Winter is hard on entryways. Coats, scarves, gloves get piled and slush gets tracked in. At my friend’s apartment her entryway was also challenged by having to stash her three kids stuff, plus their steady stream of friend’s coats and backpacks. She also hadn’t been able to finish unpacking from when she moved in a few months ago. Here’s how it looked at 3:45 on Friday afternoon.

The chaos culprits:

1. Coat racks always seem like a good idea and they are for doctors offices, restaurants and any place you are not going to stay for a long time. The problem with a coat rack in a house is that when you hang a coat on it it usually stays there for a long time, other family members throw their coats on it too and it begins to to look like you are having a coat drive in your entry way. When we had one in Brooklyn, it would get so big, Chewie would think it was an intruder and bark at it incessantly.

2. The box. We’ve all done it when we’ve moved into a new place, put a box somewhere and then because we don’t know where it should go and our lives get busy we stop seeing the box and it actually becomes kind of handy as an extra surface. In this case it became a makeshift table.

3. The stuff itself. Winter = gear and the only place it looks organized is in the mudroom porn of the Container Store catalog.

Here’s how it looked thirty minutes after a visit from Decor Club.

1. Find homes for your stuff. Everything in your house needs a place to live. If you don’t have a place for it to live, it can be a pretty good indicator you don’t need it. Of course, we need coats and my friend had a hall closet that had lots of room for coats, just not a lot of hangers.We rummaged through some unpacked boxes, found an assortment of enough hangers plus extra for friends and put the coat rack in storage.

1. Experiment with unconventional furniture. My friend had this amazing planter in a storage room. She always wanted to use but wasn’t sure how. We dusted it off, brought it down and realized it could be reinvented as elegant and practical console.  We turned the copper planter box over to make a solid surface for a lamp and to display her seashell collection that welcomes her home on these dreary winter days by reminding her of happy vacations she has taken with her kids.

2. Trust that open shelving can look neat, even if you are not a neat freak. I have a theory about access to storage baskets. The best storage baskets need an ample amount of negative space between the rim of the basket and the height of the shelf. The negative space allows you to see what’s in the basket and toss stuff in and get stuff out easily. It’s the negative space that makes the shelf look open, airy and its also what makes it easy to stay organized. If your baskets have covers or fill the shelf entirely, you wont’ be able to see into them without pulling them off the shelf, an extra step that can keep you from using them on a day-to-day basis. We flanked two sturdy woven baskets with ample negative space on the bottom shelf for mittens, gloves and shoes. The kids know what goes where and can find it easily and it looks neat all the time.

3. Remember the right light will hide imperfections. A sconce on the wall made her beige walls look dim and dingy. We turned it off and added a lamp that illuminated the center of the room, cast a nice welcoming light and made the walls look clean and bright, even in the evening.

“Portlandia’s” perfect spoof, “Put a Bird On it”  is so funny that I can’t take offense even if they are standing in front of my wallpaper in one of the first shots. Click here to watch the video.

On a related note AT did a post today on whether bird taxidermy is on the forefront of chic or just plain wrong (another picture with my wallpaper makes a cameo) and the commenters are so scandalized it’s also a pretty funny read.

Yet, I am still loving the peacock I posted about on Redecorating Resolution #4.

I am very much alone on this one.

These images are awe-inspiring photos from a post on Apartment Therapy today about BHV, perhaps the most wonderful home decorating store in the world. BHV stands for Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville and is the second oldest department store in Paris. Think Harrods meets Home Depot. According to the post the store has “everything clothing, toys and perfume to furniture, books and crepe pans”…and entire floors dedicated to DIY home remodeling.

Read the whole post and book your flight.

You may not have time to redecorate a whole room in an afternoon but you can makeover nooks and transitional spaces in minutes with stuff you already have. Decor Club made a visit to a friend’s apartment and redecorated two entry ways in less than a hour. Below is a rundown of our first five minute makeover.

This apartment is a rental and the silver floral wallpaper is hard to ignore. It doesn’t matter if my friend loves it or hates it she has to live with it (frankly I love it!) but it was starting to bug her and it needed to become an interesting backdrop rather than the  focus of the room. Here’s how we toned it down fast.

