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.