I don't know if you are ready for a designer. You need to be able to communicate what you like and what you don't want in that space or you'll make their job really hard and you'll waste your money by nixing their ideas until they manage to figure out what you do like and don't which could take some time. I'd suggest if you go that route that you need to look at lots of pictures and put together a group of "really like", "like", and "don't like". Along with your requirements of wanting light color, minimze the countertop color, sleek or traditional, simple or fuzzier etc. Maybe even go through the "really like" and "like" stack and figure out exactly what you like about each one of them. Lets say one you come up with like the contrast to the dark counter - well it wouldn't work in your kitchen so remove it from the collection. Maybe after going through that exercise you'll have a better idea of what you want and may or may not decide whether you feel you need to hire a designer.

I think that is a partner's desk in the middle of the room in Frances Elkins' house. The room appears to be divided in rough thirds. I do notice a lot of arrangements that would not be common today, including a secondary bedside table and sometimes a chair right at the bedside. See the third photo Chijim posted, and you will see the second table with phone and TV. I think the side chairs were actually pulled in for the photo, but I have seen the table-oriented-lengthwise to the bed a lot in midcentury rooms...particularly McMillen, Inc. rooms.

Well, James Swan is a top designer and has been in so many of the shelter magazines. That's his logo on the review site. If you go to his site, then you'll see the link back to the blog. Therefore, it appears to be legitimately associated with JS. That said, losangeleswriter has been salting many of the forums with links to the blog. Is this the real James Swan or a writer for James Swan? If you are the real James Swan, do you want to chat on the forum? I have a topic for the blog -- Why Do People Fear Decorators? . It will go something like .... we're afraid that we'll spend a lot of money and not get a design that reflects our needs, lifestyles and taste... Help those who are not on the rich and famous list in Hollywood.

Thanks for sharing book recommendations! I've just put library holds on the books by Lynette Jennings, Elsie de Wolfe and Jane Schwab & Cindy Smith. Going to give myself some downtime and enjoy the books post-Xmas. Remarkably, one of my very useful decor manuals was published in the 70's: Introduction to Interior Design by Dorothy Stepat-DeVan The book is focused on the timeless basics like historical furniture styles, interior proportions and scale, window styles, lighting setups, furniture construction, types of materials, etc. Most of the illustrations are B/W sketches and schemes. The color interior photos definitely reflect the popular decor of the time, although some of the designs would be just fine today with a few minor modifications. It is not a coffee-table eye candy but a book for someone who wants to understand the basics. It is also geared to mass-built housing, not period Colonials or fancy French chateaus. I bought it in a thrift store