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.

Hi! So I'm not much help with paint color, but wanted to share two things that we did which you might consider: first, we got a high-heat black spraypaint (Rustoleum from Home Depot) and painted the fireplace face plate (the brass part) black, which instantly updated our fireplaces for about $10; second, I did not care for our red brick fireplace, and hand-painted it to look like a different color of brick. Without priming, I hand painted each brick Benjamin Moore Eagle Rock, then sponged on a lighter grey (Willow Creek) and a darker grey (Ironhorse, I think). Later, I decided it needed some brown, so I sponged on a bit of watered down brown paint (can't remember the color). I took care not to get paint on the mortar. The whole project took about a day. It came out great and I get tons of complements. If you are at all hesitant about getting the "painted brick" look when you do it all in one color, I would consider tying this method first. 99% of people would not know that the brick had been painted. If you don't like the way it turns out, you can always go back to your original plan!

Its a really lovely room! what a great place for kids to share. I like kids sharing rooms. I think you need another colour to tie it together. I would suggest a blue tone.... teal, navy blue, duck egg blue. to tie it together. Its a little to pale and looks sparse, but actually isn't. I would leave everything exactly as is, BUT, paint the back wall behind the bed teal and find a simple navy blue wall decal that is fun and kid- like maybe one with a sillouette of a boy and girl playing. I would paint the wall behind the sofa duck egg blue. Then I think it would suit both kids more and look more kid friendly. the blues will balance the pink and cream, but because you have a pale carpet i don't think it will look too dark. don't worry about making it totally kid like, its a room they will grow with, not a kindergarten, and it also needs to peaceful and restful for sleeping. besides with their art on the walls and bright toys everywhere it soon looks bright and kid like. Good luck!

Hi, There are a number of ways in which the area under a staircase can be utilized. In case of a cramped house or space restrictions, this space can be used for providing storage, services or even a powder room as elaborated below : In case there are no space constraints and all the other areas are taken care of, the space below the stairs can be used for add ons such as a library, study, cellar or a minibar. In case there are any dogs in the house, this area serves as a spacious and compact kennel too : Apart from this, if the space is to be treated solely considering aesthetics, it can be livened up using a bit of indoor landscaping, sculptures and water body : Hope these ideas help. Do let us know what you decided to choose. All the best! Regards, RnD Atelier Nagpur