OK, maybe Serena Hinnant, Algira Mayo and Sharon Wilson didn't actually pray for someone to come into their lives to help them decorate their homes. But that's certainly what their prayers led to.

The trio got acquainted about six months ago at Bible study. At the end of the prayer meetings, the conversations typically turned to more lighthearted matters, such as the decorating plans they kept putting off at home because of lack of ideas, their husbands' busy work schedules and their childrens' extracurricular activities.

Rich Addicks/Staff (ENLARGE)

Algira Mayo (from left), Sharon Wilson and Serena Hinnant met at Bible study and have been decorating their homes together ever since. All married, with children, the ladies find working together quicker and cheaper than hiring an interior decorator.

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Mayo was anxious to turn the empty living room in her south Fulton home into an office. Wilson never got around to decorating the master bedroom in her Fayetteville home, even though she's lived there seven years. And Hinnant, a real do-it-yourselfer who's always working on something at her Tyrone house, had a list of projects she needed help implementing.

One day the ladies had a divine idea: If they worked as a team on one another's homes, they could share ideas, save money and not have to nag their husbands to pitch in. To top it off, they could have fellowship in the process.

"Of course, we're not going to pay an interior decorator. Three heads are better than one," says Hinnant, who was quickly designated the project manager because she's so organized.

So it came to pass that the ladies established some ground rules for their decorating round robin: Projects are done on a rotation, so that each one gets help with one room at a time, with all three pitching in. Each of them picks the room to be done about a month in advance so they'll all have time to look at the space and brainstorm about how to decorate it.

"We really try to be creative. That's what I enjoy about the group. It's not one person's idea," says Wilson. "We stand around the room together and come up with an end product that's a compilation of all the ideas."

The woman whose home is scheduled for a redo has two or three weeks to gather all the necessary materials, furnishings and accessories. They start early in the morning, usually on a Saturday, because Mayo works during the week. The women don't schedule anything they can't finish in a day, even if it means working late into the night.

"We want a quick return on our investment, so we really press hard to get it done," explains Wilson. "You don't want to leave things undone, because it may be unfinished for another year."

When they have a project scheduled, they approach it like a regular job and don't break the appointment unless a family emergency necessitates it.

"We have to stick to the plan unless someone is sick," explains Mayo.

Whoever's home is being decorated is also responsible for making brunch, which typically consists of something hearty like eggs, bacon, grits, muffin or rolls, fruit and a pot of coffee.

"We work first, then we eat," says Mayo.

But it's not all work. The ladies, who have similar tastes, values and religious beliefs, also use it as a time to strengthen their friendship.

"It's fun and fellowship," notes Mayo. "If we have something that happened that week, we share it. We're friends first."

Months after they teamed up, Hinnant, Mayo and Wilson have much they can point to with pride.

Mayo has a lovely and functional coffee-colored home office with a wall of bookshelves and an executive desk she purchased from IKEA and assembled with her friends.

Hinnant has a jazzy cappuccino-and-cream-colored game room and family room in her basement, to complement the second kitchen she helped a contractor install.

And Wilson has finally made her master bedroom the calming retreat she longed for.

"I love it, I love it, I love it," she says enthusiastically. "And my husband loves it."

Next up: turning a spare bedroom in Hinnant's home into a warm and inviting guest room.

"I need them to help me see the vision through," she says.

"We have long lists," adds Wilson. "The last time we met, we decided to take it outside, too."

TIPS FOR FORMING A DECORATING GROUP

• Keep it small. Limit the number of participants to no more than three or four. "You want to be able to get back to your home within a short span of time," says Wilson. "If the group gets too large, your projects will come up infrequently and you're going to spend a lot of time debating style decisions."

• Work with people who have similar tastes. "You need to have a sense that you and the ladies have some style connection," Wilson adds.

• Stick to the plan. Assemble the necessary materials and furnishings before the group arrives. Eliminate family distractions so you can get the job done. "It's no different than paying an interior decorator," notes Hinnant, adding that you would not waste time if you were paying by the hour.

•Share ideas; don't give orders. When creative differences arise, the homeowner has the last word, because she and her family are the ones who have to live with the decor. "We don't get offended when something doesn't work," says Hinnant.

•Keep the rotation going so everyone benefits.