I gave up and hired a designer

[ktgrok]

My brain is overwhelmed with decisions on where to put everything as we unpack, and shopping for new things (like, I had 1 dresser for 3 kids before, not enough beds as one was on a trundle, not enough trash cans or bath mats or shower curtains, etc etc). 

And I hit the school room and every time I tried to figure it all out I'd end up in the corner eating pilfered halloween candy, lol. 

Two different friends whose opinions I respect advised Havenly, an online design thing. One had a referral code which brought the price down to $99. And I decided fine, someone can help me. I have no more brain for this, lol. I can tweak things, and I'm excellent at making do with too little stuff and not enough space, but it seems that a big room with money to spend and I'm clueless. 

If it works out I'll let you all know!

[Katy]

Let us know if it doesn’t work out too please.

[rebcoola]

Ooh interesting please keep us updated.

[ktgrok]

16 minutes ago, Katy said:

Let us know if it doesn’t work out too please.

Yes, definitely! I'm sure I'll be here venting, lol. 

[ktgrok]

DH tried to help me, but one of his first suggestions involved blocking access to the book cases...and he was fired, lol. 

[stephanier.1765]

I honestly can't wait to see what you think and what they were able to do. I'm kinda living the "bigger house life" through you. LOL

[Kassia]

I think this is a fantastic idea and can't wait to hear how it goes!  

 

[alisoncooks]

Sounds exciting! Let someone else do the basics and you tweak it how you like it.

(I am *so* not an interior decorator. I love houses and furniture, but don’t ask me to put them in a place and make them look nice. My current home style is “early 2000s thrift store” with a few confused, newer pieces added in (from the “kids-are-no-longer-babies- let’s-buy-nicer-things! period”). 

[Carrie12345]

If you love it, let me know YOUR referral code! 😆 

[Hen]

please let us know the results!  I'm moving into a bigger, nicer home soon and was contemplating the need to hire design help...but I've never done it before and it feels wasteful...but I am in over my head. It will be nice to hear how this "half-step" sort of design help goes for you.

 

 

[Beth S]

If by some Tiny Chance, this online designer doesn't work out, please ask the Hive for advice.  😉

[amyx4]

I tried Havenly probably more than five years ago. They provided a list of lovely things to buy.  They definitely did a good job fleshing out things that I would like. I did purchase some of the items they suggested.

However, I really needed help with making those things fit in the awkward living room. (Two sets of french doors, an opening to the hallway, and a regular sized front door.) At that time, they didn't offer that service.

Crossing my fingers that they can help you.

[ktgrok]

42 minutes ago, amyx4 said:

I tried Havenly probably more than five years ago. They provided a list of lovely things to buy.  They definitely did a good job fleshing out things that I would like. I did purchase some of the items they suggested.

However, I really needed help with making those things fit in the awkward living room. (Two sets of french doors, an opening to the hallway, and a regular sized front door.) At that time, they didn't offer that service.

Crossing my fingers that they can help you.

They ask if you want a floor plan, and give you a virtual image of how it should be placed, supposedly. 

[ktgrok]

So far, not so good. The stuff she picks looks pretty, but there is NO WHERE here to do you know, school! This was just an initial idea, she's redoing it, but I was pretty clear I needed space for my desk, but also space for the kids to do work at - both individually and together. Instead I got lots of seating, and to be fair I said I wanted space to sit and read or watch documentaries or for gaming, but the seating  doesn't even face the TV  for those documentaries, gaming, etc. This is not a functional space for a homeschool room - and that L shaped desk poking out past the small wall there is um...interesting. No way would I do that!

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by ktgrok

[lmrich]

Looking at her design... are these current things you own?

 

[ktgrok]

13 minutes ago, lmrich said:

Looking at her design... are these current things you own?

 

The daybed, the two tall book shelves, the "white shelves" which are a small book case, and the cube shelving I already own. The L shaped desk and sofa were new, as were the floor lamps, floor pillows, coffee table, etc. 

[ktgrok]

Ugh, now she is suggesting a table for schoolwork that is 22 inches high. AFTER specifically asking how old my kids are! 

 

[Starr]

Does it help to look at what you don't like about her design? Maybe make cut out shapes of the furniture and move it around on a template and see if it starts to come together for you. 

