2020 has been a year of unpredictable shifts in how we live, work and communicate with others. Depending on where you live, the changes to our daily lives seem to shift with each new season.
Prior to Covid-19, our home was the place we spent a little bit of time in-between work and activities. It was our 'weekend home'. Covid-19 has exposed some of the short-comings that our homes because they are being used in a new way.
Covid-19 is going to continue to transform how we use our homes. Design will have to respond to these changes.
The kitchen, home office and outdoor living spaces have had to adapt quickly.
Kitchens
Some kitchens have been put into over-drive! Prior to the pandemic, the kitchen has been a very popular space to update and upgrade. Because we are spending more time preparing food in these kitchens, we quickly expose their short-comings. The design shift in the next few years will go from creating showplace kitchens to beautiful and functional spaces. Increasing food storage and food refrigeration will be an important consideration when families think about the implications of going into quarantine for 14 days. If you're anything like me, I make multiple trips to the grocery store each week. This is partly due to lack of planning on my part, but also due to lack of storage space for large amounts of staples.
Home Office
Not every home has [had] a home office. If you were one of the unfortunate people that did not have a space dedicated to an office, you felt the pain of working from home almost immediately. Between small children asking for a snack and dogs barking at the mailman, the dining room table makes for a very distracting place to work. Because of this, many home-owners are re-thinking some of the rooms in their home and dedicating spaces for focused work. I anticipate that many homeowners are considering making a room in their home into a dedicated office space and home additions-renovations will be a trend moving forward.
Outdoor Living
During the pandemic, experts tell us that meeting up with friends and family outdoors is the safest place to be. Spending time outdoors has always been a positive thing for humans. There are many studies that have been done affirming the fact that our connection and interaction with the natural world keeps us emotionally and physically healthy. Creating beautiful and functional spaces within our backyards will be important for many. Did you try to buy a pool for your kids this summer? Impossible! Why? Because the public places that people used to gather in the summer months (pools and parks) have been transplanted into our backyards. Pools, play structures, patios, firepits and outdoor kitchens will be in high demand for those that have the space to accommodate these much needed areas.
Need help transforming your home to meet your needs? Looking to build a new home and need some expert guidance? lily design is here to help. Send me a message and I would love to talk more about how lily design can transform your life.
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