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I HIRED A PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR DESIGNER: What is worth over $1,000? (Shocking Results!)
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- āđāļāļĒāđāļāļĢāđāđāļĄāļ·āđāļ 13 āļ.āļ. 2023
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I took on the challenge of transforming my dining room (with some help) Curious if a professional designer could revamp my space? I turned to Heavenly - a website connecting homeowners with top-notch designers. The results? Well, you'll have to watch to find out! I'm sharing the transformation, the design process, the before-and-after shots, and whether this investment was truly worth it.
Try Havenly here: havenly.com/referral/b8cd5888...
Cost breakdown of my dining room makeover:
$99 for the interior designer (used Havenly) havenly.com/referral/b8cd5888...
$138 x 2 Statement Chairs: urlgeni.us/amzn/1ZoQS
$213 for the Bench urlgeni.us/amzn/qHioY
$140 for the rug: urlgeni.us/amzn/ORFLH
$27 x2 for the curtains: urlgeni.us/amzn/c2tZO
$22 x2 for the curtain rods: urlgeni.us/amzn/CO8Kk
$530 for the wallpaper: bit.ly/3RFySq7
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For anyone out there, rugs under tables should always be large enough to pull the chairs out without going off the rug.
Absolutely! The white chairs on the end when pulled out will get caught in the rug as itâs not long enough to cover the chairs. The chairs should be pulled out completely and still have rug underneath for a smooth operation. I feel that the carpet is still not large enough and makes the room appear smaller.
Yes, when she was showing the before and I was stumped that the rug barely fit under the table.
imma give you the pieces of advice you are missing! ð
1. curtains belong on BOTH sides of the window! put two curtains on one rod, one left, one right.
2. the curtain rod needs to be LONGER than the windowâs width to open up the space. curtains should not cover the window when they are pulled to side but the WALL.
3. the curtain rod need to be very close to the ceiling. this is well done here ð
4. i personally think the curtains are too yellowish, which makes them look older than they are. can you bleach them? or get more sheer white ones.
5. the art needs to be more cohesive. first of all: your pieces are too small. get fewer but bigger ones. and if you can use the same frames or at least the same color for the frames or pull colors from the bench or the rug. and hang the art at the correct height. usually in line with eyesight.
6. you need a very big piece of art on the empty wall.
7. put 1-2 pillows on the bench. maybe a leather lumbar pillow.
Thank you for typing it, so I don't have to. She's such a nice person... but she's not good at interior design.
@@kikow3792 well she does a decent job for someone who has no experience in it. i have seen way worse. sheâs trying and learning at least :)
â@@kikow3792I really like a lot of the rooms in her house! I think she does a totally great job overall, just struggled with the curtains in this room
The Interior Designer Me says Ditto to what you said. How hard is it really
plus turn the table long ways and white chairs with those kids will be fithy in no time.
As a long time subscriber and interior designer, I would have done it remotely and for free! Just let me know!
1. Longer rods over windows, two panels on either side of window when open and length should be touching or âkissingâ the floor
2. table and rug orientation needs to follow the shape of the room
3. ceiling fixture repositioned centered in the room and over the table
4. Consider painting the wooden chairs a shade of white or a light color so they donât blend in with the table
I like the chair idea
@karlamurphy9934 do you offer online consults? Iâm also bad at designð
I totally agree with your suggestions. ð
Agree. The way it's all placed up in the corner doesn't feel right, but I reserved my judgment because I don't think I noticed any shots of the entire room, what other furniture she has in there, or what the dimensions are. To me a round table that is extendable in a small area is always cozier and allows for more seating. But in this case, it appears she wants to use all the pieces she has. It's not ideal, but she worked with what she has. And ideally, under the window that is centered and going with the room shape. There just has to be a reason why it had to be placed that way.
All good apart from the painting the chairs idea, which is ill considered. There is enough variation in the colours of the banquette and accent chairs without going one step too far and adding a fourth element with painted chairs. It will look chaotic and muddled.