1. We created a welcoming warmth. Her landlord requested she use compact fluorescents to save energy in the foyer’s overhead light. The problem was they cast a cold light that overemphasized the silver and made the house feel downright chilly (notice the glare in the upper left corner).  We turned off the overhead and added a pair of lamps that also used energy saving bulbs but had beige shades to create a softer and more flattering light. The paper still shimmers but the glow is more golden than glaring.

2. We added meaning. The sideboard was a catchall for keys and knickknacks (I removed a few before I took the before pic!) and made the house look a little messy when you walked in. A foyer is an often overlooked spot in your house, but it says so much. It’s like your house’s handshake and reveals more than you realize. If your foyer is uninviting, messy or cluttered, it can be harder for you and your guests to feel at home. By keeping your entryway organized and filling it with objects you love, you and everyone who comes into your home are much more likely to feel relaxed.

We made a clean sweep by removing the clutter (and the stress it represented) and replacing it with my friend’s favorite home decor item: a model of a Swedish Farm House that was all the way up on a the top shelf of a book case in the corner of her living room. Aside from the quirky flea-market magic it has when mixed with over-the-top paper, putting it front-and-center forces her to use the handy sideboard drawers for keys and the like and when she walks in the door everyday it makes her happy to be home.

Okay so what’s with all the copper gutters in Montclair? The other day I almost had a car accident because I was practically blinded by a house outfitted with iridescent piping. I love patina too. But these gutters are so bright and peachy that I can’t imagine having the patience to wait for them to oxidize. The owners of this house must have the same feeling a new mother does when she’s handed a wrinkly newborn. Friends may only an ugly pink face, but they can see the future and know their baby will turn into a swan.

Apparently, there are two other patient home-owners in town because very recently I stumbled on these houses also outfitted with copper though both used a more considered approach.

I know its hard to see because I took the picture with my phone but you can make out a pinkish gleam under the roof. It’s as if the house is wearing a simple necklace. Say what you will about the scroll ornamentation above the door but when the copper oxidizes over those curves its going to streak and drip creating a spectacular patina. According to copper.org it can take 20-25 years for it to turn into that ivy league pale green but it will be fun to watch in the meantime.

Here copper laid above the windows on the and the arch above the doorway (again the my phone doesn’t do it justice). Apparently, copper that’s laid horizontally will oxidize faster that copper that’s laid vertically because it’s exposed to elements more so these folks won’t have to wait very long for it to pay off. The rust-color is already there and it will turn green in five years.

Yesterday, lots of friends mentioned how much they liked Decor Club’s tip of hanging a landscape over the mantel to draw guests into a room. It is a useful tip, the only issue I have with it is that I like to change my mantel with the seasons. Once you invest in an important piece of art and hang it over your mantel the painting can feel as permanent as wallpaper.

Art doesn’t have to fixed in one spot forever thanks to my favorite art site, 20×200, that sells original works at reasonable prices allowing you to mix and match your mantel with your moods.  Here are a few of my current favorites and the season’s I’d hang them in.

In winter…

Lisa Congdon, Birch Forest No. 7, 11×17, $50

In spring…

Paul Octavious, Kite Hill, 11×17, $50

In Summer…

It’s a toss up between these two:

Both by Thomas Prior, top, Diving, bottom, Wave, 11×17 $50

In Fall…

Jospeh O. Holmes, amnh #62, 16×20, $200

The first Decor Club project was a friend’s foyer. Here’s what it looked like before Decor Club.

Her issues were as follows:

1. The walls are light-colored but the foyer feels dark.
2. It’s a large room but the space is surprisingly complicated. There are five entrances into the foyer: entry ways to the dining room and kitchen flank the fireplace, in the foreground there are entry ways to the living room and study, plus the front door (which you can’t see, but is where the photo is taken).
3. She didn’t love the sconces and felt the room needed a chandelier but her husband didn’t want anything too formal or expensive.
4. Her three kids tended to play the space even though they had a playroom. She wasn’t sure if she should let them use the space or try to makeover the playroom, which she has already done a couple of times with mixed results.

