Furniture placement for new home

[Anonymous]

We are buying our 2nd home after 10 years in our first. It is a smaller home than we planned but we like the way the space is laid out and it has everything we need. However, I am really good to need help for furniture placement and purchases to best use the small living areas. We will not have much cash after our new home purchase and moving. Is there a way to get this kind of help cheaply without hiring a full blown interior designer? Like someone who has a great eye to come in and advise for an hour or two? If so where do I find such a person? One example is that we have a tiny little carpeted living room next to the kitchen with a fireplace at the end. The current owners have a couch on one wall that doesn't do anything for the space. There must be some cute way to make it work well but I don't have that kind of eye.

[Anonymous]

Try this first:

Use What You have Decorating by Lauri Ward. Lots on furniture placement. It is a bit old now, but the information on placement is pretty timeless and practical.

http://www.amazon.com/Use-What-You-Have-Decorating/dp/039952536X

At a minimum, it will help you communicate better with a designer.

Your question has come up several times here. Do a search on "designer" or "decorator" to see threads. Some have given specific names.

[Anonymous]

Houzz.com has an option of posting photos of your room and problem, and then people chime in with ideas. In other words, crowdsource it!