How to Get the Most Out of Your Online Interior Design Session

The designers who get the best results share one thing: they came prepared. Here's exactly what to do before, during, and after your session to make sure you end up with a design you love.

Why Preparation Matters More Than You Think

Your designer is working with the information you give them. The more specific and accurate that information is, the more tailored and useful your design will be. A vague brief gets a generic design. A specific, well-documented brief gets a room that feels like it was made for you—because it was.

This isn't about doing a lot of work. It's about doing the right fifteen minutes of work before you start.

Before Your Session: What to Do

Measure your room accurately

This is the most important thing you can do. Accurate room dimensions—length, width, ceiling height—are essential for a floor plan that works. Measure doorways too, so your designer can account for traffic flow. If you have windows or architectural features (fireplaces, built-ins, beams), note their size and placement. Also measure every point of entry the piece will need to pass through—front doors, stairwells, hallways, building elevators, and tight turns—so your designer can confirm it can actually be delivered and installed without issue.

Don't estimate. A sofa that's 2 inches too wide can mean the difference between a room that flows and one that's impassable.

Take good photos

Photograph every wall. Include shots from each corner of the room pointing inward, plus a couple from the doorway to show the full layout. Good natural light is helpful—open the curtains and turn off overhead lighting if you can. The goal is to show your designer exactly what they're working with, including any awkward features you're not sure what to do with.

Know what you're keeping

Make a list of every piece of furniture you're keeping, and include photos and dimensions. A designer needs to know the actual size and color of your existing sofa before suggesting a rug or choosing paint, not a rough approximation. If you're open to replacing something eventually but want to keep it for now, say so.

Set a realistic furniture budget

Be specific and honest about what you're willing to spend on furniture—separate from the design fee. 'I have a $3,000 budget for the whole room' gives your designer real parameters to work with. 'Something mid-range' does not. The shopping list your designer creates will be calibrated to what you've told them—so if you tell them a budget and it's not real, the list won't be useful.

Gather your inspiration

Pull together 5–10 images that represent what you're going for—rooms you love, specific pieces you've saved, or even images of spaces that have the right feeling even if the style isn't quite yours. Havenly's style quiz will capture some of this, but having a few concrete images to point to is always helpful. Be honest if something you're drawn to wouldn't work in your actual life—a white sofa is beautiful until you have a dog.

During Your Session: How to Communicate Well

Be specific about what isn't working

The most useful thing you can tell a designer isn't what you like in theory—it's what specifically isn't working about your room right now. 'The room feels cramped even though it's not that small,' 'I hate how dark it is in the afternoon,' 'the furniture seems to float in the middle of the space'—these are actionable problems a designer can solve.

Tell them your real life, not your ideal life

If you have kids, a dog, a partner who works from home, or a tendency to eat dinner on the couch—say so. A designer can't account for how you actually use a space unless you tell them. The most beautiful room in the world doesn't work if it can't survive your actual life.

Ask questions

Your designer is there to help, not just to deliver a finished product. If you don't understand why they've chosen something, ask. If you're not sure how a piece will look in your space, ask. Good designers explain their choices—and the explanation often helps you see the room differently.

When You Get Your Design Back

Give specific feedback on revisions

'I love everything except the sofa—can we try something with a lower profile?' is useful feedback. 'I don't know, something feels off' is not. Try to identify exactly what's not working and why, rather than expressing a general unease.

Trust the floor plan

One of the most common mistakes people make is ignoring the floor plan and placing furniture by feel. The floor plan exists because your designer has thought through traffic flow, sightlines, and scale in a way that's hard to intuit when you're standing in an empty room surrounded by boxes. Give it a try before you deviate.

Buy strategically

You don't have to buy everything at once. Ask your designer which pieces are the foundation of the room—the sofa, the rug, the main light fixture—and prioritize those. The room will start to feel intentional even before it's complete.

→ Ready to start? Take the Havenly style quiz →

→ Questions about the process? Visit the Havenly Help Center →