Here’s what it looked like after Decor Club:

Decor Club suggests:

1. Hang a pair of mirrors on each side of the mantel. They reflect the southern exposure that streams in from doorway and makes the room warmer and sunnier. Never underestimate the use of sunlight. It’s the key element in making your home feel comfortable. Houses with light-filled entry ways feel naturally welcoming. In fact, the light is probably what drew the kids into the foyer, the floor is a pool of light and what kid (or pet for that matter) doesn’t love to sit on a warm floor.
2. Center the mantle with a painting that draws you into the room, such as a landscape. It makes the room seem bigger and visually leads guests into the space.
3. Paint the fireplace a light color and add hint of sky blue in the center to add whimsy and tie the colors of the room together.
4. Paint the wood trim white. I know, I know that husbands everywhere are screaming NO!!! There is a huge debate among couples about painting wood trim. Guys crave that Teddy Roosevelt lodge and women want airy freshness of a beach house. In fact, one friend in decor club was all set to hire a painter until he refused to paint her wood trim saying it would destroy the integrity of the house. Obviously decor club doesn’t agree. We suggest she paint the wood trim to soften the space, but to leave the ceiling because the contrast of dark and light trim draws the eye up and evokes the grandeur of the house without feeling overwhelmed by it.
5. Create a cozy nook by adding a chair and a table next to fireplace to tone down the formality and make it relaxed and casual.
6. Lay a rug that pops! This rug is such a statement that it does all the decorating for you allowing the walls and mantel to be simple. Also we really like the contrast between a modern rug and the formal ceiling.
7. Anchor the room with an upholstered ottoman and invite the kids to play. Originally she had a round table but the kids would play under it and anything she put on top would wobble and topple over when things got too rambunctious.  A soft round ottoman can take a beating and centers the room.
8. Bust out the spray paint. This chandelier was found in the basement of the house. She rewired and spray painted it white for a twist on traditional, it also only cost about $30. Clever girl! Since the mirrors add light, we suggested she tone down the glare of scones with delicate paper shades.

The Christmas tree is out, the game table is in. Much to my delight, the boys actually want to use it as you can see by Conrad and Micah playing a game of Lego Lava Dragon in the sun room. This redecorating resolution just may stick!

My friends are as obsessed with decorating as much as I am and we spend enough time talking about decor and the problems and issues we have with our houses that I decided we should make it official and start Decor Club. Decor Club is like a book club except we’ve co-opted the rules from Fight Club.

1st RULE: You talk about DECOR CLUB.

2nd RULE: You TALK about DECOR CLUB with your partner if you want to; if you need to make him or her aware of major purchases or that you’ll be knocking down a few walls.

3rd RULE: If someone says “that’s not really my cup of tea” the decorating suggestion is off the table.

4th RULE: All members can weigh in.

5th RULE: We decorate one room at a time.

6th RULE: Bring swatches, tear sheets, paint chips.

7th RULE: The decorating will go on as long it needs to.

8th RULE: If this is your first time at DECOR CLUB, you HAVE to decorate.

The boys got a lot of board games for Christmas and we need to set up a  gaming table so that the dogs can’t walk on the game and knock all the pieces over, a common and maddening occurrence. It would also be nice to be able to stop a game half-way through to go to a playdate or make dinner and know that the game can be picked up again anytime.  This morning, I tried to move our kitchen table into the living room to see if it could create a casual gaming parlor vibe we all want.

And… I don’t like it. Maybe we need a round table, like a Saarinen and the matching chairs? Also I can easily see how this idea is flawed. It will be too tempting for the table to be a dropping off point for jackets, bags, and all the other household stuff. It would get so buried we’d never actually play a single game there. But these photos are so instructive! What’s up the mark on above the fireplace? I need a magic eraser STAT!  We used the fireplace a lot this holiday but it looks like I nearly burned the house down. Also I need to recover the cain chair but that droopy pashmina just looks sloppy. Lesson: take photos of your space and you’ll see what you really need to fix. I moved everything back, tried my best to wash away the soot and I’ll try again in the sunroom tomorrow.