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.

Yes, I do think it's a good idea. The house I recently bought had a designer involved from the beginning stages. The couple that started construction got transferred right before closing and never purchased the house. Can't tell ya how grateful I am that the couple hired a designer to select all the finishes and even lighting. The only thing that is a miss in my house is carpeting in bedrooms. That was done last and the construction manager chose the carpet -- it doesn't work well with the travertine. But, hey, it's not bad and I'm not complaining. Just can't help but wonder what the designer would have chosen.

If you're concerned with cost you don't have to hire the designer to help with everything. For example, you could hire one to help with choosing the overall look of the home such as color palette for creating flow, style of major finishes such as trim and door style, etc. Another option to use the designer for help key areas such as the kitchen. We've used a designer for some spaces in our current home (master bedroom and bath and sitting room) but some rooms we've handled ourselves (powder room, kids' bedrooms, guest bedroom and playroom) because we were confident that we knew what to do in them. When we put our house on the market we also consulted with a designer about a few minor issues such as what neutral color we should paint the rooms upstairs and which areas of the house were most in need of updating and how. As for doing the actual staging and updating work, we did it ourselves. Keep in mind that there are different payment methods for designers. Some charge per hour and some charge a percentage on top of what they source for you. Also, find out how and what they charge you for. For example, some charge for shopping for you even if they are shopping for multiple clients at once.

Unless you have a great deal of money to spend, you are better off doing a lot of the hard work yourself and then hiring someone to help finish things off with panache. Good interior designers cost a fortune- six figures for a living room, for a modest start. Mediocre interior designers cost money too- I have no idea of how much though- but my feeling is that any money spent on a mediocre designer is money that could have been spent on better furniture and finishes. Lay out your wish list. Consult some books and bring the problems here to work out together with this very talented crew. There is not a day that goes by that I am not amazed at how the people on this board work together to create beautiful spaces. Try with one room and see how it goes. People have reported good things from distance consultations with Maria Killam, whose specialty is colors. Google her blog and check out posts about her here on GW. She may be able to give you a good color scheme. Laurel Bern's blog is one of my favorites and she sells color schemes as well. I know it can seem overwhelming, but if money is a concern at all, it seems unproductive to waste it on meh interior designers.