Havenly or Spacejoy for modern apartment design
For a modern apartment, Havenly is the better fit if you want a straightforward room plan, designer guidance, and a shoppable list at a clear flat rate. Spacejoy is a strong choice if seeing your apartment in detailed 3D matters most and you want a more visual design process. Both work online with professional designers, but their workflows and strengths differ.
Havenly vs. Spacejoy at a Glance
| Factor | Havenly | Spacejoy |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Simple, polished apartment makeovers | Detailed visual planning |
| Designer | Real interior designer | Real interior designer |
| 3D design | Included with current online service | Core part of the experience |
| Shopping | Curated shopping list | Curated furniture shopping |
| Collaboration | Online designer collaboration | 1:1 collaboration with designer |
| Typical design timeline | About 3–14 days, depending on service | About 7–10 days after the design brief |
| Starting online design price | From $159 per room | Varies by package/project |
| Best apartment use | Living rooms, bedrooms, dining areas, refreshes | Apartments where layout and visualization are major concerns |
Havenly currently lists its online full-service design at $159 per room, while Spacejoy emphasizes personalized 3D designs and a designer-led process. Pricing and package details can change, so check the current service page before purchasing.
Which Service Is Better for a Modern Apartment?
For most renters and homeowners who simply want a modern-looking apartment without making the project complicated, Havenly gets the edge.
Its online service includes a design board, floor plan, 3D rendering, shopping list, and designer collaboration. Havenly also lets you start with a free AI design tool if you want to explore ideas before paying for a designer.
Spacejoy may be the better choice when visualizing the finished room is your main concern. Its process is built around 3D design, and the company says its designers create personalized spaces with curated furniture based on your style and room.
The difference becomes clearer when you think about the kind of apartment project you have.
Choose Havenly if you want a simpler process
Havenly works well if you know roughly what you like but need help pulling everything together.
For example, imagine you have a small apartment living room with a gray sofa, plain walls, and very little storage. You want a modern look but don’t know which rug, coffee table, lighting, and accent pieces will work together.
A Havenly designer can create a room plan around those needs and give you products to consider. You can then buy items according to your own schedule.
Choose Spacejoy if you need to see the room before buying
Spacejoy is particularly useful when you have trouble imagining how furniture will look together.
Its design process includes a 3D application and photorealistic renderings. That can be helpful when you’re deciding between different layouts or trying to make a small apartment feel more open.
For example, if you’re unsure whether a sectional, loveseat, or two-chair setup will work in your apartment living room, a visual design can make the choice easier.
Havenly for Modern Apartment Design
Havenly’s current online service is designed around a real designer helping you create a complete room plan. You provide information about your room, style, and needs, then collaborate with the designer before receiving the final plan.
That approach fits modern apartments well because many apartment projects are furnishing and styling projects rather than major renovations.
Havenly also has designers who work in styles such as modern, contemporary, Scandinavian, industrial, and midcentury modern.
Where Havenly stands out
Clear flat-rate pricing: Havenly currently lists its online full package at $159 per room, with additional-room pricing available. Each package covers one room up to 400 square feet.
Good for furnishing: The service combines layout planning, product recommendations, and a shopping list.
Easy starting point: You can begin with Havenly’s free AI design option before deciding whether you want a human designer.
Useful for style matching: Its designer marketplace lets you browse designers by styles including modern and midcentury modern.
Spacejoy for Modern Apartment Design
Spacejoy takes a strongly visual approach to online interior design.
You start by sharing photos and information about your space, style, and needs. Spacejoy then matches you with a designer, who develops the room in its 3D design system.
The service says it has delivered more than 200,000 designs and offers 1:1 work with interior designers.
Where Spacejoy stands out
3D visualization: This is one of Spacejoy’s biggest advantages for people who want to see the proposed room before shopping.
Furniture planning: The final design can include curated furniture and products that fit the design.
Personal designer interaction: Spacejoy describes its service as working one-on-one with expert designers.
Useful for layout decisions: Apartment rooms can be tight, so seeing furniture placement visually can help prevent poor purchases.
Which Is Better for Small Apartments?
Spacejoy may have a slight advantage when space planning is your biggest concern, while Havenly may be better when you want a simple furnishing plan.
Small apartments create different design problems than large homes. A sofa that looks fine in a showroom can overwhelm a small living room. A dining table can block a walkway. Even a large rug can make the room feel cramped.
A good online design service should therefore help with more than color and decoration. Pay attention to:
- Furniture scale
- Walking space
- Storage
- Room layout
- Lighting
- Rug size
- Seating capacity
- Existing furniture
- Rental restrictions
Don’t choose a design service based only on how attractive its sample rooms look.
Which Is Better for a Modern Style?
Both can work well for modern apartments.
