Yesterday, we had a chit-chat about how I am Starting with Color as I approach the decorating process of my next home project: a girl nursery!

I have been keeping my eyes open for Fuchsia and Red inspiration, and as a result, I happened upon THE MOST stunning and interesting piece.

I just knew it would make a killer Focal Piece

– you know; that thing in the room that draws in the eye and simply MAKES the room.

Despite its hefty price tag {overpriced!}, I decided it would make such an impact that it would be worth it.

Fortunately, I had the most amazing friends with me – and I would trust these gals with my life AND my decor! So, they helped to confirm the fabulousness of this find {PS – a post about my great trip with these gals is in the works. Lots of photos to edit! In the meantime, check out Angela’s post, The Nester’s post, Edie’s post, and Shannon’s post. Clearly these girls are much more organized than I am!!}

So without further ado, check out the Stunning Focal Piece that will bring my girl’s nursery to life:

and I am just swooning over the details:

This piece has all the ingredients for a FOCAL PIECE STUNNER:

1. It is unique and interesting. And beautiful!

2. It has excellent craftsmanship.

3. It fits! It can hang in a spot in the room that is seen from the moment you enter the room.

4. It supports the color scheme, but introduces other fun colors into the mix.

When you are wondering “What is my room missing?” Ask yourself, do I have a stunning focal piece? { <— Tweet this}

And, to get your wheels turning: here are a few of my fave rooms that use stunning focal pieces:

ditto-ed here:

ditto-ed here:

ditto-ed here:

Get gutsy with your Focal Piece!

What room in your home could use a stunning focal piece?? Do Tell!!

Follow Fieldstone Hill on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook! Can’t wait to see you there.

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Fieldstone Hill’s Interior Designs are going to be included in Kelly Edwards’s new design book. Preorder your copy here.

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Starting with Color

Of course, I have already been dreaming up ideas for a chic girl’s bedroom/ nursery.

This is the first time we have found out the gender of our baby, and it has been really hard to put my decor dreaming on hold! With my boys, I got busy creating neutral-friendly nurseries right away, and it was a joy. So, now that I know, my mind is starting to sort through all of my design choices.

Usually, when I design a room in my own home, I tend to start from two base points:

1. A room inspiration photo, or two, or five…

and/or

2. starting with color inspiration

Most of the time, I do tend to use an inspiration photo or two to get started. I typically approach a room in the way that I approach my Ditto posts. I find spaces that I love, and then I get serious about bringing similar elements into my own space.

So, I thought it would be fun for me to break down a different method: for this space, my very first bit of inspiration was COLOR!! HOW FUN!!

It all started when I was gazing at these beauties that sit in my bedroom:

The fuchsias. And the reds. And the oranges. And the navies. And more. I was sold on the idea of these very colors together!

But it was the combo of fuchsia and red that really called out to me. And you can see glimpses of that in my Girl announcement post…

So, I started “curating” a collection of images on my brand new Pinboard “Inspiration My Girl’s Room,” {containing my squeal!}…

which led to me sharing this post, chock full of Fuchsia and Red images…

…which led to me buying THE MOST AMAZING piece of art of Baby Girl’s room, that is going to completely be the decor-heart of the nursery.

This particular piece was not an easy decision because I really think it was overpriced. When I was away on a girls’ weekend in the mountains, my stylish and wonderful friends hit a few antique places in Asheville, NC. I found this at The Screen Door {which I thought was chock full of WAY overpriced goodies, with a “NO NEGOTIATING! SO THERE!!!” policy}. It made me long for the country roads and back roads of America, where you can find lots of underpriced goodies. Artsy cities are not the best places to snag a deal.

So, I had to swallow my “deal pride,” and I am SO thankful I had great friends to help me determine the true worth of this piece. Even though it came from the same booth that held a lamp, formerly from T.J.Maxx, that had been marked up to $135.00 to “fit in” at The Screen Door.

Instagrammy Pic: The Nester helped me think through whether or not to buy this piece, and here she is helping me carry it up to the front of the antique store. So thankful for the help of my peeps. Miss you girls already!!

I can’t wait to show you a full-on image of what I scored, but alas, it is pitch black right now, and I don’t have a photo studio in my house for taking a decent picture… you will just have to check back in, because I promise to share!!! But I am telling you, it is awesome! And I NEVER would have spotted it if my mind had not been chock full of Fuchsia and Red.

So here are a few things to think about if you are planning on Starting With Color, as you design your space:

Starting With Color: Decorating Tips

1. Fall in Love. Don’t pick colors you like. Pick colors you LOVE!

2. Allow yourself to be inspired by a photo. Maybe an image of a brilliant bouquet or a matroushka doll or a tribal dress. If you love the image, use it as a courage-builder for getting gutsy with color.

