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.

It looks like a loft. Can't really see room. Paint a soft gray. Hang panels on window go to the ceiling in a print. Try a contemporary look like black and white chevron. If you can't hide pipes just go with them. Paint them the same color of area. You have a view direct all furn to capture that. Big art in bold colors to being in color and interest. Ikea has great things. Think scale on furn. Will a TV go here? What are floors if wood or tile. Use a area rug in front of sofa area. Use glass top on tables to make room appear bigger. Low modern furn in light colors will work best. Paint all trim and doors white. Use brush nickel for hardware.

I am an amateur lover of home decorating. I too have a very awkward long narrow living room that is 350cm by 620cm. Additionally it has diagonal traffic flow from the front entry to the rest of the flat. The owners have built a cabinet at one end for the TV, etc. I think I would make a cosy seating area at one end of your long living room. Place a grey or brown sofa at one end but not against the wall. I like the idea of a narrow console table behind the sofa with a table lamp, a plant or a large statue. This brings the end wall closer in. A peachy or raspberry carpet in front of the sofa will pick up the wall colour and anchor this seating area. (grey and some browns also coordinate with raspberry/peach). A couple of raspberry sofa cushions can help include the wall colour into your overall scheme. Single chairs opposite the sofa allows visual and actual flow down the narrow room and completes this seating area. At the other end of the long narrow living room I would place a reading chair, a floor lamp and a small round coffee table. If there is room you could have a tall bookshelf with you favourite books. What do you have on the long side walls? I have windows and doorways on both long sides. I decided to use pull up shades on the windows instead of curtains which I thought would make my narrow living room look more narrow. The wall colour is white but I think I will tone it down to a soft grey. I plan to paint the end walls a darker grey.

HOME DESIGNING Menu A Two-Story Home with a Sleek Grey Color Palette Save Tumblr Not every home has a unifying color theme, but without one it can be easy for a house to feel disjointed or erratic. A color palette can unify a home's design so that it flows easily from one room to another, but that does not mean that each room has to be decorated in exactly the same colors. In this house, for instance, grey creates a throughline within the home but does not overwhelm the design. Instead, it creates a foundation for each room so that the overall look is comforting and harmonious -- without being too "matchy-matchy." Take a look inside this home from visualizer Andrei Lychkouski to see what we mean. 1 |The main, open living space itself is the room that takes the gray theme to the extreme. 2 |From an oversized dark gray section to clear gray lucite dining chairs and texture gray walls, this is the center of the home’s color story. ADVERTISEMENT 3 |The colors that are dotted throughout the space draw the eye but are still subtle, and largely live within the neutral family from green to teal to warm brown. 4 |The high ceiling creates a dramatic feel for an otherwise fairly conservative design. 5 |A few creative elements do stand out, including the glass coffee table. 6 |When light gray is used in conjunction with white, a space can feel much more open without the blinding effects of white on white. 7 |Gray furnishings show the commitment to the palette, such as this freestanding dresser. 8 |The stairs in this home also act as an important design element. ADVERTISEMENT 9 |White wood steps are suspended in air, making their way to the second floor with the bright green accent wall behind them. 10 |But staying downstairs for a moment, the kitchen and breakfast bar keep with the gray theming. 11 |Dark gray stools, light gray countertops, and a narrow window make this kitchen feel particularly cozy. 12 |In the dining area, open to the kitchen, a smattering of pendant lights add a bit of interest as well. 13 |The kitchen itself is not particularly spacious, but the use of natural light and a bar/island mean there is room to do the work required for cooking. 14 |A small strip of grass grows along the windowsill for another pop of color. 15 |Upstairs, gray gives way to black for the second floor railings. 16 |Propeller-inspired light fixtures are both playful and unique. 17 |Large picture windows let in plenty of light during the day but must be kept closed in the dead of winter. 18 |The mater bedroom also tends towards darker grays and blacks. 19 |A wood slat accent wall is darker while the cushioned headboard is a lighter shade of gray. 20 |Color is brought in with creative art pieces. 21 |Gray linens and black light fixtures give this bedroom decor a bit of an edge. 22 |In a house with no separate home office space, its important that this desk is included somewhere — and there was no room in the living area. 23 |Moving into one of the two children’s rooms, colors are quite a bit brighter. 24 |A lovely blue chair, green rug, and pink pillow are so much more vibrant that most of what we have seen in this house. 25 |But even so, the idea of cray threads its way in with a shadowed sleeping nook. 26 |Fun wall art is a perfect way to bring a child’s personality into a room’s design. 27 |The faux grass carpet is perfect for a cold winter, too, when playing outside is a bit less common. 28 |In the second child’s room, colors go even further with an astronomy-inspired accent wall. 29 |A bright orange chair is the perfect homework spot, looking out onto the yar. 30 |Built-in shelving is required for an kid’s room lest things get too cluttered. 31 |A similar piece of wall art brings the charm in this room, too. 32 |The bathroom decor slides comfortably back into the gray theme. 33 |White and gray match up with natural greenery. 34 |Of course glass and tile are all but required. 35 |An overhead lighting bar is a stylish solution for the over-sink vanity. 36 |A second bathroom is smaller but pulls from a similar style. 37 |Again, white and gray play nicely together. 38 |In this room, an overhead ring light is the best solution. 39 | 40 | Recommended Reading: 42 Gorgeous Grey Bedrooms 40 Gorgeous Grey Kitchens Did you like this article? Share it on any of the following social media channels below to give us your vote. Your feedback helps us improve.