Photography by Katherine Bish
Anyone who has ever looked at a room in their house and cried “HELP,” will welcome the notion of designer Dana King’s designHop, a decorating club for DIY-ers. Their mantra? Do-it-yourself doesn’t mean do-it-BY- yourself. “It’s the same idea as a quilting club, it brings friends together to create,” King says. It all started over five years ago when King was teaching community decorating classes and realized what the students really needed was not more “talking and instruction,” but more “doing,” King says. “We don’t lack for ideas and instruction; inspiration and know-how is all around on blogs, on TV and in magazines. I heard great ideas and know-how from students, but what I most often heard was fear. It is easy to ‘pin’ inspiring ideas, it is a whole different thing to make the ideas happen in your own space.” You can approach this a couple of ways: You can apply to join the existing group but space is limited. You get the group to your abode only after you have worked on two other houses. Then there is the DIY approach: Invite five or six of your friends over. Be sure to include someone who loves to paint, someone who can hang pictures, and some people with great taste. Pick a leader and go after one room. Make observations, move furniture around, and get ready to transform. And if you want, contact Dana King (314-652-1759, danasdesignstudio.com) to see if she (or one of the members of the existing designHop) will advise/mentor the group. They’re ready, willing, and incredibly able.
