From Wardrobe to Walls & TWO FREE Giveaways!

When it comes to your home, choosing the right color for your walls can be overwhelming and tedious at times. Trying to find that perfect color, in the right lighting, that you won't get tired of is a lot to be mindful of. But don't worry, I've got the perfect solution!
Let's turn to your closet for inspiration! What's your favorite top?! One that you wear all the time, that stays on repeat in your washer & dryer or that dress you've had for years that always seems to be your go-to! What makes you look & feel fabulous? Chances are whatever colors you love to wear that you don't seem to get tired of is the perfect place to start a new color pallet for your home or simply find the right shade for an accent wall. If you don't get tired of wearing it-you probably won't get tired of it on your walls. My go-to is black & white. If its not black & white, its normally a bright color and pink is my fav because it looks great on blondes ;) 

Your home is a direct reflection of you. Let's face it, sprucing up your home with a little paint can do wonders! If you're not the decorating type or you've never painted before, take a leap of faith--it will pay off in the end ;) Don't be afraid to change it up a bit, it's only paint and you can always repaint if need be.  Here's a small collage of my favorite colors, wallpapers & fabrics from my home. I love Moroccan prints! They are easily incorporated into any room and the geometric patterns really stand out and look great with damask prints too!

My latest project was painting our foyer the "Cabaret 18-2140" color by Valspar. It's a fuchsia color, slightly on the darker side. My inspiration came from this handle on a Lilly Pulitzer shopping bag. 

Because it's a darker hue, it was the perfect color for my foyer which gets a ton of light! It definitely makes the room feel more chic and I'm pretty obsessed with my new mirrored kudu that I found at Homegoods! Here's a before and after picture of my new "Lilly" foyer ;) The next step of this project, painting the spindles black :)   

I couldn't be more excited for this week's blog giveaway! One of my great friends owns a boutique in Fredrick, MD called Country Shabby Chic. She specializes in monogram home decor & accessories. This week she's giving away TWO monogramed trays! One blue & white Moroccan print (pictured below) or a red and white chevron tray! 
Here's how to enter to win!
1. "LIKE" our Facebook pages: The House of Holly & Country Shabby Chic 2. Leave a "COMMENT" on my page with your initials and which color you would like. 3. "SHARE" my Facebook blog link with your friends! 

Good luck!!

DIY: Desk & Chair Makeover

Years ago, when I was a little girl this desk set belonged to me. It held virtually every Lisa Frank sticker imaginable, I found some oldies stuck in between the drawers as I was cleaning them out ;) Over time, the white paint turned yellow and the fabric faded. I wanted to re-finish it because once Reagan gets older we'll move her into the guest room with the same furniture I had growing up! To up-cycle this desk and chair, I sanded, repainted & replaced the knobs. I kept it white because it matches the bed set where the desk will go. The change isn't drastic, its just updated. I used an electric sander for the large flat surfaces and a hand held sander for the rest. The chair had to be sanded entirely by hand because of the smaller and more intricate spaces. The chair also had an upholstered cushion--the fabric was awful and faded, so I replaced the fabric with an updated "metallic elephant" from Calico Corners. I had extra fabric from my panels in the family room (another blog on that), so I just wrapped it around the existing fabric and used a staple gun to keep it in place. It was so simple & now looks like a totally new chair! 

New Fabric + Staple Gun = NEW cushion

To remove cushion, there are four screws underneath seat.

Use a hand sander on intricate areas.

Electric sander on large surfaces or the hand sander is fine too.

Wipe off all access debris from sanding with warm cloth. Let dry.

You can really see how yellow it had gotten in this picture! Use a roller for the large flat surfaces.

I used a 1" Purdy brush designed for all paints. 

Sand off any paint runs--no one is perfect ;)

I decided to spray these knobs because it was a hard width to find and I didn't want to drill new holes.

The old pulls, repainted silver!

& the new one's from Hobby Lobby

Replace cushion.

The newly updated desk! 

I used Valspar, Chef White in semigloss. I bought the knobs from Hobby Lobby (check for 50% off sales on knobs) they always have such a large variety & when they're 50% off I tend to go a little crazy! (Side note: You can place an order for as many knobs as you'd like while they are 50% off and they will still honor the sale) I'm sort of "knob obsessed" because they're an instant update to any old cabinetry and the knobs are ridiculously cute!