Formal living rooms are rarely used from my experience. I can't tell you how many times I have "re-done" them for clients because after living in a home for a while the home owner realizes that they are wasted space. My advice to you about a formal living area is to leave it undone for 3-4 months and utilize the rest of your new home. See what is missing. Do you need an office, a den? A library? Quiet reading area? An exercise room? A craft room? Or maybe you really do need a formal entertaining area for your multitude of guests that come around every weekend where you entertain very high-brow style. But figure that out first otherwise your investment will be wasted. Part of why you and your husband are drawn to different furnishings is for these reasons: 1) The function of the room is not well established. So he envisions sitting on a big bulky comfy couch watching TV, and you envision sipping tea on a gorgeous ethnically inspired piece of furniture and chatting with your friends. This can only be vetted out with time and understanding how you as a couple will use all of your house. 2) You have different ideas about home design. Your husband is interested in comfort and you are interested in style. You will need to find a happy medium. Instead of saying well his style isn't going to fit with my style, think about how he can have a comfortable piece of furniture in the room that is perhaps tailored enough to go along with some beautifully wood carved, ethnic pieces. And this may actually enhance the look and make it look less "themed". And at the end of the day you may want to consider hiring a designer to help you through the process - often times that can help you weed through the process of balancing out form and function and his wants and your wants in the space. Best of luck!

Hi Satya, Guessing the work is almost complete, and you cannot make any changes to the architectural plans. In that case, a good design will save you from many challenges. For example in the dining room, which is your main area of concern, place a smaller 6 seater with two seats at the end of the table , or use materials like glass top with a slim wooden base and use light chairs . A neutral light colour will enhance the lighting and make the room visually larger, specially since you have a large window. Also think of using bench seating on the side which is narrower . If the structure is not complete, think of pushing out the bay window to the outer wall and enhancing the space inside for a larger dining room . A balcony might need not be as necessary as a good dining area which is not claustrophobic. Thanks, Smitha

Hi Farooq, you should go for wall paneling on that wall with a concealed door. The wardrobe can be a part of the unit in front.

Hi, Based on your reference image, it seems like it has only 2 colours, namely White and Dark gray. The yellowish lights make it look like off white/beige in some areas. You can also add some textures to create variations when exposed to different lightings. I hope this was helpful. Regards WEIRD