The current health crisis has impacted so many aspects of day to day life, but it can also have lasting effects on how we view, use and design our personal spaces. Our homes now have transitioned into so much more than a place to rest; our homes are now makeshift offices, gyms, classrooms, restaurants, cocktail bars, movie theaters, and more! With so many activities happening under one roof every day, we all have had to adapt to incorporate new functionality into each space. More than ever our homes are a place to be comforted, safe, and inspired, which has made so many of us start to focus on how we arrange our home. Here are a few examples.
Defined Mudrooms and Entryways
We have become hyper aware of the germs we bring into our home with each trip we make outside. Entryways and mudrooms have become a designated space to disinfect the germs we could have been in contact with. They have become the spot to remove face masks and set down items that came into contact with germy surfaces before washing hands. These new habits are predicted to lead a resurgence of mudrooms or alternate points of entry in a home. Places to remove shoes, jackets, or put down bags will help to mitigate the spread of germs and bacteria from entering the other areas of your home.
Larger Home Office Spaces
This should be of no surprise as so many are now working temporarily or permanently from home. New work-from-home policies required living rooms, guest bedrooms, breakfast tables, and basements to suddenly function as makeshift home offices.
In the future, homeowners might be more interested in larger, more defined home office spaces, especially as some employers enable remote work permanently. For those living in smaller spaces, multi-functional pieces such as drop-down desks or stylish office furniture that doubles as decor can help blend a work station into another room more seamlessly.
Thoughtfully Designed Kitchens
Cooking at home and experimenting with recipes has become a favorite new hobby for many sheltering in place, which has caused an increased interest in kitchen organization and design. You will expect to see more orderly kitchen storage, larger pantries, and specialty appliances that help amateur chefs create restaurant-style results at home.
Increased At-Home Entertaining & Outdoor Living
At-home entertaining, particularly outdoors is more popular than ever. Backyard barbecues and patio get-togethers provide a relatively safe way to enjoy the company of others in a private setting. Also comfortable, updated outdoor spaces give another place where you can enjoy your home and the outdoors. Even if you don’t plan on entertaining, a livable and inviting outdoor set-up provides even more space for you to enjoy while staying at home.
As you spend more time at home and consider the ways that it best works for you, reach out to our team. We can help make your home be the functional and inspired place you want it to be. Start with our questionnaire and we will get acquainted with your project.