The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way we live in a matter of months, where we live, work, and play in one space. The design and functionality of our spaces has never been more important. This is the first time in the history that home architecture and interior design, are being reimagined to an amplified consideration of the ongoing pandemic situation. While almost all the industries bracing the harsh impacts of COVID-19, the domain of home design and improvement has been incessantly flourishing.
Architects are aiming to make the home not just our living space, but also the preferred environment for stimulating creativity and productivity – a tall ask to say the least! Design industry experts have addressed our concerns about personal space, wellness, and sustainability, identifying key trends and tips for what the homes of the future should look like.
New uses for old spaces
Traditionally, homes had clearly defined spaces for various activities. There is a gradual shift towards this, from the otherwise open floor plan that is common in modern design. With more working and learning being done from home, there is a major emphasis on creating spaces that are primarily functional – but also aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, remodelling previously wasted space into an office, or meeting room, is now creating a new area where productivity can thrive.
Multipurpose Places
For years, open concept floor plans have been popular, but the pandemic has made homeowners shift to more traditional layouts, whereby rooms can be closed off to create individual areas. The modern home, both during and post-pandemic, must be multifunctional. By understanding how to redefine these large, open spaces, we will be better prepared to live, learn, work, and play in a single location - our homes! This multi-functionality will probably outspread to outdoor spaces, too. In this new pandemic era, spaces are being used to socialise with a more organized and controlled group, thus allowing people to adhere to social distancing norms.
Communal Kitchen Spaces
No longer just the space where dinner is cooked, the kitchen of the future needs to be a warm and functional gathering space, too. The coronavirus pandemic has necessitated a movement towards home-cooking that has not been seen in decades. Creating a cohesive, multifunctional kitchen is necessary to turn these spaces into communal gathering areas, where people can fill up on good company and comfort, in addition to good food. The key is to create a space that will support multiple needs of multiple household members.
Final Thoughts
As we continue to adapt to the changes the pandemic has brought to our lives, we must embrace and redefine homes as spaces of both learning and living, productivity and play, form, and function. Hence, while looking forward from this time of great uncertainty, let us find hope in the flexibility of starting fresh with well-designed homes that speak volumes of a renewed gratefulness for well-being, thus making homes a better place to live, work and play!
To find out more on how London and The Home Counties Alliance can help you Build Your Dream, please contact Robert Harrington at Robert.Harrington@londonhca.co.uk