I know the word âbanquetteâ looks like it should be pronounced âbankwetâ like âbanquet.â But âbanquetteâ is pronounced âbanket,â like âblanket.â Love the new look! So smart to source the stuff yourself.
It's pronounced "BANKETTE." Not banquet.
I always heard it said bangKETâ, especially from my mother who is a designer. But when I googled it to double check myself, google pronunciation says it like she did, yet the dictionary says baNGâket.
All the designers on hgtv programs pronounce it Bankette.
So rudely corrected though ð
banquette /bÄng-kÄtâē/, a long platform or rampart, or a bench for seating.
I think it would be less cramped if you set the table in the other direction. Overall very nice.
its banquette seating, not banquet. banquette is cushioned benches, banquet is a large celebratory meal
Thank you for saying it.
Other people have asked about the orientation & that is what I was thinking as well. When you don't use the space as intended you will probably always feel like a space isn't working. The interior designer put the bench on the other wall which made the room more balanced. I saw a little table for the little ones & there was a dog crate in earlier photos so I think that is why she doesn't put the bench and table in the suggested orientation & why she moved the light. Just note though, when you do not use a room as intended no matter how you redecorate it or change the furniture it will never 'feel correct'. You are fighting with the architecture & intended layout of a room so it will always 'feel incorrect' to you and anyone who is visiting. Every time you redecorate or use different furniture it will just feel 'new' for a while.
I also had the feeling that the setting was squeezed into a tiny space.Wrong layout, short curtains, busy print on both carpet and wallpaper, too small curtain rod which has mismatching metals with the light fixture (as they are at the same level it looses cohesiveness). Maybe consider to have a wider curtain rod and lots of fabric on it and place it in the middle of the wall ignoring the window placement to trick the eye and create symmetry on that wall. Unfortunately to me it all looks like a comment under a recipe "I replaced butter with margarine, apples with potatoes, boiled it instead of baking. I didn't like your apple pie!"
@@lillylilly8357 LOL ! Loved your comment ! Great idea about the window treatment ! That window would bother me so much that I would have it replaced with a larger one to center it on the wall - I truly donât understand what she was thinking with the one curtain ??? Also, I have never seen a dining room table with 3 different styles of seating - donât like it - and I donât think she did herself any favors with that wallpaper, either - but at least she got a nicer & the correct size rug - this was the first video of hers I have seen, so I donât know about the rest of the house - I guess she is learning - greetings to you from sunny Central Florida ! ð
Hi, the bench is a great idea with little ones. I would decide which chairs to go with 3 different is too busy but great on their own. I think the designer was correct in her or his placement of the furniture bench with the back between the 2 windows, not necessarily against the wall that should be the center of the room and bring the chandelier back to the center. You're making it a nook when I feel the room wasn't intended for that. Rug is beautiful . I actually like the wallpaper. I assume that's what works for your family , maybe as the children get older you could move it. I did enjoy your journey and seeing your adorable kids playing in the boxes. Merry Christmas ð
I'd say turn the table long ways that looks way too cramped....with those 2 huge side chairs...
I believe that the room would look better if you had followed the table layout suggested by the decorator and and I also believe that you need long window curtain sheers or panels with the rods placed as high as possible to the ceiling.
Totally with you on the placement of the table on the other window wall - as it looks squashed in as it is.
Yes I would have put the dining table in the middle of the room running the length of the room, but maybe with 3 kids she wants the space ðĪ·ââïļ
Just curious why you decided to keep the table in the same orientation--it looks like the designer had the banquette back up against the adjacent wall.
Same here! I like the end result but I think it would have looked a lot better had she done it the way the designer suggested.
Seating, maybe? âĪ
Definitely seating - she kinda makes it clearâĶð
I think the table should go the other way as the designer suggested....and there are too many different seating options : bench plus upholstered chairs plus wooden chairs! Visually confusing
My question tooâĶ
I don't love the accent chairs personally bc I feel like it makes the space seem cramped. But! Great call on the wallpaper!!! That absolutely transformed the space! And the curtains help too.
