Last week, I got angry about the state of our world and this week I am talking about decorating my home with . Some posts can be thought-provoking and insightful, while others can feel lighter. It’s a balance, but I know in my heart that it’s all connected and am grateful for the opportunity to explore that.. Sweet things, nothing has brought me more joy, comfort and peace this past summer than creating a home that is a true reflection of who I am in this moment.
Several months ago, I began to start itching for a change. Everywhere I looked in my apartment it felt like such heavy old energy. You know what I mean? I looked at my old couch and saw my divorce because I bought it shortly after I separated from my husband. I walked over my old rugs and felt the presence of my dog Bella who passed a couple of years ago, remembering her prancing around my home. Even the placement of the art on my walls and the over-crowded bookshelves felt so heavy and disconnected. See in the “before” images below.
I have always shared how beauty products and home decor have the power to help you access tangible self-love, and I deeply know that to be true. So it was time to take my expression of self-love to the next level. It’s been an out-with-the-old and in-with-the-new kind of year!
I contemplated a bunch of different options and did a ton of research before deciding to go with Havenly. I have never really been much of a lover of virtual experiences, so I was super nervous that I wouldn’t feel taken care of or that I wouldn’t get the attention to my process that I was so craving. Especially for the price. At just $149 for a full room re-design (and $50 off when you use the code NITIKA1), I thought that there MUST be a catch. So I continued to ask a ton of questions and make triple sure before finalizing my decision.
Then, I realized that there was no catch. Just a super savvy young woman named Lee Mayer who knew we all needed this in our lives and created it just for us. So, the process began and has been a total pleasure since the start. For real.
First, I filled out my room profile with all of my design likes and dislikes which they made such a fun and easy process. Then, my designer Lauren Cox and I got to work, creating mood boards that captured an elevated sense of my personal style. I remember getting the first concepts back and freaking out. Like, I couldn’t believe that my apartment could look like this!!
And the best part? Not only is the process streamlined to make it foolproof, they also have a Best Price Guarantee. Unlike many of the other interior decorating services out there (even the ones that claim to be affordable), Havenly made me feel like they wanted me to get the absolute best price for everything. There were times when I loved an item but wasn’t up for spending above a certain amount for it and they totally worked it out! And I would even like the look-for-less option even more. Never skimping on style while saving so much money. Now you see why I am so obsessed?! The pictures of the “after” below will also show you why and were taken by by friend Lauren of Laurel Creative.
As far as doing everything virtually, it was never even a thing. Any time I felt like I needed my designer Lauren to look at something “in person” or I wanted her to hold my hand through a tricky decor dilemma, we hopped on FaceTime! Within 24 hours we had a face-to-face and I felt like she was in my home with me. Like that time I was stressed about decorating my shelves and she had a FaceTime date with me on a Saturday morning and walked me through the entire thing all while I was still in my pajamas sipping coffee.
While I got to partner with Havenly to create my living room, I ended up signing-up for a room re-design for my bedroom too, because I was so in love with the process. And if you’ve watched any of my Instagram stories or hung out with me over the past few months you have most certainly heard me gush about this company and how it’s had a tremendous impact on my living environment.
Ultimately, choosing to work with Havenly on creating the apartment of my dreams is a decision I would make a 100 times over and there isn’t one thing I would change about my experience. In a time when things can feel so heavy, complicated and uncertain, I chose to love myself through the process of loving my home. It was one of the best decisions I made over the summer and my only regret is that I don’t have more rooms to decorate. Not kidding!
So many of my friends have already used my $50 off code (NITIKA1) and are decorating everything from their brand new apartment to an office space turned nursery or upgrading their bedroom. Wherever you are, I promise you that the team over at Havenly will meet you there and with total pleasure. Hope you enjoyed this little peak into what my process was like! If you have any questions about the process or where to start, just leave me a comment below. Or have you ever felt like there is heaviness in your space and wanted to shift it? How did you handle that? Let me know in the comments. I love hearing from you!