Holly B. Murphy

Lifestyle Blog based out of Baltimore, MD

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Flintlock Dr. Fixer Upper

My friend reached out to me a few months after her and her husband finished up a fixer upper because she was struggling to pull the trigger on design decisions of their new home. She was feeling paralyzed as to how to create a comfortable and practical space for their everyday lives. This was my first opportunity to put my interior design chops to the test and I was beyond excited to get started! I am so happy and flattered that my friends trusted me enough to take on this project, her and her husband were so great and open to my ideas throughout the whole process — seriously dream clients!

I went to their house to get a feel for their space, to understand what they wanted to achieve, get some photos to refer back to and get some measurements. They very much wanted pieces that were both functional and stylish so there were plenty of storage options. Also, they were not looking for lots of different knick knacks but wanted me to focus on the staple items that really make a space. Lastly, since the entrance of their home comes right into the living area they wanted a space where they could hang coats and organize all their shoes, bags etc.

It was super important to me to 1) really listen to what they were looking for and execute that and 2) find the pieces I was looking for but keep it super affordable! Scroll to see the before and after photos!

Before

I started out with a pretty blank canvas. They had just gotten this beautiful couch so I was excited to design around such a great piece!
I swoon over that wedding canvas so I knew that was going to start right where it was!
This is the space they really wanted to transform into a functional space for when you walk in their front door!
We kept the TV and dresser and I worked off those pieces to design the space!
This was a little space in their kitchen that they wanted to use as a functional space for keys and stuff when they walk in from the garage door entrance.

After getting a feel for their space and what they were looking for I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do and went on the hunt for the perfect pieces! Scroll below to see the after photos!

After

I just love how it turned out and how cozy it feels! This was done before Christmas so we decided to add some decore to make it feel festive!

Since they don’t have a fireplace on the first floor (it is in their basement) I thought a mantel would be so beautiful! I love that there are endless options to accessorize for different holidays and it can be super personalized! The clock, mirror, and candlesticks are meant to stay there permanently then I added some Christmas decor to give it a festive feel! (Excuse the missing candle, we got the last one and added it after the photos were taken)
I ended up doing two different side tables with the same finish. This one pictured was more rectangular and the other one is a square. I think its really fun to mix and match pieces to create a truly unique space!
I found this rug and fell so in love with it. I love that it is neutral but has a lot of different colors in it so no matter what you add into space that color will be pulled out of the rug. I knew that this ottoman would be perfect because it pulls out that beautiful blue in the rug and completes the space. This ottoman is velvet and has storage inside…such a beautiful statement piece!
When trying to decide on how to make this entrance truly functional I came across this hall tree and I thought it was so perfect. The price was so good and the finishes tie in with their side tables and mantel which bring the whole room together! It is such a great way to organize shoes, coats, bags and anything else that is brought into the house!
I also wanted to fill up the space next to it with a gallery wall — but those are really hard to do so this frame was the perfect alternative! everything is connected and you just have to worry about hanging the top bar!
We kept things pretty simple in this space and added a blanket ladder to keep it functional yet beautiful. They didn’t want to clutter the space too much so we decided if any of us come across a piece that would work well we would add it in! I think that is a big part of designing a room — not just getting thing to fill up spaces and be done with it but being very thoughtful about what works and not rush the process.
Lastly, I found this really beautiful two tier shelf to add into their kitchen. Now when they walk in from the garage there is a place to put keys, wallets and anything else that would be put on the countertop and clutter up the space. It can also be styled with candles and knick-knacks that personalize the space and make it feel like home!

Shop their living room

This job truly fed my soul and was so much fun to do! Being able to put this room together and help create a dream home for my friends was so fulfilling and fun!

“Hi Holly,

Just wanted to send a little note to thank you again for helping us decorate our living room. Your vision of the space is exactly what I had pictured. It is so cozy, cute and practical! You were flexible and easy to work with and found all the best prices. We really appreciate the time you spent helping us put it all together and are excited to have you help again soon!”

xo,

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