What Has Changed in Home Design?

Pre-pandemic, everyone was always on the go. Now we are putting more time and energy into different spaces of our homes, which has led to designing for a new home centered lifestyle. From structural changes, like the layout, to aesthetic changes, like color choices, designers are seeing a transformation of interior trends.

Here are a few of the most significant…

Has the pandemic brought an end to the open-concept plan?

Big, beautiful open layouts have been all the rage for quite some time, but as families have been working and studying from home, the need for private space has become more important again.

While the open-concept plan rage is certainly not finished, people are heading toward dedicating different spaces for more specific functions. They’re embracing the coziness and intimacy smaller and more private spaces can provide.

Where to work in peace?

Designers are seeing clients prioritize home offices now, and one of the main spaces to get that private treatment is the home office. It is no longer productive to pop your laptop on the kitchen island or on the dining room table. Homeowners are dedicating spaces for their work hours in a setting more reminiscent of a traditional office. Often to not be disturbed, more importantly to shut down after a long day’s work.

There has been an increase of custom built-ins for both the home office and remote learning stations. And – because of the Zoom factor – a pleasing aesthetic background has become important, too. Natural light, pretty artwork, plants and no clutter are all things people are considering when it comes to setting up and decorating a video call space.

How creative can you be?

People are getting creative with underutilized spaces. A lot of homeowners are looking to turn any currently unused space, like a basement, into a multipurpose room.

Spare rooms are being transformed into home gyms. Attics, garages, and dining rooms are also being turned into home offices, craft rooms and even wine cellars. Home bars are becoming a bit thing. Homeowners are asking for a special space or zone to get creative with craft cocktails.

My outdoor space has been redesigned – how about yours?

The pandemic has caused more and more people to spend time outdoors. Fresh air always elevates the mood. A new trend has become for people to invest in and prioritize their backyards with bigger decks and entertaining areas. And it’s not just tables and chairs but whole setups that make the space feel like an outdoor living room. TVs, coffee tables, bookshelves – they have all been given the boot outside (weather permitting of course.)

Since 2020, the outdoor landscape has become valued in a new way—it’s being perceived more as an extension of the home. Homeowners want to create spaces that are more practically usable for recreation and enjoyment. People have discovered that outdoor dining—and living—can be enjoyed almost year-round, and they’re taking the same considerations of how they approach interior design to bring it outdoors.

Whether it is pools, outdoor kitchen gardens, or an outdoor exercise area, these additions are now being added into the homescape. And there has been a burst in gardening as well – vegetable, herbs, and even the beautiful flower gardens are stamping their mark on current trends.

Not enough color?

What has become the trend is to embrace bold colors and calming hues – adding life to spaces through color-bursting art and throw pillows, colorful accent tiles, and out-and-out repainting of rooms is now the rage. But so is creating a wide palette of soft and soothing tones – lot of greenery, natural light, soft paints. It is now a balancing act. Which is better? You decide.

Without question, the pandemic has changed the way homeowners look at their homes. Eventually, the pandemic will subside. The question is how many of these new trends will remain?