Havenly has a large collection of designer rooms and specifically lists modern, contemporary, and midcentury modern among its designer styles.
Spacejoy also displays modern, contemporary, midcentury modern, and other apartment-friendly styles in its design library.
The bigger question is which version of modern you want.
A modern apartment can mean very different things:
- Clean and minimal
- Warm modern
- Midcentury modern
- Modern industrial
- Contemporary
- Scandinavian-inspired
- Organic modern
Before starting either service, collect a few room photos that match the look you want. This gives your designer a clearer target than simply saying, “I want a modern apartment.”
Pricing: What Should You Budget?
The design fee is only part of the cost.
Havenly currently lists online design from $159 per room. Its current pricing information also shows that furniture is purchased separately, so the total apartment cost depends heavily on what you choose to buy.
Spacejoy’s pricing can depend on the design package and project. Because package prices can change, compare the current quote with what is included before paying.
When comparing the two, look at the total project cost, not just the design fee.
For example, your budget may include:
- Design service
- Sofa or sectional
- Coffee table
- Rug
- Lighting
- Curtains
- Dining furniture
- Bedroom furniture
- Decor
- Delivery and assembly
A $159 design fee does not mean your entire room will cost $159.
What About Renting an Apartment?
Renters should tell the designer about rental restrictions before the design starts.
If you cannot paint, drill into walls, replace light fixtures, or make permanent changes, your designer needs to know that.
A modern rental-friendly plan might focus on:
- Removable wall art
- Freestanding storage
- Area rugs
- Table and floor lamps
- Curtains
- Mirrors
- Modular furniture
- Decorative accessories
- Removable wallpaper where permitted
This can create a modern look without turning a decorating project into a renovation.
Havenly or Spacejoy: Which One Should You Pick?
The easiest way to decide is to match the service to your main problem.
| Your main problem | Better fit |
|---|---|
| “I don’t know how to put the room together.” | Havenly |
| “I want a professional shopping plan.” | Havenly |
| “I want to start with free AI ideas.” | Havenly |
| “I need strong 3D visualization.” | Spacejoy |
| “I can’t picture different layouts.” | Spacejoy |
| “Furniture placement is my biggest concern.” | Spacejoy |
| “I want a modern apartment refresh.” | Havenly |
| “I want to compare several room layouts visually.” | Spacejoy |
Neither service is automatically right for every apartment.
If your apartment mainly needs better furniture choices, styling, and a clear plan, start with Havenly.
If the biggest challenge is visualizing the room and testing how everything fits together, Spacejoy deserves a closer look.
Two Modern Apartment Situations to Consider
A small one-bedroom apartment
Suppose you have a 600-square-foot apartment with an existing sofa and bed. Your main goal is to make the home feel modern without replacing everything.
You probably don’t need a complicated design project. A designer can focus on furniture placement, lighting, rugs, storage, and a few new pieces.
In this situation, Havenly’s room-by-room approach may be the simpler choice.
A larger open-plan apartment
Now imagine an apartment with an open living and dining area. You need to decide where the sofa, TV, dining table, rug, and lighting should go.
The challenge is less about finding attractive products and more about seeing how the entire layout works together.
This is where Spacejoy’s 3D-focused process can be especially useful.
What Neither Service Is Designed to Replace
Online interior design is not the same as hiring a traditional designer for a major renovation.
If your project involves structural changes, extensive construction, or complicated renovation work, you may need professionals who can visit the property and handle on-site details.
Havenly itself separates its online furnishing service from its in-person service, while its current cost guide notes that it does not handle full kitchen renovations.
For a typical apartment decorating project, however, online design can be a practical middle ground between doing everything yourself and hiring a traditional designer.
FAQ
Is Havenly or Spacejoy better for a modern apartment?
Havenly is a strong choice for straightforward room planning, designer guidance, and shopping recommendations. Spacejoy is especially appealing if detailed 3D visualization and layout planning are your top priorities.
Can Havenly and Spacejoy design small apartments?
Yes. Both services work with individual rooms and apartment spaces. For a small apartment, give the designer accurate room measurements and clearly explain any rental restrictions before the design begins.
Do Havenly and Spacejoy include furniture in the design fee?
The design fee is separate from the furniture you purchase. Havenly provides a shoppable plan, while Spacejoy offers curated furniture as part of its design experience, so check the current package details and product costs before ordering.
The Bottom Line
For Havenly or Spacejoy for modern apartment design, choose based on what is holding you back.
Havenly is the better starting point for most people who want a clear, room-by-room decorating plan with a real designer and shoppable recommendations. Spacejoy is worth considering when detailed 3D visualization and furniture layout are the main priorities.
Before booking either one, measure your room, set a realistic furniture budget, photograph what you already own, and save a few examples of the modern style you like. That preparation can make the final design much more useful.