3. Pick a few colors and dwell in them. Think about them. Look for them everywhere; especially combos of them.  And, if you dwell on the colors, you will begin to notice them in all sorts of places!

4. Pin like it is your job. Pin the living-daylights out of them. Search for them on the web. Cut images out of magazines that have your colors. {I did searches on Pinterest entitled the following: “fuchsia and red,” “red and pink,” “pink and red rooms,” “fuchsia and red rooms;” and then Pinned to my heart’s content}.

5. Then, have the guts to pull the trigger! Start making choices for your room based on your new FAVE color scheme.

 

I can’t believe I am leaving you hanging without a pic of my artwork…

Well, stay tuned, it’s coming!!!

Have you ever Started with Color to decorate a space? What colors are you totally digging right now??

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Hop over to Half Price Drapes/ Exclusive Fabrics & Furnishings, LLC, and take advantage of these NEW DISCOUNT CODES: Orders of $500 or more save $100 with coupon code PR100 and orders of $300 or more save $50 with coupon code PR50. These Coupon Offers are valid till 18th April, 2013. These offers cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

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Fieldstone Hill Design is offering a new design service. Transform your home in 2 hours!

Find out more about this consultation here: The Skype “In-Home” Consultation

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Minimalist Cottage Living:

This past weekend I had one of the most wonderful times of my life. I was surrounded by friendship, honesty, laughter, authenticity, and blessings. I was surrounded by creativity, design, beauty and inspiration. This past weekend, I gathered with 5 of THE most amazing women I know, and I recharged in the most joyful of ways.

And all the while, we were surrounded in PURE beauty and STUNNING design. We were blessed to stay at The Cottage at Plott Creek, which is the amazing rental property of my UBER talented {gorgeous, funny…} friend, Angela.

And I have so much to tell you about our time together, and fun pictures to show, and SERIOUSLY talented girls to brag on…. but I really don’t have my act in gear after a 9 hour car ride, and I am WAY behind on snuggling my baby boys! {check out Edie’s recap, and I will share more soon!}

Besides, Angela‘s cottage is the perfect thing to Ditto, and the PERFECT way to start off a Monday.

…

*{Ditto | Room I Love posts demonstrate a great exercise for you as you continue to develop your own personal style: using your own favorite pictures, and making a quick list of what you actually love about the space. If you study what you love about a space, it helps you to bring what you LOVE into your own home!}

Pure, pared-down, artful and curated, you are going to want to ditto everything about the main living space at the Cottage at Plott Creek. It is minimalist cottage living at its finest.

This is a room I love. Do you love it?:

 {images via Fieldstone Hill Design, design by Angela of TPHblog.com}

WHAT I LOVE {What I would ditto!}:

1. Simplicity. simplicity. simplicity! This space is edited to perfection.

2. Soothing tones.

3. Natural elements, such as stunning stonework and gorgeous antique flooring.

4. A room completely wrapped in windows… with a view that comes from God alone. {friends, I wish I had the camera skills to show you the to-die-for VIEW of the North Carolina mountains from inside this space. You will just have to trust me: it takes your breath away}

5. Livable, washable, durable fabrics that sacrifice NOTHING in comfort.

6. Geometric pillows that have lively pattern but simple colors.

7. A HUGE tobacco basket hanging above the fireplace.

8. Less stuff; more large-scale pieces

9. Texture galore: horizontal panel-boarded walls, natural rugs, exposed-wood ceiling, custom-painted furnishings.

10. My favorite part of this space was what wasn’t there! Clutter. Unwanted chotchkies. A speck of dust. Papers. STUFF! It was so rejuvenating to my mind to have my surrounding physical space CHOCK-FULL of breathing room!

DO YOU LOVE IT?? WHAT DO YOU LOVE? WHAT DESIGN ELEMENTS WOULD YOU DITTO and BRING INTO YOUR OWN HOME? DO TELL!!!!!!

Follow Fieldstone Hill on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook! Can’t wait to see you there.

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* * * * *

Fieldstone Hill’s Interior Designs are going to be included in Kelly Edwards’s new design book. Preorder your copy here.

* * * * *

 Don’t miss a single post from Fieldstone Hill Design! Have regular decorating goodness delivered {free!} directly to your inbox.

{This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for reading and supporting FHD! }

My heart is being pulled toward Fuchsia and Red.

Is it any wonder?

What do you think about Fuchsia and Red?

Which of these images gets your heart pumping?

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Fieldstone Hill Design is offering a new design service. Transform your home in 2 hours!

Find out more about this consultation here: The Skype “In-Home” Consultation

* * * * *

 Don’t miss a single post from Fieldstone Hill Design! Have regular decorating goodness delivered {free!} directly to your inbox.

{This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for reading and supporting FHD! }