I also donât love the accent chairs, for the reason you stated, they are kinda clunky, but also, the color! With little kiddos, that very light color may end up being regrettable. I do love the bench and overall look though!!
Yes, I think the interior designer suggesting the bench be a light colour would have balanced with the existing blond wood chairs because they take up the same amount of space. The accent chairs in the light colour throws things off kilter as they're a bit too visually interesting. Cream boucle would be hard to keep clean too! I do love the difference that rug made and the wave wallpaper is super cool.
Good information. One little thing that didn't feel quite right (to me), is the chair color. You swapped the accent chair and bench color, which feels right. But the two existing chairs, that actually match the accent chairs, make the bench the accent. How about recovering those two side chairs, with a blue to match the bench? Then the end tables are truly the accent chairs they were meant to be. It feels to me like that would balance the room out just a bit more. Thank you!
Yes I also feel you should move the table and chairs to fill that whole room instead of just the one side of the room, The rug is amazing and the window treatments are also looks great!
Exactly!!
Many furniture stores have an in-house professional decorator who will work with you at no extra charge as long as you spend a certain dollar amount which in my experience has always been very reasonable. The store often wonât volunteer this information; you just need to ask. Using a professional has always saved me money because I end up absolutely loving the space, so I donât feel the need to update it or add to it; itâs perfect in every way, and I enjoy it for years. âĪ
The seating all being level with the table makes them disappear. I canât explain it, but they would look better being taller than the table. It looked like the professional brought that dimension to her design. Iâm wondering why you didnât take the wallpaper all the way to the ceiling? It looks like you left a gap. Definitely put curtains on both sides of the window. It just feels like that table is all wrong for that space, as well as the chairs. Everything else I like. However, if itâs what you like and you are happy with how it turned out, then itâs a win. You accomplished what you set out to do. It just seems too modern looking for the style of the home.
I donât understand putting only one curtain panel on the window? Should have a panel on both sides of window.
This was very timely for me. My husband is ready to reorient the furniture in our living room to make it more cozy, as itâs not a small space, but all our seating is against the walls. But Iâm having a hard time envisioning it. I didnât know professional advice could be so affordable (and not have to be in-person). Love your results.
It looks really beautifully now!! I would just put two curtains on each window - one on the left and one on the right of each window ð
I think having the table along the wall the decorator suggested would make it easier to slide in and out of the banquett bench. ( Others comented that you also needed to have a desk & kiddie table in this room, so that may explain the orientation you chose. Love the difference the larger, printed rug makes. Good job with the wallpaper.
She had the room flipped with he length of the table against the double windows. I think it would help the flow if you did that as well and not shoving it against the front wall.
Thank you for this review - super helpful! It certainly makes me more likely to use an online design consult service for sure and I'm going to check out your kitchen organization video, too! It was fun to see the transformation - looks great and so glad it's functional for your family (love the shot of your kid playing in the box as you're putting together the banquette LOL).
I'm so glad you got a result you are happy with and addressed the issues bugging you! I think it looks much more cohesive and put together and calming! âĪ
I see some great suggestions on how to make this room better, and I agree :) Just one more thing-curtains with straps for your rods-no. Get a pleated curtain with hooks instead or if you must-curtain rings with pleat clamps. Anything but straps or grommets :)
So glad you shared this! I did this with Modsy a couple of years ago. My designer was wonderful and so helpful but they went out of business about 3/4 of the way through my process so that part wasnât great. So good to see this! It looks awesome!
Thank you for doing a video on this service. I have been looking at it and am glad somebody gave good feedback on whether or not it was worth the money your dining room looks wonderful. Love the bench for small children to sit on at the table while eating especially because kids are so wiggly.
