The Future of Home Design in the Post COVID Era
The coronavirus pandemic and the impact of lockdown, self-quarantine, and social distancing have significantly changed our lifestyle. Staying and working from home has become the new normal. As people are confined within their houses more than ever before, there is more focus on how the house interior design will be after the pandemic.
Based on the current concepts and trends, home interior design ideas after the pandemic may include:
Work-from-Home (WFH) Functionalities/Workspace
As the majority of people work from home, home office ideas may be included in future home design. Instead of working from the living room, dining room, study room, or shared spaces, people would like to have a private space that includes WFH functionalities such as proper seating, lighting, acoustics, temperature control, pleasant ambiance, and more. Before, people were not working from home frequently, but now, they are working from home five or six days a week. In such circumstances, they might want a proper environment for working and dedicated space for virtual meetings.
Creating Partition for Outdoor Space
Since the beginning of the pandemic, homes with a courtyard or outdoor space have been getting more attention. Due to the restrictions imposed, people are not going out for shopping, sitting in the park, or even for a walk, as these activities do not assure safety. However, people want to relax and refresh their minds within their homes. This is where outdoor spaces come into play.
A home with a private and spacious outdoor space helps people to relax and rejuvenate, go for a walk, and play with their kids amid the pandemic. As a result, homes with outdoor spaces are preferred by home buyers. Even in compact homes, buyers may want to have a rooftop garden, porches, balconies, and micro backyards for relaxation. Undoubtedly, outdoor space will become an integral part of future home design.
Maximum Space Design
Now, we are living, working, playing, and learning within one residence, so the maximum space design is going to be the key to future homes. People would like to buy homes that contain separate spaces for a home office, workout, online classes, and relaxation. Only spacious homes can accommodate all these features and create the right balance between their happiness, work productivity, and health. Open-space design does not work if kids are being noisy or more than one person is working from home. In such circumstances, mobile partitions with acoustic properties can be a feasible solution.
Wellness and Health Integration
People may invest in homes that allow them to follow self-quarantine and other infection-control measures. For example, they may want homes with fully-furnished bedrooms, guest rooms, and bathrooms. They can use guest rooms to quarantine a member of the household or a guest in later times, contributing to a hygienic environment and creating a sense of comfort and privacy.
Spa-style bathrooms with natural light, large soaking tubs, integrated electronics, and a view of the outdoors will be loved by home buyers. Also, they would like to have antimicrobial or antibacterial surfaces throughout their home. They might want to have touchless faucets and a sanitary station in the garage that includes masks, disposable gloves, disinfectant wipes, and a sink for hand-washing.
They may want mudrooms that separate between indoors and outdoors, for contactless delivery of packages, foods, and medicines. Some people may need to have mudrooms facilitated with a bathroom, shower, and dryer, helping the person entering through it wash their hands or take a shower and thereby ensuring the safety of people inside the home.
Flexible Open Space Residence
Along with proper home office design and maximum space, people may want to have natural light and air circulation in their homes. Therefore, they may choose a flexible open space residence. An open-space house consists of one or more spacious, open rooms that can act as multiple rooms within a single living space. Either you can have them all open or convert them into a temporary guest room, office, or library. An open-space home looks spacious, provides natural light, and helps avoid overcrowding in one area.
Air Purification Systems
As the coronavirus is air-borne, the quality of the air we inhale matters. People have begun to pay more attention to the air quality, so they may want to have an air purification system installed in their homes. An air purification system purifies the dirty or contaminated outside air that comes in, thus helping you inhale fresh and clean air.
Now, homes play a crucial role in their daily life, so people will look for more facilities and features in their homes that accommodate the demands of the post-COVID era.