Massive changes are coming to the way that Americans design and live within the confines of their homes. Social-distancing measures are unlikely to abate anytime soon, given that the continued spread of COVID-19 continues to claim countless lives around the nation every day. Architectural masters and interior decorating gurus are thus preparing themselves for a new era of home design that will prioritize the health of inhabitants and make it as easy and comfortable as possible to work and study from home.
Here’s a comprehensive review of how the pandemic will change home design, how it’s already disrupted certain consumer shopping trends, and how the leading architects and home designers of our era are responding to these changes.
Home offices will be far more common
Perhaps the largest change coming to home design due to the continued spread of COVID-19 is that home offices will be far more common in the world of tomorrow. Millions of people have lost their jobs temporarily, and thousands are likely never to return to work, but others have been capable of getting by thanks to digital technology that makes it easier, more effective, and more affordable to work from home than ever before. White collar professionals are particularly likely to keep working from home once this pandemic subsides, and recent reports indicate that nearly 43 percent of Americans want to keep working from home once the economy reopens and things begin to return to normal.
Architects and home design experts are already paying increased attention to home offices, then, as these workers will need long-term workstations if they want to maintain their high levels of productivity without an office. Many people are enjoying their short-term working from home routines but will find them difficult to sustain in the long-term, which is why serious changes to how houses are designed, filled with furniture, and decorated are sorely needed. Previously popular additions like creative cabinets and faux finishes will be joined by home office spaces decorated in a pleasing yet productive manner.
Home offices aren’t the only way that COVID-19 is disrupting home design, either. Outdoor design is going to be far more important, as those who spend more time at home are going to be spending more money on their backyards and front yards so that when they do go outside, they can enjoy themselves. There are already reasons to believe that outdoor furniture sales have skyrocketed since social distancing measures began, and future pandemics are likely to lead people to invest in this sort of furniture sooner rather than later.
Home study spaces will also likely be more common, as many parents who are homeschooling their children for the first time are finding it immensely difficult to do so without a dedicated learning space in the confines of their home. Architects have already confessed that they seldom thought about working from home in their early days, but both home offices and home study areas will be incredibly common as we move forward as a society. The pandemic will impact home design in many ways, but nowhere will the changes be more obvious than when it comes to working and studying from home.