[lmrich]

Still thinking about this... Does the daybed have to go against a wall? It usually makes sense to anchor it by a wall but you want the daybed to face the tv - correct? Or could you keep the daybed and tv where it is on the plan?  Maybe have some huge floor pillows for the kids to sit on while watching tv. Or something like this: https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/ca/p/LC405/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=PLA&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4b2MBhD2ARIsAIrcB-SJHlHJEVgIL3wnpgI_zHeq36oDRMDCSleOY27gaQftFgzjYprKrK8aAqCHEALw_wcB  Then you could put a table or desks along the wall where the sofa is. I was able to purchase a table with adjustable legs for my kids so it grew with them.(https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/classroom-furniture/tables-desks/classic-adjustable-rectangular-tables/p/CN441) {and I love all the seating options they show on the Lakeshore website} I also picked up a kid table at a garage sale that fit perfectly under our larger work table that I just slid out for my youngest. I am pretty sure you have said that your dh is handy so you could purchase table tops from IKEA and he could fashion shorter legs or   you buy this for your youngest (I have no idea how tall your youngest is https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/sundvik-childrens-table-gray-60494032/)  I know you can buy furniture legs at Home Depot and cut them down if that helps.  Or create a little workspace for your youngest under the window where the pillows and stuff is now so she can draw and make her creations there. 

Or you could center the daybed in front of the tv. Put a desk behind it for you and then desks for each child on either side - where she has put your desk and the reading area. It would definetly cut the room in half and make a school zone behind the bed and a tv zone in front of it. 

 

Personally, I would print off what she has, trace the room dimensions, cut out the furniture you want to keep and move it around. You can easily scale new furniture to put in. But you are paying her to do this so never mind.. maybe give her more ideas. 

 

 

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, lmrich said:

 

Or you could center the daybed in front of the tv. Put a desk behind it for you and then desks for each child on either side - where she has put your desk and the reading area. It would definetly cut the room in half and make a school zone behind the bed and a tv zone in front of it. 

 

 

 

Could you explain this more? I like the idea of zones, but am not picturing what you are saying. Keep the TV where she put it, daybed facing it, and desk behind it?

[Ellie]

What if you rotated the sofa so it faced the TV, and rotated the desk so it was at the back of the sofa and the "L" was along the wall? And then would there be enough room to put one of the bookcases also on the wall, sort of at the end of the "L", in the corner? Actually, wouldn't the Tall Bookshelf fit on that short wall? Seems like bookshelves should be easily accessible when one is sitting at the desk, instead of having to get up and not only walk across the room but also around a piece of furniture to get to it.

[ktgrok]

7 minutes ago, Ellie said:

What if you rotated the sofa so it faced the TV, and rotated the desk so it was at the back of the sofa and the "L" was along the wall? And then would there be enough room to put one of the bookcases also on the wall, sort of at the end of the "L", in the corner? Actually, wouldn't the Tall Bookshelf fit on that short wall? Seems like bookshelves should be easily accessible when one is sitting at the desk, instead of having to get up and not only walk across the room but also around a piece of furniture to get to it.

That short wall is literally short - only 3 feet high. It's the banister sort of. So the bookcase on that would be weird, you'd see the back of the bookcase coming up the stairs. 

[Lucy the Valiant]

8 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Could you explain this more? I like the idea of zones, but am not picturing what you are saying. Keep the TV where she put it, daybed facing it, and desk behind it?

This is exactly what came to my mind when I looked at your drawing, too. 

OR change the daybed out for a sectional and get rid of the "white bookshelf." That way your room would still have TV-facing seating WITH a cozy corner, but could also work for across-the-room conversations with the sofa.

 

 

[Ellie]

9 hours ago, ktgrok said:

That short wall is literally short - only 3 feet high. It's the banister sort of. So the bookcase on that would be weird, you'd see the back of the bookcase coming up the stairs. 

Ah. But you could still rotate the sofa and the desk.

[lmrich]

Sorry I was gone all day yesterday. I see you have another thread going. I will check that out and see where you landed. 

[Carrie12345]

@ktgrok If you happen to have a referral code… I’m desperate, lol. I know you didn’t have the best luck, but I’m THAT desperate!

[Pippen]

On 11/5/2021 at 8:06 PM, amyx4 said:

I tried Havenly probably more than five years ago. They provided a list of lovely things to buy.  They definitely did a good job fleshing out things that I would like. I did purchase some of the items they suggested.

However, I really needed help with making those things fit in the awkward living room. (Two sets of french doors, an opening to the hallway, and a regular sized front door.) At that time, they didn't offer that service.

Crossing my fingers that they can help you.

Does Havenly just provide suggestions for furnishings? My house need to totally redo my kitchens and bathrooms. Plus new flooring throughout the upstairs. This is not my thing--I need to start with the kitchen and I don't even know where to begin.

