Modsy interior design service review: virtual decorators for your home

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• Modsy is a completely virtual interior design company that helps bring your space to life with consultations, 3D renderings, and product recommendations.
• I used the service to make over my TV room, and while convenient, the service isn’t comprehensive as traditional interior design since I had to buy furniture and assemble items myself.
• However, it’s affordable with prices starting at $159, especially when compared to traditional services.
• Read more: The best places to buy area rugs online

I’m a bit of a control freak. Sometimes, though, you have to call in the pros for a hand and to ensure you’re spending your money well. After becoming a first-time homeowner last October, I quickly realized that’s exactly what I’d need to do in order to make my home a more beautiful and inviting place.

A lot of rooms sort of came together naturally and some are still works in progress, so I enlisted the help of Modsy, an online interior design company, for our TV room. It’s a particularly tricky space — it opens to the dining room and kitchen on one side, has a fireplace and windows on the opposite wall, as well as a huge window and a set of French doors on another wall. It also isn’t big, so making sure the room was being utilized to the max was a top priority.

In short, Modsy is a 100% virtual interior design service that hooks you up with an actual interior designer. They’ll help you tackle all different kinds of rooms in your home be it the dining room, an office, or in my case, a TV space while sticking to your budget and personal style preferences.

The process begins with a questionnaire about the space you’ll be designing, your budget, and your personal style. If you’re unsure of what that is exactly, the survey has images of different styles to guide you. It’s all very straightforward and actually pretty fun.

From there, you take pictures of the room from various angles and provide measurements. I’m a bit Type A, so I also drew a diagram of the space and sent it to Modsy. These images and data are then used to create an incredibly realistic image of your room — seriously, it was wild to see how accurate the renderings were.

It takes roughly a week or so for your assigned interior designer to come up with a few different design options. You can go back and forth in order to get it just right, and you also have the option of adding digital renderings of furniture and decor to the room as well.

All the items that are digitally “placed” in your room are things you can purchase, and you’ll get a small discount when purchasing through these retailers. Retailers are varied and include West Elm, C2C, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, CB2, and lots of others.

I wanted to have our TV room designed by Modsy. We had a couple of things that were going into this room, including a mirror, a TV stand, and a TV that was to be mounted. For weeks, we were using fold-up camping chairs in this space, so you can bet I was eager to get a move on. This is what the room looked like before — see that chair in the corner? 

I filled out the questionnaire and received three renderings that I was ecstatic about. The designer had ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of, which really made me grateful for that second professional eye. For example, using an L-shaped sectional allowed for space behind the couch instead of shoving it against a wall, and sticking a nice comfy chair into the corner slot added more seating — genius.

I ultimately chose the following rendering to use as inspiration for the room.

As for furniture, I ultimately decided to purchase from retailers that weren’t included in my rendered design for a few reasons: budget, a love of finding second-hand gems, a desire to sit on a couch before paying for it, and also simply wanting to branch out.

For example, I really wanted a washable rug from Ruggable (which we’ve reviewed here) and I wanted to physically shop around for a couch (this was pre-pandemic). My coffee table ended up coming from Amazon, and the leather chair was a Facebook Marketplace find. 

There are many benefits to using Modsy. Here are the biggest ones:  

• Affordable: The cost depends on the space you’re designing, but services start at $159, far less than you’d pay for a traditional interior design service, which can start around $2,000 for services. “Working with a designer once was a privilege enjoyed by only the wealthiest homeowners. Over the past two decades, this has shifted significantly and there are now different levels of design offered at many different price points,” says Chicago, IL-based interior designer Donna Mondi. “What companies like Modsy have done is bring good design to everyday homeowners at a price they can afford.”
• Easy to change up furniture: Because it’s all digital, it’s very easy to change your mind. Not liking a certain couch? You’re not out $3k — just swap in a different item to see what it looks like in your space. Hate the design entirely? Start from scratch — it might be annoying, but at least it’s easy.
• Safer in a pandemic: Virtual services are safer across the board as we navigate the new normals during the coronavirus pandemic. You still get the one-on-one consultations with an interior designer, but it’s happening entirely online.
• Lots of creative solutions: Even those with an eye for design might struggle to figure out a tricky area or room. Having a trained designer help with the cause can open up doors you didn’t even know were there.   

Like with anything, Modsy does have a few drawbacks worth considering.

• Not as comprehensive: Modsy’s offerings aren’t as comprehensive compared to hiring a designer. Modsy’s interior designers can help put together a virtual space for you, but that’s as far as “help” goes. “If you need any assistance with new construction, renovation, or minor modifications to the interiors, then you will need a more comprehensive option,” notes Mondi.
• DIY elements: On that note, with a virtual design, you’ll have to put in more sweat. This is a great solution for those who are DIYers, but if you’re looking for someone to manage the entire process from beginning to end, then Modsy might not be your jam. “Interior designers are responsible for all stages of the design process from measuring the home to placing all the orders and scheduling deliveries and installations, accessorizing the spaces; clients don’t have to lift a finger,” says Mondi.
• Furniture and decor can be limited: As mentioned, Modsy uses a specific set of retailers to put together spaces. This can be helpful for those who want to buy what’s been suggested, but those who want to dabble outside those offerings will need to put in the work. Professional interior designers tend to have knowledge (and easier access) to unique options. Mondi says, “A good designer comes with an arsenal of resources and a curated list of vendors and artisans. The furniture we specify is not from the same pool of retailers but from higher-quality fabricators that build more sustainable furniture. Much of what we specify is customized and made to order, and we often create unique pieces for our clients.”

Modsy’s virtual interior design service is an excellent solution to designing your home if you’re on a budget but still want an expert eye to get you to the finish line. The software is sophisticated and user-friendly, and the designers work diligently to create a space that fits your style preferences and help you address tricky areas with creative solutions. 

It’s not as comprehensive compared to traditional interior design services, which are far more expensive but will complete all the work for you from beginning to end. Ultimately, you should consider how much work you’re willing to put into the process and what your budget looks like. For me, Modsy was the right balance I needed to finish out my TV room.