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.

Just a little ceramic information to share as a potter. Vitrified simply means the clay has become glass like by being fired to its proper maturing temperature. Usually ceramic tile means it is a lower temperature clay like earthenware or terra cotta. Porcelain is fired to the highest temperature and is more vitrified if you will. This usually means it is less porous to to absorb water and harder. Low fired ceramics with glazes much darker or lighter than the clay body will show chips easier. Rectified has to do with making the edges precise enough to fit smoothly together for less grout lines. So porcelain cost more to produce but it is more sturdy. All clay tiles should be vitrified.

Hi Rasa, Nice to hear from you and I’m glad I was able to give you some inspiration for your kitchen tiles. I’ve included another image for you to look at that shows more of a farm house style kitchen with the coloured tiles. If you worried the coloured tiles might look too contemporary for your space, I would advise going for quite soft, muted colour tones to give you the same effect but in a more rustic style. You can see in the attached image how they have used a soft sheen, textured tile in neutral tones, with a subtle hint of colour to be in-keeping with that farmhouse feel. For your tile colours, you could pick up the off white tone of your cabinets with the grey in the granite, and a very soft hint of green or blue to add a little colour to achieve the same look for your kitchen. I have also added some paint swatches below you could use as reference for tile colours to help you visualise the combination. Off white: Greys: Blue or Green: Hopefully this answers your questions for you and I’d love to see some pictures when your project is finished. Good luck with the decorating. Paola Dulux Design Expert www.designer.duluxamazingspace.co.uk

they kinda have no choice ladies, they have to have an architect in miami! i just kinda figured they were trying to figure out what they wanted in the home? to me, even if i had a home built? i would have houzz people on board from the beginning. there are too many things thrown at you, and yet too many choices assumed without any input. like all master bathes must have 2 sinks right? well not mine, and i might want the space and $ spent somewhere else?