A well arranged home interior can maximise space.

• Avoid the temptation of crowding your house with everything you can think of.
  
  
• Let each room have one or two focal areas so that they get highlighted.
  
  
• Fancy wall finishes like a mud finish is best avoided. Go for something more solid and long lasting.
  
  
• Selecting the right light is absolutely essential. Dull lighting can ruin an elegant interior.
  
  
• Never go in for fake finishes. Let wood and metal show up as such.
  
  
• Instead of expensive marbles, you could innovate with local stones.
  
  
• If you are one of those avid collector's of paintings or artifacts, don't display them all at once.
  
  
• You could display them one by one or shift them from room to room.
  
  
• Ethnic furniture can add character to a room.
  
  
• Let your house reflect your personality. Don't let an architect or designer dictate terms to you.
  
  
  When you hire an interior decorator for your home or office, here are a few things to keep in mind:
  
  
• Check the firm's credentials.
  
  
• Check the interior decor of their own office, it will give you a fair idea of what they can deliver.
  
  
• Talk to the firm's previous clients, inspect some of their earlier work to check on the quality of materials used and timely completion.
  
  
• Take the quotation, bill of material and drawings in advance and make sure all agreements are in writing.
  

A fairly large architect's firm can also provide interior decor services. If you hire such a reputed firm, you can be assured of quality work.