[TechWife]

48 minutes ago, Pippen said:

Does Havenly just provide suggestions for furnishings? My house need to totally redo my kitchens and bathrooms. Plus new flooring throughout the upstairs. This is not my thing--I need to start with the kitchen and I don't even know where to begin.

I went with a local, reputable, certified designer. Much more $$ than an online service, but very personalized. Overall I’ll save $$ because I’ve made some pretty expensive mistakes in years  past (I’m a serial couch and rug buyer). The first site visit was a lot of fun & he really listened to how we use the space, what pieces we have that we want to keep (most of them) and what we’ve done that didn’t work. I’m waiting for the first draft plan now, we delayed until after Christmas because, well Christmas decorations are up! 

[Frances]

4 hours ago, Pippen said:

Does Havenly just provide suggestions for furnishings? My house need to totally redo my kitchens and bathrooms. Plus new flooring throughout the upstairs. This is not my thing--I need to start with the kitchen and I don't even know where to begin.

We’re at the tail end of a six year, mainly DIY whole house remodel. While we did use a free in-house designers when we chose some of our furniture, but far the biggest help for us has been the Houzz website. We poured over so many pictures, so many times to find what we both liked and just as important, didn’t like. Our house is a 1920s Craftsman Bungalow, so a very specific style, and we knew the general look we were going for.

We also used a free in-house designer at the place where we bought our bathroom and kitchen tiles. Both she and the furniture designer came to our home. After looking at so many pictures, we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted. But she helped to fine tune things and choose the right type of tiles.

We still might end up paying a regular designer because window coverings are going to be the end of me if I survive area rugs. Although I believe the tile place also has free consultation for at least the types of window coverings they sell. And we already have a great working relationship with the designer there.

Today we are off to look at upholstery fabric for our new window seat and built-in kitchen seating cushions.

Edited December 27, 2021 by Frances

[ktgrok]

6 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

@ktgrok If you happen to have a referral code… I’m desperate, lol. I know you didn’t have the best luck, but I’m THAT desperate!

Here you go https://havenly.com/referral/0e8f628ffa?utm_source=manual&utm_medium=referral

[ktgrok]

At this point I've got that room on hold - DH got the family an oculus vr thing for Christmas, and now that room is used for that on top of everything else, and he wants to put the toy kitchen DD4 got for Christmas in there too. It is becoming more play area than school area by the minute. Oh, and DS9 got a giant memory foam/bean bag type thing that is still expanding as we speak and that seems to be living in there. The hound has decided it is the world's most amazing dog bed though, and is the one using it the most. It's big enough for DS9 AND the 80lb hound, thankfully. (seriously, the dog has barely moved off of it in the last 48 hours - he only gets off to go lay on the actual dog bed he got for christmas every now and then)

In desperation I just moved one of the tables in there into my bedroom to use as a desk, as I was trying to work on the budget and doing that with kids playing Beat Saber next to me was NOT working. Turns out, the table matches my bedroom furniture pretty well! Who knew?

so, may put my desk area in the master bedroom permanently, use one long table/desk for the kids to work at when they do use one, and some cabinets and such. But the cabinets I wanted (Brimnes) are out of stock anyway, so..sort of on hold for now. I did snag a set of the wide Alex drawers when they came back in stock, so will put that together today, put the printer on that, and move the drawers that the printer is currently on downstairs to hold dog brushes and stuff. 

Edited December 27, 2021 by ktgrok

[Carrie12345]

Just wanted to come back and add my review so far, instead of starting a separate thread.

Meh.  So far.

My #1 need is layout advice, and we haven’t gotten to that part yet, so I have some hope to hang onto.

My #2 need was helping me explore incorporating reds into my black/white/gray obsession. I’m finding both the platform and the designer lacking in that. And it’s to the extent that I think these are just average people using a flawed algorithm.

I have zero special talent for design, and I rated individual “inspiration” items… individually. So the concept I’ve been given has a lot of those items, that even I know don’t go together. I guess that, even if I don’t know how to design a room, I have made enough mistakes in my decor to recognize some of the things NOT to do!

If she nails a nice floor plan layout, it’ll be worth the $99 to me.

I’m not interested in paying four figures to be told what to buy by a local designer, so this isn’t me *complaining. I expect to get what I pay for, which is going to be less at $99 than $1000+. But I did assume a more… objective (?) eye than my own. I mean, I know how to Pinterest things that I like.  Conceptualizing which ones work best together is what I thought someone else might do better than I could.