On the HOUSE

Decorating can be pure fun—but it can also be overwhelming. Turns out, many popular brands offer free design consultations to help with your room-planning decisions.

- by LAURA FENTON

A mood board with decor suggestions and fabric swatches (like this one by Crate & Barrel) can serve as your road map. Referring back to it will help your design stay on track, no matter how fast or slow you decide to decorate.

In today's crowded home furnishings marketplace, planning a living room or even picking out bedside lamps can feel like a choose-your-own-adventure tale—there are seemingly endless possibilities. For those times when you want a little bit of professional advice but not a full-blown interior designer, look to your favorite home brands. Shoppers can now get a wealth of expert advice for free through many retailers. Customers are often skeptical of these services because they are worried about hidden fees, but the opportunities listed below are all completely complimentary with no obligation to make purchases afterward. It's in the retailers' interest to help customers make good decisions. When there are so many options, an expert's advice can ensure happy customers—and fewer returns. Here's how to make the most of these no-cost interior design resources.

FURNITURE PLANNING