Designer Interview {Part One} ~ Darlene Weir ~ Fieldstone Hill Design

 

Do you love interior design as much as me?

Do you drool over the designer rooms in magazines and on Pinterest?  Do you wonder how those rooms ‘happen’, the design choices that are made?  Would you love to get to know more about the person that designed that room?

Me too!

I had the amazing opportunity to interview a fabulous talented designer recently featured in Better Homes and Gardens magazine (!!), to ask her all the design questions you and I would love to know and to take a look into her brilliant designer mind!

Welcome Darlene Weir, principal designer for Fieldstone Hill Design!

My friend Darlene has so many clever design tips and decorating advice and I’m so excited to pass them on to you, here, in Designer Interview - Part One!

Darlene not only designs for Fieldstone Hill Design, an edesign and interiors firm, she is a style blogger as well!

You can learn more about Darlene’s services in edesign, her portfolio and client spaces here, just click on the links!

Check out Darlene’s tips on how to develop your own signature style at Better Homes and Gardens Style Spotter blog:

Isn’t this room beautiful? Charcoal and teal color scheme:

Better Homes and Gardens

Let’s get into the interview!

1. Hello Darlene and Welcome! Share with us a little about your background and your work!

Hi Heather! Thank you so much for hosting me here. This is such fun.

My formal training is not in interior design. My design experience has come from designing! I love what I do, but many days I marvel at how life takes twists and turns, and if we embrace them, we can find the blessings. One of my blessings is to be working in a field I love, with people I love, in the exact amount and capacity I want.

As far as my work: I am a wife and mom first, a homeschooler second, a designer third, and a design-writer fourth. Having four jobs can keep you on your toes, people! I work for myself and my family... and it is a joy to build a business and a family and watch them both take wings!

Fieldstone Hill Design

 

2. How would you describe your decorating style and design philosophy?

Number one: Know yourself/know your style. Then, number two: only buy what you love. Don't worry so much about all of those pesky rules; think of them as guidelines, but NEVER EVER think of them as a box.

I actually took the time to pen my design philosophy in full. You can find out more on my Master Designer Page, but below is my Master Designer Manifesto, that sums up everything I believe about beauty and design:

 

 

3. Which designers do you love and why?

Katie Ridder, Tyler Dawson, Steven Gambrel, and Nate Berkus are in my top group. I love each of them for different reasons, but each of these designers are brilliant in the art of contrast, symmetry, pattern + restraint, and balance.

 

So Haute Style

 

4. What impression do you hope to have on people when they're visiting your home for the first time?

I hope they can appreciate a work in progress and a home where children are more important than things! Can anyone else relate? Mostly, I hope they feel comfortable and at-ease, surrounded by beauty and lots of laughter.

 

Darlene’s beautiful home!

 

Styled Coffee Table

 

5. Where do you begin when you work with a client to create a stylish and comfortable space that fits their needs.

eClient or not, I usually start with Pinterest. I have my client create a board that is room specific {ex. Living Room Inspiration}, and then I really examine these "dream rooms" for common themes, encouraging my clients to move toward purchasing things they really love. Often times I will say something like, "I noticed you pinned a lot of rooms that had exposed wood work. That must be something you love?" And they will be shocked at the self-discovery and say, "Well, yes..... I do!!!" My clients have told me, over and again, that I am their design shrink.

Design Mood board

Fieldstone Hill Design

 

6. You were recently featured as the designer of a Tennessee home in the January issue of Better Homes and Garden's Magazine! Congratulations! The living room you designed has very high ceilings....how were you able to take this open space and make it feel so cozy and comfortable?

First of all, thank you! It was very humbling to grace the pages of BHG... and super exciting.

Regarding the high ceilings, I think the keys of balance in that particular space boil down to

1. the tall, vertical drapery panels,

2. grounding the space with bold pattern

and

3. using a killer, attention getting pendant

But another secret is that this home is not filled with tall ceilings. A space with too many tall ceilings can be so cold, barren and even suffocating. This room breathes and soars because it is the tallest space in a perfectly cozy house.

 

Darlene designed this Living Room: featured in BHG!

Better Homes and Gardens

 

Darlene suggests to decorate with an impact pendant light like this!

 Darlene's 'get the look' shopping guide - via Better Homes and Gardens

 

 

~ Part Two of the Designer Interview with Darlene Weir coming soon! ~

 

Thanks for the great interview Heather! And if they love design inspiration and decor tips, I invite your readers to follow along with the Fieldstone Hill Design blog via Email Subscription, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

 

Thanks so much Darlene for the opportunity to interview you – it was so much fun!

Your advice to use an attention getting pendant light for balance in a room is a great tip!

I can’t wait to share more of our interview in Part Two!

 

Don’t forget to check out Darlene’s services in edesign, her portfolio and client spaces here, just click on the links!

 

What are your thoughts?  Do you love Darlene’s tips?  What do you think of the living room she designed and was featured in Better Homes and Gardens?  Isn’t it beautiful?

 

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Pssst…I also wanted to announce the Spring Blog Hop and Linky Party coming soon! I am super excited to be joining this fabulous group of bloggers, we will end the blog hop with a HUGE linky party where you get to join in! Mark Your Calendars for the Fun!!

 

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* Thank you SO much for coming by for a visit! I love to hear all of your comments! *

Heather

Written by Heather at Setting for Four

Setting for Four is a home design, décor and lifestyle blog. Focus is on home renovations, crafts, DIYs, tutorials, recipes, as well as family friendly design and decorating ideas that won't break the bank or sacrifice style.

You can find Setting for Four on Google+

 

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