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.

nlk - can you set up an ideabook, browse through Houzz rooms and save the ones that you like the most to your ideabook - call it apartment inspiration. Then post a floor plan and we will review what you love and you will have some pictures to help guide you. TanCalGal is right but the scale of what will work in your rooms will depend on their size and how you will use them. Congrats!

duplicate post.

It's a great way to collect photos of images that you like for your house using the "Ideabook" system. If you haven't designed the house yet, you can share these photos with your architect or designer to give them ideas of what you like. If you are at the point of decorating you can put together an ideabook for each room in the house. You can even ask you family members for their input by having them do their own ideabook. If you have a specific question, you can post it in the "discussions" and you will get opinions and answers from all over the world. It's a great way to design your space.