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Redesigning a space can be a big job. Seemingly simple tasks like choosing a new paint color or area rug can become overwhelming in the context of a whole room overhaul, especially for those who don’t have a keen eye for design. And hiring an interior designer can be daunting—not to mention expensive. But sometimes, rooms are just begging for a refresh.
Luckily, Havenly has it sorted. The online platform brings bespoke interior design services to anyone for relatively affordable prices. Users can collaborate with designers from the comfort of their homes and gain valuable ideas and insight into how to redecorate any space. But do these low costs have a catch? This Havenly design review will answer the question: Is Havenly worth it?
See more of the best interior design services.
At a Glance
Havenly
Pros
- Quick 2-day design delivery time
- Consultations conveniently available online, by text message, or by phone
- In-person design services available in select markets
- Relatively affordable pricing per room
- In-depth designer profiles
Cons
- Kitchens and bathrooms not eligible for Online Full package
- Potential for pressure to purchase products directly from Havenly
- No central online FAQ section
Specs
- Service platform: Online; in-person for select markets
- Consultation process: Online, text message, phone
- Pricing: $79 to $499 per room
- Design delivery: 2 days
Our Verdict: For those looking for help redesigning a space in their home, Havenly is an excellent and more affordable alternative to hiring a professional interior designer. Havenly allows customers to access professional yet convenient interior design services and purchase furniture and decor directly from the site to streamline the entire decorating process.
Havenly Review: Claims
Havenly may be considered a disruptor of the interior design industry, but what exactly does choosing it entail? Customers who have never heard of Havenly or hired a professional designer might not know what to expect when they turn over their credit card information. Below is everything potential customers need to know about Havenly and its services.
What Is Havenly?
Havenly is a wallet-friendly alternative to hiring a traditional interior designer that would charge hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. It connects customers to professional interior designers through its online platform. Havenly’s site also has a shop where customers can purchase furniture and decor directly instead of searching online or in stores.
How It Works
Havenly connects customers and design professionals through its online platform, where customers can purchase relatively affordable design packages. Customers can opt for minor refreshes or total design overhauls, and one of Havenly’s designers produces style concepts to suit the customer’s wants and needs. After rounds of revisions, customers receive a finalized design plan and a shopping list. Customers can use this shopping list to buy furniture and decor directly from Havenly’s website.
Design Quiz
The first step in using Havenly’s service is its design quiz. The quiz asks customers to choose the “rooms that make you swoon” from a seemingly endless selection of photos. Then it asks customers how much they know about interior design. Then, using Havenly’s “super fancy algorithm,” the quiz returns the customer’s main style and a few substyles that may apply.
After the initial design quiz, customers can answer additional questions, including what rooms they’re looking to design, their budget, their timeline, and their state of residence. These questions help Havenly narrow down a selection of designers. Customers receive their top- recommended designer and additional designers who may also fit the customer’s style profile. Customers can check a designer’s availability, profile, and portfolio to ensure that they’d be a good fit and can fulfill the customer’s preferred timeline.
Designers
During the design quiz, customers are matched with Havenly designers. Over 200 designers are working on Havenly’s site, and this breadth of designers means that customers can find a designer that meets their style preferences.
Designers are located throughout the United States, Canada, Central America, and South America, but fluency in English is required, according to Havenly’s job listings. Havenly states that it looks for designers with previous experience, and interior design degrees are preferred. Still, there is no requirement for Havenly designers to hold any specific licensing or certification.
When choosing a designer, customers can see the designer’s availability and when they’ll be able to start on a new project. Havenly states that its designers usually begin the same week or the following week after a customer purchases a package, but there is no guaranteed start time. Customers who are dissatisfied with having a long wait for a certain designer may be able to switch to a new designer.
Design Packages and Cost
Havenly offers customers a choice of three design packages at different price points. The Online Mini costs $79 and allows customers to “update your space or add finishing touches.” Customers choose their designer, communicate with the designer via messaging or phone calls, and receive three initial ideas within 2 days. There’s no limit to how many revisions the customer can request. After the customer chooses from their preferred style concept, the designer returns a final design concept and curated shopping list.
One step up from the Online Mini package is the Online Full. This package comes in at $129 and includes everything in the Online Mini plus a custom floor plan and layout visualizations or 3D renderings. The Online Full package is geared toward customers who want to redecorate a space from scratch; however, it’s not available for kitchens or bathrooms.
Customers in one of 12 U.S. metropolitan areas can take advantage of Havenly’s in-person design services for $499. With this service, customers are matched with designers in their area, and a designer visits the customer’s home to take measurements. Customers and designers can have design meetings in person or over video calls, and customers receive a vision board, paint and material samples, custom floor plans, and photorealistic 3D renderings. In-person customers also receive exclusive discounts and an ordering concierge team to “proactively manage your orders.” Finally, the designer styles the space to make the vision come to life.
Customers will want to note that the prices listed above are the “discounted” prices—the original prices for the design packages are $99, $179, and $699, respectively. These prices are slashed out, and the lower prices are displayed next to them. However, there’s no notice anywhere on the website of any ongoing promotions, so it’s unclear if the lower prices are actually the standard prices and are made to appear lower to entice customers.
Havenly’s Shop
When customers receive their finalized design plan, they’ll also receive a shopping list. This list includes furniture and decor from Havenly’s online shop, so acquiring new pieces for the space is straightforward. Havenly partners with over 200 retailers to cater to a wide range of styles. Customers can shop Havenly’s store without using the design service. However, customers will want to note that they can’t search for specific retailers on the site; they can only filter by product categories, colors, and materials.
