey, but it just doesn't seem to fit with our living room decor. What if we moved it to the den?"

* Never insult your special someone's taste or affinity for the object--no matter how hideous it may be. After all, whatever reasons your partner has for adoring this object is partly what makes him or...