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.

You don't have to give up your beloved pink. Pink, brown and grey are doable. I googled pink and grey living room and saw some great pictures. Maybe get a large carpet that pulls out the pink (must match the same shade of pink). Then place your beautiful little pink and cream Kashmir(?) carpet over it. Also pull that same pink into sofa pillows. And a similar pink and brown Tablecloth for the dining table will pull the colours together. Just need to make sure all the pinks are the same shade with small accents/border of the same brown and grey from the sofa. Solid colours or subtle designs will be easier to coordinate than bold dramatic prints. These 2 are not the right shade of pink but you get the idea, I hope. Carpets with tone on tone pattern. A dusty rose on one wall would be nice too.

Thank you Groveraxle for the virtual ! you are too good a designer that is why I cannot help troubling you ;) you have your biggest fan in me ever since your first advice:)) As for an in-house designer I am certainly going to call somebody soon . Just that I get such a lot of options and great advice from highly accomplished and talented Houzz designers ..I would be better prepared after these conversations ..please forgive me for pestering you guys like this:)

Hi Cornerstone, I read your feedback 1. Profile handles I was late as the doors were already ready and it was too much of re-work. Regarding putting handles 2. Sharp edge can cause problem thats why the handles I have put are rounded on the edge not to hurt. 3. Where I did make a mistake was Did not put fillers. If I had put fillers on the sides the door issues could be resolved The upper cabinet handles. This is actually not my fault I had told them to put the handles in the center but they thought these are not drawers but rather cabinets so they should be put in the location where we put the vertical handles. By the time I came to check it was too late and now I am stuck. I am thinking of putting maybe 8inch handles instead of current 5inch but not sure if that would help to improve the look. Old kitchen pictures attached they also had handles but smaller