How COVID-19 Has Affected Home Design and How Buyers View Properties

As we all adapt to living during these unprecedented times, we’ve all spent a little more time than usual in our homes.

Self-Quarantine and social isolating has left a lot of us in our homes for extended periods of time, some of us even spending our work hours in the home office. There’s no doubt that we all didn’t expect this is how we’d be spending the major part of our year, but it’s put into perspective how we live and how the layout and features of our homes impact our lives.

Since the pandemic hit earlier this year, our lives have literally been upended in every regard: from how we interact and engage with others, how we spend our time, how we go out into the world, travel and how we live (inside the home and out). Now more than ever, people have literally been seeing their homes as a solace to the manic state the world seems to be in.

Growing Need for Outdoor Space
I think we can all agree that most of us have been ‘living’ outside. As soon as the weather improved this spring, we’ve been shifting lots of activities to nature. Hiking, eating, walking, picnics, get-togethers, happy hour, you name it! Because of social distancing and quarantining measures, all entertainment and other events having to be moved to outdoor venues has been imperative and in some cases, is the only means of seeing loved ones. Whether your outdoor space is a balcony, french doors opening to a small terrace, a backyard or an acre+ estate, we can all vouch that stepping outside, breathing in the fresh air, and most importantly, visiting with family and friends, is exactly what is needed amongst the chaos.

 

 

Home Offices
With lots of us returning to work full time, there’s also some employees that have entirely shifted to work at home, making office spaces and study areas are more necessary than ever.  As more individuals work (and learn) from home, a dedicated office and space for studying is essential. Many of us quickly had to convert areas and rooms to our own home offices – showing us the importance of a separate space. Homes with multiple areas for getting work done – offices, libraries, and study areas – will be even more popular in design (1). 

 

Antibacterial Materials
If you’re doing your part and social distancing from inside your home, you may start to notice small details of your house or apartment you hadn’t thought about before – like how to help keep your home as clean as possible during the coronavirus outbreak. There are few materials that we can use that are more sterile than others, and will be used even more in the future of design.

– Metals such as copper, brasses, and bronzes are natural antimicrobial materials that have intrinsic properties to destroy a wide range of microorganisms. Not only are these metals hygienic, but they are great accents to warm up your home.

– Quartz is one of the hardest non-precious stones on earth, therefore countertops made from quartz are hard, stain and scratch-resistant, and the most sanitary. Quartz is already popular, and that will only increase post Coronavirus.

– Woods like bamboo, oak and cork stop bacteria and microorganisms from growing. We love the look of warm lighter oak woods for flooring, and think this will continue to be a big trend in home design (2).

 

 

Local is Better
Local design and craftsmanships will be a rising trend, first because governments will need to create a surge in economics, hopefully by giving benefits towards local productions at the expenses of unsustainable products. Also, people have realized how dependent the world is on other countries for invaluable items. We need to review our globalized “linear” way of designing and producing and create a better system with fair working conditions and production that stimulate communities, regenerate the environment and do not impose unfair competition (3). Whenever there is an opportunity to shop local, take it!

Home as Oasis

With lots of us spending much more time indoors, the concept of ‘home’ has taken a whole new meaning. We’ve sought solace in our homes and seen them as a place of refuge and safety. Surrounding yourselves with inspiring things that bring you joy has always been a thing in interior design, but the coronavirus has caused a shift in our ever-present need to feel safe and calm.

 

Safety and peace can take the form of all sorts of things in the home: a reproduction print of your favourite Picasso painting, a window ledge filled with your favourite plants and flowers, a cozy sectional with plush cushions in front of a gas fireplace, or framed photographs from joyous memories from the past. Surrounding yourselves with things you love has never been more important.

Home is where the heart is, this saying has never rang more true since the pandemic began earlier this year. Our homes have become the centre of our lives; full time work, exercise, schooling, in addition to meals and leisure. Before coronavirus, spending so much time at home would be unusual, yet it’s the new norm especially as we head into fall and winter. The wish lists of buyers in the market for a new home have expanded and home owners are transforming their homes into their own private sanctuaries. It’s the calm amongst the storm, the one certainty in the mass of uncertainties, coming home and feeling truly yourselves. There’s nothing more valuable in that.