The pricing on the Havenly website is generally higher than what customers may be able to find through other retailers such as Amazon, Wayfair, or Ikea. Some customers may appreciate the streamlined shopping process and be able to buy exactly what their designer recommends. However, other customers may feel some pressure to buy directly from Havenly and may prefer to search for products at other retailers for lower prices.
Financing
While Havenly’s interior design services are relatively affordable, buying a new suite of furniture and decor is not. Customers who make purchases through Havenly’s online shop can use “buy now, pay later” Affirm financing. When checking out, customers can select that they’d like to use financing, and they’ll be taken to the Affirm site where they can choose 3- 6-, or 12-month payment plans starting at 0 percent APR. The APR is calculated based on the customer’s creditworthiness, and there are no late, service, or prepayment fees.
There are downsides to “buy now, pay later” loans and services like Affirm (including high interest rates and negative outcomes if customers can’t make payments). Still, customers who are eligible for low or no interest rates may find financing helpful to break up the price of a large purchase from Havenly.
Havenly App
Havenly has a mobile app that allows users to complete all the same functions they would on the desktop version. Customers can book designers, chat with the designer, share photos, rate designers, and shop the Havenly store. The app is only available for Apple users, however, and is compatible with iOS 8.0 and above.
Customer Service and Support
Havenly offers customer service via phone, text, and email. The company also maintains a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where customers may be able to reach out with any questions. Havenly notes that email is the best way to contact customer support. Representatives are available by phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST, and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. PST.
Guarantee
Havenly offers customers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. If a customer is unhappy with their design, their designer offers unlimited revisions until they like the result. There’s no time limit on how long a designer works with a customer, so customers are not rushed to request revisions.
There is no specific guarantee for the Havenly shop. Since the shop sources pieces from third-party retailers, guarantees may vary by retailer.
Havenly Reviews by Customers
Reviews of Havenly on its site are, on the whole, positive, and customers appreciate the smooth process, engaged designers, and favorable design results.
Havenly has a rating of 3.9 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot. The Havenly interior design reviews of the services and the designers are overwhelmingly positive. However, one of the biggest complaints is that customer service calls and emails often go unanswered. This can be a problem when a customer inquires about a shop order or, in rare cases, when a designer has stopped communicating with a customer.
Havenly is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau and holds an F rating. The company has received 16 complaints in the past 3 years and only has a 69 percent response rate. Most complaints involve ordering from the online shop, including missing parts and furniture being on back order. These issues aren’t necessarily the direct fault of Havenly; since Havenly works with third-party retailers, customers can’t know precisely where their furniture is coming from.
Other Havenly customer reviews and complaints have to do with limited designer availability and a lack of transparency on when designers are available to start on new design projects. Customers will want to note that many Havenly designers are independent contractors, often working part-time in addition to other design work. Therefore, customers may not receive the immediate responses or availability that they might expect from (often instantaneous) digital experiences.
How Havenly Stacks Up to the Competition
Havenly isn’t the only online interior design service. Like Havenly, Spacejoy offers different package levels. Customers pay depending on the extent of services they want, and pricing is not based on their designer’s experience. Spacejoy’s least expensive package is $249, which is more costly than Havenly’s base offering, and the most expensive package is $599. Spacejoy’s features are also more limited, with only two to four revisions depending on the customer’s package and a 10-day design delivery time.
The online interior design service space used to be more saturated, with companies like Decorist and Modsy accompanying Havenly among the most popular options. However, both companies closed their virtual doors in 2022. These closures may signal Havenly’s stronghold over the online interior design market, or it could indicate a lack of interest in these services as a whole.
Should You Use Havenly?
For those considering hiring a professional interior design service but aren’t willing to splash out hundreds of dollars to do it, Havenly might be the solution. The site provides a helpful resource to those who want to redecorate their space but don’t have the interior design know-how to do it themselves.
For those who are design savvy, have a strong idea of their style preferences, and love the process of redecorating a room, Havenly might not be necessary. The service is most beneficial to those without a solid understanding of design or who can’t clearly articulate what styles and elements they prefer. Havenly also streamlines the shopping experience, allowing customers to purchase everything from one location. While there’s no direct pressure to buy items sold on Havenly, some customers may feel more compelled to, even if the offered items aren’t the most economical.
FAQs
Still have questions about Havenly and its services? These frequently asked questions should answer any lingering inquiries.
Q. What is the difference between Havenly and Modsy?
Modsy and Havenly are both online interior design platforms. Modsy went out of business in 2022, and Modsy no longer accepts new clients.
Q. Where is Havenly based?
Havenly is based out of Denver, Colorado.
Q. What do I get from Havenly.com?
What customers receive depends on the package they purchase. Customers who opt for the Online Mini package receive a personal Havenly designer, one-on-one consultations, a final design concept with a shopping list, multiple design revisions, and access to a personal ordering team. The Online Full package includes everything in the Online Mini plus 3D renderings and custom floor plans. The in-person package is available to customers in select markets in the U.S., and customers work with a designer who comes to their home.
Q. Does Havenly work for any room?
The Havenly Online Full package is not available for kitchens and bathrooms.
Q. How fast is Havenly?
Designers have varying availability, so it could be a few days to a few weeks between when a customer pays for the service and when they’re able to talk to their designer. Designers return initial style concepts within 2 days.
Q. Which experts use Havenly?
Havenly connects customers to professional interior designers. Customers can choose their designer based on style preferences and the designer’s portfolio. Havenly has designers who specialize in styles including bohemian, contemporary, eclectic, farmhouse, glam, rustic, and more.
We independently reviewed this service by weighing the company’s claims against first-hand experience with its professionals. However, due to factors such as franchising, human error, and more, please note that individual experiences with this company may vary.
