iStock_000000768153XSmall

Letting Go. Easier said than done, right? I don’t care whether it’s saying goodbye to someone or something in your life. Or simply admitting there are some things you just don’t know how to or can’t change. Letting go is hard!
Believe it or not, even letting go of ugly rooms is difficult for some people. Maybe it’s fear of the unknown. Or maybe it’s not understanding what to expect? Letting go of control and embracing change is hard, even if it is for the better.
I totally get how challenging it is for some of my clients. Letting go enough to trust me to do what I do requires a big leap of faith in me and in the end result. If I’m being totally honest, I’d probably have a hard time hiring myself (and I know how good I am!) :-) Throw in the fact that most people have had a few bad experiences with contractors or other vendors over the years. It’s easy to see why some folks are leery of trusting anyone at all.
Sometimes people hire decorators to fix their “ugly” only to become overly opinionated and adamant about how it should be done. There’s not a designer or decorator out there that should object to open communication. But, let’s face it, honey. If you could do what they do, you’d have already done it!
Don’t get me wrong. It makes the job so much easier when you have a clear vision of what your client wants. But, nit picking every little detail makes any professional, no matter how talented, question whether you’ll like anything at all and it squashes their creative abilities.
Look at it like this.  Just like any 12 step program will tell you, admitting you are powerless over ugly comes first. Next, asking for help and turning your ugly over to someone else puts you on a path to beauty. (That means picking a decorator that you like and trust and one you feel has a clear idea of what you want.) And finally, the hardest step of all… letting go.  Trust your new decorating mentor to take help you regain control of the ugly. It’s ok if they do things differently than you might have.  That’s why you’re paying them for goodness sake.  Ultimately, it’s the end result that matters and not the 12, 24 or 1000 steps in between!
Your taste is constantly evolving and so will your decor. That’s why decorators (well the sane ones anyway) don’t nail down your furniture or glue things to the walls. If this particular change doesn’t work, you can change again.  But, be open to it!  Let go! Enjoy the unexpected beauty that a professional designer or decorator uncovers hiding behind your ugly.