I might be wrong but I think the bench is pronounced âbanketteâ not banquet
When it comes to art, think of your window as part of the artwork, and balance the wall out with art. Keep the same amount of empty space to the right side of your artwork that you have on the left side of your window. Think about it like a document with margins - you want similar margins all the way around. But I think it looks good so far!
The before and after made my jaw drop! I love how amazing it turned out
ban - ket', vs ban'-kwet
WOW You have 3 kids under 5 and you're running a business and you're still sane! Great job on the dining room area. I'm very impressed and glad you love it. Have a lovely Holiday season xx
It looks great!
If you have the room, you could move the whole ensemble away from the wallpapered wall. It just looks a bit squished and could do with some breathing space.
You could pick up some of the colours of the rug in some artwork. The artwork you had on the left of the window could work, especially the top one. Or a mirror with a thin gold frame to echo the chandelier. Or a mirror with a light wood frame to echo the table.
Edit: The artwork over your desk may be better placed in your dining room. You could move some of the smaller artwork that matches over the desk area. Artwork should be placed with the centre at eye level ideally.
It looks so great!!
Thanks for testing out the Interior Designer for us all we apricate you :)
When I see that empty wall space my initial thought is to add either a natural edge self, staggard candle sconces or a hanging plant in the corner to provide that greenery
Looks great but needs one curtain panel on either side of window. :)
It's amazing how many people make the rug mistake. It transforms the room just as much as anything else. This was so informative. Great upgrade to ur space! âĪâĪ
I know it. I have several friends who has rugs in their spaces that are way too small. ð
I loved your process, but agree with other commenters here that the table is cramped and there is too much furniture in this space. Turn it lengthways.
This turned out so great! I've always wanted to try one of the virtual design consultations, and I'm glad to know it was worth it!
I have always wondered about these services. Thanks for sharing this experience and your "helpers" are precious!
The room looks so different with just a few changes. Very bright & open feeling now. Love the wallpaper design. Great job!!
Loved this video! I had no idea about the virtual designer - I may have to do this, thanks!
It was so interesting to hear your experience with a professional designer. Iâve often wondered how that process worked. I read a lot of the comments and then went back to watch the video again. First of all, the room turned out great. You put your own needs and wants into it as well as your budget. With 3 small children, orienting the table the way you have it makes sense to me, besides you can turn it around if you change your mind. The dog crate, kiddie table and your desk all have to work in the space. I think it looks great.
It looks so great Kallie and the bigger rug is such a good idea. The kids also seem to be really enjoying the bench!
What a wonderful transformation! Love how the tips helped you design with your style. Everyone has different tastes and preferences of how they would do it their way. So happy that you were able to do it to suit your family and your style. It looks beautiful, well done!
I am SOOOO excited about this video for the simple fact that I have been redecorating my dining room over and over, just to realize from this video, that itâs the size & color of my current area rug that is making me hate it. It really does make a world of difference!! Thanks for sharing your experience- I watch all of your videos :)
I paused the video at the beginning to think about what you needed; table turned 90 degrees, much larger rug, cohesive seating and decor, drapes wide and long enough to hide the different size windows, and storage. Thankfully, you purchased the larger rug...
you put your table in the wrong place it looks squashed - the way the designer did it was much nicer and made the space look bigger.
The dining room looks so much better now! Thanks for sharing!
As an interior decorator myself Iâm wondering how much money the designer actually made when all was said and done. Sounds like she put a lot of time into the design and I know Havenly takes a cut too. ðĒ
Very glad to hear about your experience! I feel excouraged to try out a service like this. One thing: it looked like your designer suggested that the table be 90 degrees different than your finel result - I think that would be 100% better.
Thanks so much for posting, this video solved some problems I have in my own dining room. So many great ideas! Love what you did, it looks great!!! Once again, thank you...âĪ
This is a lovely way to get âunstuckâ. I love the wallpaper you chose and the window treatments. This space looks so nice and finished. When repainting my home, I paid a young woman at Sherwin Williams to assist me in coming up with a new color palette to escape the nineties. I think it cost $100 and it was the best money I ever spent. When we later sold our home, every person who saw the home during the four days it was on the market, commented about the beautiful color scheme and how it was gorgeous throughout the home. Money well spent!
