I love this guide! Another thing you can do (to reel the reader in is) that you think of good metephors or similies. I used this do describe a castle:
The deep brown hardened walls were lined with bright torchs. The doors were steel-tight, rimmed with locks. Inside this chamber of darkness, sandy floors creeped in all directions. Torches flickered in each hallway, as though they were the only source of light in this chamber.
That's something of how I would do it. I thought of details and then I got excited about the story.
Hope this helps.
Details (c) Xiaolin - 2007.