Believe it or not, there are some people in this world who have a fear of decorating! We believe this stems from a place where most fears are rooted, in change. It's not uncommon to fear change especially in your private, personal space. You've kept up this "look" for a long time, you're not about to change it all on a whim. We get it, change is hard for everyone, however, as we evolve, our homes should too. We are here to help with a few tips and steps you can take now to clear the clutter, streamline your style and finally overcome your fear of decorating.

You might have gathered, it is our job and passion to assist homeowners in decorating and re-decorating their homes. For those who find terror in the task, our design team jumps at the opportunity to ease this seemingly life-changing transition. We advise our clients to fear not, as we are here to help. If hiring a professional isn’t number one on your list, here are some other easy, low cost options to overcome a fear of decorating:

Start with a blank slate. Your space is piled with books and nick-knacks and sure it's "tidy" enough but how do you really know what you're working with? If you haven't read Marie Kondo's "The Art of Tidying up" we'll give you the cliffs notes: go through every single shelf, drawer and corner of the room and ask yourself if these items truly bring you joy. If they do, put them in a box labeled "Home Decor" that you'll use later to accessorize your new space. If they don't, donate, gift or toss!
Create an old school vision board. Tear out pages from magazines and place sticky notes on what you love; specific color schemes, furniture styles, patterns, accessories, and architectural details.
Get a Houzz account! Inspiration is at your fingertips with Houzz, Pinterest and endless free online resources. Save your pictures in galleries labeled by room and take the time to write meaningful captions on why you pinned the photo you’re saving. These freebie apps and websites can help reveal what style suits you best. Before you know it, you’re a “mid-century modern” maniac or a “shabby chic” shoo-in!
Start small with color. Ready to take the next step? You’ve pinned a wall color you love but are scared to use it. Consider using a piece of art you love, small accessories, or accent pillows in this specific color. These are all small ways to bring in color without making a drastic change or breaking the budget. Leave these color accents in the room for a few days to help ease the visual transition. Also, remember paint is paint, try it. If you don’t like it after a few days, paint over it!
Break out your "Home Decor" Box. When you're ready to accessorize, use those items that you love and are meaningful to you such as artifacts, family heirlooms, children’s art, or items from travels. If you use what you love and what inspires you, there is no fear in that!
Just do it. If you have a decorating idea but you’re unsure, just go for it! You will never know until you try it, if it doesn’t work then it doesn’t work, but it could be a grand idea and before your know it, you’re pretty good at this whole decorating thing.
Hire a designer. Yes that's where we come in! “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur”. Check references in your local area on Houzz.com or work with an i-designer and meet via FaceTime to save time and money in your design contract.

We've been called decorators, magicians, therapists and hand-holders - we're also pretty fearless when it comes to home decor. Sometimes you have to jump in with both feet.