What Havenly does and who it's for

Havenly is an online interior design service where you work with a designer remotely to plan a room's layout, colors, furniture, and decor. You don't meet in person. Instead, you answer questions about your space and style preferences, share photos or measurements, and receive design recommendations through the platform. Havenly then connects you with retailers to buy the items in your design plan.

The service is built for people who want professional design input without hiring a traditional interior designer to visit their home. You control the budget, timeline, and which recommendations you actually use. Havenly works on rooms of any size — bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, home offices — and handles both full redesigns and smaller updates.

Key Takeaways

  • Havenly pairs you with a designer who works entirely online; you communicate through the platform and never meet in person.
  • You provide room dimensions, photos, and style preferences; the designer creates a visual plan and a list of specific products to buy.
  • Havenly charges a flat fee for the design itself, separate from the cost of furniture and decor you choose to purchase.
  • The designer's recommendations link to retailers where you can buy items, but you are not required to purchase anything.
  • The design process typically takes one to two weeks from start to finish, depending on how quickly you respond to designer questions.

How the design process works step by step

When you start a project, you fill out a questionnaire about the room — its dimensions, natural light, current furniture, and your style preferences. You also upload photos of the space from multiple angles. Havenly uses this information to match you with a designer who specializes in your style or room type.

Your assigned designer reviews your information and may ask follow-up questions through the platform about budget, specific needs (storage, work-from-home setup), or design direction. Once the designer has enough detail, they create a visual floor plan showing furniture placement and a mood board showing colors, textures, and decor items. You see these designs in your Havenly account.

If you want changes — moving furniture, swapping out colors, or trying a different style direction — you request revisions through the platform. The designer makes adjustments and resubmits. Once you approve the design, Havenly provides a shopping list with links to where each item is sold, along with prices and product details.

Design fees and what's included

Havenly charges a one-time design fee that varies depending on the package you choose. The fee covers the designer's time to create the plan and mood board, answer your questions during the design process, and provide the final shopping list. This fee is separate from the cost of any furniture or decor you buy.

You are not required to purchase any of the recommended items. The shopping list is a guide; you can use it as-is, modify it, or ignore it entirely. Some people use the design plan to shop independently, while others use Havenly's retailer links for convenience. The designer does not earn commission on purchases, so there is no financial incentive to recommend expensive items.

Furniture and decor sourcing

Havenly's shopping lists include products from a range of retailers — both large furniture stores and smaller specialty shops. The designer selects items based on your budget, style, and the room's needs. Each product on the list includes a direct link, price, and product image so you can see exactly what is being recommended.

You handle all purchases yourself through the retailer links. Havenly does not buy items on your behalf or handle shipping and returns. If an item goes out of stock or you find a similar alternative elsewhere, you can substitute it without consulting the designer. The design plan itself — the layout and color scheme — remains the same regardless of which specific products you choose.

Timeline and communication

The design process usually takes one to two weeks, though the exact timeline depends on how quickly you respond to the designer's questions and how many revision rounds you request. Initial communication happens through the Havenly platform, where you can message your designer and upload photos or measurements.

Designers typically respond within one to two business days. If you need to make changes to the design, you submit revision requests through the platform, and the designer updates the plan. Most projects are complete and ready for shopping within 10 to 14 days of your first questionnaire submission.

What you need to provide

To get your free guide, you need accurate room dimensions (length, width, and ceiling height), photos of the space from multiple angles, and information about existing furniture or fixtures you plan to keep. You should also know your budget range and be able to describe your style preferences — whether that's modern, traditional, eclectic, minimalist, or something else.

If your room has specific constraints — a window placement, built-in shelving, a structural column — include photos or measurements of those details. The more information you provide upfront, the fewer follow-up questions the designer needs to ask, and the faster the process moves.

Limitations and what Havenly doesn't do

Havenly designs rooms but does not handle installation, construction, or custom work. If your project requires painting, flooring, built-ins, or structural changes, those are outside the scope of the service. The designer can recommend colors or styles for those elements, but you would hire contractors separately to execute them.

Havenly also does not provide ongoing design support after the initial plan is delivered. If you want to update the design months later or need help troubleshooting a purchase, that would be a new project with a new design fee. The service is built around a single, defined design deliverable rather than an ongoing relationship with a designer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a different designer if I don't like the first one?

Havenly's policy on designer changes varies. Contact Havenly directly through the platform to discuss concerns about your designer's work or communication style. Some situations allow for reassignment, though this may extend your project timeline.

What if I don't like the design when I see it?

You can request revisions through the platform. Most packages include a set number of revision rounds; if you exceed that, additional revisions may have a fee. Be specific about what you want to change — furniture placement, color palette, style direction — so the designer understands your feedback.

Do I have to buy everything on the shopping list?

No. The shopping list is a recommendation. You can purchase all items, some items, or none of them. You can also substitute similar products from other retailers. The design plan and layout remain valid regardless of which specific products you choose.

How much does it cost to use Havenly?

Havenly charges a flat design fee that depends on the package and room size. Prices vary; check the Havenly website for current pricing. This fee covers only the design service. Furniture and decor costs are separate and depend entirely on which items you choose to purchase.

Can Havenly help with multiple rooms?

Yes. Each room is a separate project with its own design fee. You can work on one room at a time or start multiple projects simultaneously, depending on your budget and timeline.