Raj - What you say is true that a lot of interior design's margin is in furniture. I will not sugar coat it. And many designers may seem to be more interested in that when you bring them in. But I have had several clients call me over the years saying they are building a new home and would like to consult primarily on layout. When you speak to someone is tell them you are not ready to order furnishings or window treatments, but that you would like a contract that focuses on layout, planning, and interior detailing (i.e. doors, trims, floors) - i.e. the bones of the house. What I would suggest is when you call for a designer, you be prepared to pay a good consultation fee. A good rule of thumb is that you can expect to pay between $3-$10 per square foot of your home depending on the area of your country and the expertise/experience of the designer. If you are not averse to paying this type of fee, and communicate to the designer that your interest is in getting the best solutions, not in purchasing furniture at this time, I'm sure you will be able to get the level of service you desire. If someone you talk to doesn't seem thrilled to provide this kind of service, move on to the next person. Don't rely on "fame" or how well known someone is. They may be well known for doing show houses or just because they've been in the field the longest in your area. Not because they're the right fit for you. You could also check the Houzz directory for good designers in your area. The difficulty is that there are often decorators whose expertise and focus is really just on furnishings not so much on construction - and they serve a purpose for their clients. But there are other designers who provide more of a wholistic approach and have more familiarity with building a new home. These are the people you should seek out. Houzz is a fantastic community - and as I said you may get good advice here but there's really no replacement for someone to work with you in person. Sorry for the super long post but I feel passionately about this and I think this advice will best suit your needs.

I would not mix LED and CFL they have different looks and LED s are much cheaper to run. You can find a fixture you like and switch out most with LEDs, we have been slowly changing all of our halogen lighting to LEDs now that the LEDs come in higher wattages. We have 70 halogen lights in our house so I am doing 12 at a time, love the change. I like the fact that you can have a lot more lights off the same circuit too.

I like the ceiling. I think the hanging lights are too fancy and distract from the ceiling decor. A simpler light would look better or sticking with the canned lights you have. The walls have too many big, black things on them. It's hard to tell if they are windows with shade --- in which case I'd pick something lighter, perhaps to echo the ceiling, TVs (how many do you need?) or what. I'd consider a big piece of statement art in the place of at least one. If you're on a budget, get a large, high quality photo in the right colors, you can take it yourself. Sepia and black architectural might work. I like more color and more natural light. You may have closed the shades for a better picture, so it's hard to comment on the light, plus windows are a feature of your room, not exactly a decorator's choice. I would consider how to get a few small pops of color in, pillows, flowers, candles, maybe even a runner rug along the right wall. If you are doing this as part of a portfolio, the entire ensemble would look more welcoming with a few touches like someone lives there. Something on the coffee table, for example. A few books and a candle. A tray with tea things, a vase of flowers or basket of fruit. Pick one or two things and make it composed. You see this a lot in designer Houzz photos. Here's an example, you note this picture would be a lot more stark with an empty table: https://www.houzz.com/photos/21-house-contemporary-living-room-san-francisco-phvw-vp~60642

Ok. Thanks for the responses. May be I did not put the question right. We need to keep a formal drawing room and still want a family lounge for informal seating. So that would mean we need to carve out a separate (small though) area somewhere in the given layout.