Love this and the ghost joke!ðĪĢ
I was wondering, too, because your video about the professional organizer was so good! âĪ
Iâm so excited to hear your experience! Just this morning (before coming across your video) I purchased a full living room design with Havenly. Been watching your videos for a long time now, so really trust your opinion. Thank you!
Very concise, great video! Iâve thought about using something like this service before and may actually go back to it after seeing this! (And you donât need to worry about timestamps on a 15min video. You donât ramble, youâre just talking like a human)
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with an online designer and the value of it. I need this and appreciate the recommendation! Not a designer, but I would definitely suggest centering the table in the other direction so it doesn't feel 'squished' if there's any way to make that work, and adding curtain panels to both sides of the windows. ð (Just for future reference, the 'qu' in banquette has a hard 'k' sound, like bank-ette.)
Itâs a big improvement but there needs to be curtain panels on each side of the window and they need to go all the way to the floor. The wallpaper needs to go to the ceiling and not have a gap. The table should go the other way, it looks way too crowded in.
Excellent advice! In the long run, a designer saves you money. Trial and error costs $$. I used a designer years ago, no regrets. A friend had one come in for a one hour walk through, $100, gave suggestions for three rooms fir where to hang art, switch a rug from one room to another, furniture suggestions, incorporating her own existing pieces. Worth every penny. A sounding board who is a professional, so very wise to use!
I never thought about using a consultation service. Iâve been struggling with my living/dining space (one big room) and just not happy with the choices Iâm making. Iâll definitely give this a try. Thank you.
Super helpful - thank you for sharing your experience! Can you also please share the link to the professional organizer video you mentioned?
So much better!! But I do agree that the curtains have a yellowish toneâĶwhere I would prefer a white sheer curtain, on both sides of the window!
Just an FYI, banquet & banquette are two different things with two different pronunciations. You pronounced it like the large celebratory meal or feast, instead of the bench-like seat.
Thank you for giving me an idea of what to do with my dining area. ððŧ
I'm doing this for my bedroom right now. Havenly make a really cool design but all of their stuff was super expensive so I've been finding similar items for less and I've been really happy so far. The designer suggested I paint my walls teal and ceiling black. I thought they were crazy but I did it and it is amazing.
I love the look and especially your excitement at the transformation!
This was a great video. I have been skeptical about what kind oh help I would get from a designer. Now, I think I might actually do this.Thank you
Great vlog, have considered this for a long time but now I'm definitely going to do it I think it may also save you money in the long run making expensive mistakes purchases that I just not right. I also loved your vlog on the personal organiser. As you said these people are professionals so they know what they're doingð
So fun! Thanks for sharing! I am not a designer, but has anyone suggested a mirror and or a family (childrenâs art work) gallery wall for your blank space? The wall paper definitely made an impact on the space!
Thanks for sharing! You inspired me to look into online landscaping services (yes, they exist!) and I'm hopeful I can find some budget-friendly help with my yard.
Love the rug!!
Looks great! Love the wallpaper!
It turned out really beautiful!
Love the room! Love the comments, too. I kind of like the one curtain to the side idea. Especially with all of those little fingers... ð
I used them for my living room 3 years ago. Highly recommend. My living room is an awkward space and we have particular needs for our lifestyle. The design came back perfect.
Wait. What? An interior designer approved those window treatments? No, they are soooo wrong. Too short, too wispy, and not hung high and wide enough. She did you very wrong. Also, the space is not large enough for those white head of table chairs. She should have recommended a chair that slide completely under, looks too cramped and cluttered with three styles of chair. I would have done the bench and one other style all around.
LOVE the finished product. Question for you: why not show us how in the world you wall papered the back wall of the dining room. It might seem like we have that skill set, but I'd guess there are folks like me who don't. I noticed that you even had a cute sundress on while doing this tremendous task, making it look so easy and seamless! Great job on the finished wall too , BTW!
