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I tried online interior design service Havenly to update my living room.
I recently moved into a new apartment and was in need of some inspiration for a shared space.
The process was so easy that I plan to use it again in my bedroom.
As a recent college graduate, I’ve moved in a half-dozen times in the past few years and collected a random set of furniture. Now that I’m working from home, I wanted to remodel the living room in my current apartment.
I have used Havenly, an online interior design service, to create a living room design with mostly new furniture. The process was straightforward, elegant, and fast, and the results included everything I was looking for.
I also spoke to Havenly CEO and co-founder Lee Mayer about starting the company. While trying to furnish and decorate her home, she found traditional interior design to be expensive and required people to get in and out of her home.
Mayer said the purpose of Havenly is to be accessible, transparent, and easy to use for anyone looking to renovate their home. “In many ways, what we’re trying to do is create a way to give you a space that feels like but hopefully a lot higher and a lot better,” she said.
Keep scrolling to read about my experience using Havenly.
Pricing and levels
You have tried the Havenly Full package for designing an entire room.
Havenly
There are two different design packages that you can choose from. The first is the Havenly Mini ($99), which is geared towards those looking for a few pieces of furniture or decor. The other option is Havenly Full ($179), which includes a complete room conversion, which is the package I used for my living room.
Both packages include several concepts, and reviews will suggest you to get one final design, as well as a curated shopping list for all the furniture.
While both packages are the same, the full level includes more pieces of furniture since it’s meant to completely renovate a room. The larger package also includes layout and floor plan visualizations so you know exactly where to place your new furniture and decor.
the operation
Once I chose my package, I did a pattern test to give me an idea of the types of design I liked the most. The tester told me that my main design style is mid-century modern with Scandinavian, bohemian, and international sub styles. I love mid-century modern furniture, so the results didn’t surprise me.
You have tried the Havenly Full package for designing an entire room.
Havenly
The next part of the test asked about my budget, the state I live in, the type of home I live in, whether I’m a renter or owner, and a few questions about the schedule. Then I was paired with a designer to start my project.
For the room profile, I uploaded 11 pictures of the living room and took a picture of the black velvet sofa that I wanted to keep and incorporate into the new design. I also had to measure the room with a tape measure and provide a loose outline (very poorly planned) of the floor plan I wanted.
I’ve uploaded pictures of my current living room with furniture and without furniture as well.
Havenly
I picked out my wish list of furniture, including artwork, side tables, accent chairs, coffee table, and media console. I rated my artistic vignette images from one to five stars. I did the same for the color palettes and materials, even though they were optional. Then I added my budget. In hindsight, $1000 wasn’t realistic for the amount of furniture I was looking for.
The best part about the room profile is that you can make it as detailed and specific as you like. There are several optional boxes to add information about who the room is, how it will be used, if you already have pieces of furniture in mind, and more. I recommend clarifying the details at the beginning because it will save you time in the future.
After completing the room profile, I received a message that the first three room concepts were guaranteed to be received within three business days. Three days later, my designers sent me designs that I rated and commented on. I liked parts of the three designs and explained what worked for me and what didn’t. I got another message right after saying I would have the next design, “Concept”, in another four days.
I rate these three designs and add comments about what I liked and disliked about each one.
Havenly
“Concept” is the second to last design. You arrived just in time, and the details blew me away. My designers added a note that we went over budget, but I knew my original number was unrealistically low. However, designers have found less expensive chairs similar to the original expensive ones.
I added a few more notes and was told I would have a final design, with new furniture planned for my space, in a week. It was during the holidays, so the designer told me there would be a delay.
I was thrilled to see my dog’s addition to the design concept.
Havenly
Final design
A week later, I received my final design and liked what I had picked up. All my requests and adjustments were done, and I was thrilled with the results. My designers added details from the items I own, including art and a plant stand. Even my dog was lying on the sofa. When looking at the design it looked like a home.
My designers added personal touches, like the Moulin Rouge poster and the black plant stand I already own.
Havenly
I also received a hologram of space; It was fun seeing the furniture and space come to life in a realistic picture.
This photo is very realistic and included the exact shape of my windows and the pattern of my carpet.
Havenly
The total was about $2,700 for everything I wanted on my list, which didn’t shock me even though I was well over my initial budget. The shopping list given by my designers has many options for accent chairs in a range of prices, and I can buy everything included in the final design with the click of a button.
I had no issues with the final concept, but my designer was willing to make any changes I requested. The communication from the designers and the Havenley system was impeccable, and the timeframes were accurate. The process was easy, and I ended up enjoying taking care of my dream living room space.
The designer made all the changes I wanted, and her communication was great.
Havenly
Tips to get the most out of your experience
Mayer said that honesty is one of the most important aspects of working with an interior designer. Working with an interior designer can be intimidating, but Havenly designers are trained to take feedback to make the process collaborative. “If you hate purple, we wouldn’t use purple even if it was trendy,” Meyer said.
Designs may not always have everything you’re looking for right away, which is why learning what you don’t like is helpful. “What we really hope to get out of is a space that truly reflects all of you and what you want in your space,” Meyer said.
I didn’t want to offend my designers with my comments, but I also didn’t want to end up with a design I didn’t like. Being honest works really well because my designer was very helpful and informed me about all my options in a way that wasn’t overwhelming.
minimum
Everything included in the design can be purchased directly from Havenly.
Havenly
Using Havenly to design my living room was so easy and fun. My designer was so kind and thoughtful, adding personal touches that made the experience all the more worthwhile. I will be moving again in a few months and looking forward to using Havenly for my bedroom. Next time, I’ll add more details to my room profile at first and set a higher, more realistic budget.
If you’re like me and can’t buy everything on your shopping list at once, it’s still worth getting inspiration and ideas that you can keep forever. I definitely plan on using it in all of my rooms at some point, even the ones that don’t need a complete makeover.
