Let’s Discuss how the Pandemic may have changed home design
Home design trends are showing a focus on creating a home with equal considerations towards living and working spaces, as well as a need for spaces that promote health, well-being, and relaxation.
The idea of a post-pandemic dream home is here and now, and definitely gaining traction as people spend more time at home. This year especially has forced everyone to discover what they like about their homes, what they can live with, and what they absolutely can’t.
Private Spaces are in, Open-floor plans are out
While the open-floor plan was king in 2019, the pandemic has drastically altered that design preference. Open-floor plans were originally revered for the way they allowed natural light and air to flow through the home. But with the entire family both working and learning from home for weeks or months at a time now, that has become secondary to the need for privacy and noise management.
Home design for offices are naturally on the rise, but also, specific spaces for living, working, and resting. People are recognising the need for separation between these different areas in their lives, especially now that work can’t physically be left at the office anymore. At the same time, the need to ‘bring the outdoors in’ is strong, and designs with floor-to-ceiling windows and ways to optimize airflow, are more in demand than ever.
Cherished Outdoor Spaces
Outdoor spaces are getting far more attention than they used to. Before, people may not have blinked twice at the lack of an outdoor space, but now, gardens, patios and courtyards are enviable additions to any home. A place to step outside and yet still be in the comfort of your own home has become incredibly valuable, and has the added advantage of being able to safely chat with your neighbours and check in on the people around you.
Home Design trends have been moving towards comfortable spaces to sit and relax outside, visual stimulation through green and flowered plants, as well as people being more willing to get their hands dirty, literally, by growing flowers, fruits, and vegetables in their own little plots of land.
Moving and Converting Spaces
While you might have previously spent years debating on what to do with that empty garage or spare room, design trends are showing that this past year has gotten everyone to actually start maximizing those under-utilized spaces in their homes. People are getting highly creative with their extra space, and they’re becoming places of refuge and peace. So if you had ever wanted to create your own private gym, yoga, art, or music studio, this is the perfect time to do it!
There has also been a rise in spaces that can be converted easily, especially for smaller homes. The use of screens that can be removed, extendable tables, pull-out couches etc, are certainly trending as people find ways to make their space work for them!

People are recognising the need for separation between these different areas in their lives, especially now that work can’t physically be left at the office anymore.
Bolder Interiors
Perhaps it’s a natural response to staring at the cream-coloured wall behind your laptop all day, but design trends are undoubtedly showing a rising interest in brighter colour schemes; from wall paints, décor, to cushions and rugs.
People are also investing in higher-quality fabrics and furniture, directly related to the amount of time they spend at home. The purchase of home office furniture is also on the rise as people begin to personalise the spaces they had once haphazardly thrown together.
The Kitchen as the new Sacred Space
Where previously the living room may have been the place a family gets together, the new sacred space might be the kitchen. Even when eating out is feasible, many are opting not to, choosing instead to cook and bake at home. The kitchen has become a place for the family to come together, try out new recipes, and de-stress!
As such, it’s also become one of the key places that designers have been receiving requests to update and redesign, with quality materials, appliances, and greater utilisation in mind.
As time goes on, people are undoubtedly becoming more comfortable with their worlds bleeding together. However, that makes having personal space, a little bit of outdoor space, and more space in general, more of a need than a want, and will likely influence design trends for the next few years at least.
Photo Credit: mydomaine.com, tabitha turner on Unsplash, apartmenttherapy.com,
alusplash.com, redonline.co.uk
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