Love this video! Looks so much more intentional!
This looks amazing!
I so want to do this with a tricky room I have! Did you ever feel bad you werenât taking their furniture recommendations or did they ever pressure you at all?
As long as you love it, it doesnât matter what anyone else thinks!
Sheesh people got some sass in these comments. I agree improvements could be made and that the professionalâs mock up was the superior outcome, but I think working within her budget and skill set, it was definitely an improvement and she seems happy which is what matters.
you're really great and inspiring, but no offence - that dining table is really an eyesore, the wrong shape, size, color, and your first problem - blond wood is rarely good, in any setting. The banquet idea is a good one - with a triangle or concave table set against the wall with bench seating. You should get bamboo blinds or shears.
Great video!! Enjoyed it!!
HA!! Not a "BANQUET" a "BANKET" ðĪĢ
Love the makeover!
Not a fan of the wallpaper with the rug. Doesnât work. How are white dining chairs functioning with children? The chairs are vinyl?
I also have some general advice: I'm a freelance/independent designer. A few things the public doesn't know: 1) "free" instore designers and consultants may have little or no experience. Ask to see a finished portfolio; they can only specify things their store sells so you can be at high risk of looking like a showroom floor; 2) an independent designer doesn't pay a middleman like Havenly, so your design fee goes further, and if you pick someone local they will come to your house which is always the best option; 3) independent designers can specify furniture in any budget from any source as they don't have exclusive agreements with certain manufacturers. You need a chair? Let's find the best one at the best price instead of only picking from one store. An independent can also help you with painters, carpenters, chandelier installers, electricians, floors, countertops and many other materials. Many of us are art experts as well. Happy Designing!
It's pronounced "banket" not banquette.
The Rug grounds the size of the room with put walls.
Please put a curtain on each side of the window and take them to the floor..
Good job over all
Thank you for a great video!
Your dining room looks beautiful!
Looks so good! I love the wallpaper!
How did you like that peel and stick wallpaper? And if you remove it, does it wreck the wall underneath? What brand would you recommend?
I think a professional opinion can end up saving money in the end because they can keep you from making expensive mistakes.
What a few changes in a space can do. Your dining room looks incredible!! I need this service. Thank you, as usual, for an informative, inspirational videoâĢ
It looks so much betterâs and so perfect for little ones. Love love love!
Thank you for sharing the info that we can work with a designer in a way that works for our schedule/budget and style. One questionsâĶ..isnât the bench pronounced âbank-etteâ?
Itâs BAN ket, or more formally âbaNGâ ketâ (kind of nasal with the ânâ).
I feel like you should turn the table, like in the design and put it in fronts of the other window(s).
I love the transformation. It looks great and best of all it works with little ones and was affordable
I love this room! But please how adorbs are your kids???? LOVE ALL OF THIS. Happy Holidays.
Thanks for sharing!
Would you do a video on application of wallpaper? Love that!!
Awesome you had results that you were happy with! Personally, I couldn't use a designer because my house is totally 70's retro and I'm pretty sure my house breaks all the rules for current designers with all my orange and brown! ðAnyway, a good review that I can share with folks who are struggling.
Right? Everyone's a critic and there's a set rule for decor, but I say you do you! I stressed over trying to have some home-ready look and when I just did what I wanted, it's better.
This is such a good idea. I have a new house and am having such a hard time getting started!
Oh my gosh, I am shocked at the bluntness of many comments below. As a reader of those comments, I'm thankful for the tips as I will soon be working on updating my dining area which is in an open-space living/dining/kitchen. I have an idea that I'm thinking of doing and will run it past a virtual designer. I am so proud of you for doing this!!!! When I was your age, my design tastes were a mixture of everyone else's houses that I loved. The problem with that was, they were all different designs. While my house is "fine", it certainly does not feel "designer". I'm so proud of you for working to make your house feel wonderful. You deserve it!