We are at the beginning of the end, eagerly waiting for a new beginning. The earth will not co-operate with us further if we exploit it the way we did in the past.
The forecasts appear one by one. Some of them are more optimistic, some not. But almost everyone agrees that, despite a decline of such unprecedented scale, humanity will still find the strength to recover.
Values will change, our lives and habits will change, and our homes will also change under that influence. With that in mind, here are some changes that might occur.
The importance of Entrance
The good old traditional way of entrances or a foyer before entering the house/office/retail will be back in fashion – creating a barrier between the private and the public space. It is likely to be used for objects brought from the outside which should be sanitized right at entrances and also act as a screening space for outsiders before granting them access.
Mood Enhancement by Design
Design can have such a positive impact on the way people live and on their relationships and moods.
As we have spent more time at our homes now (which we never thought would happen), we realized how the environment around us makes us feel. The small things that impact our mood right from colors, textures, sounds to smells, etc. It made us realize that each of our space has to be designed for a particular mood.
Adding easy to clean and anti-bacterial materials
Switching to materials such as copper, brass or bronze which have antibacterial properties which destroy a wide range of micro-organisms. Ideal locations to switch to these would be door handles/drawer handles which would be of maximum use.
Quartz- one of the hardest non-precious stone on earth would be the ideal choice for kitchen countertops as they are hard, stain free, scratch resistant and most sanitary.
Wood materials like bamboo, oak, cork, etc. stop bacteria’s and micro-organisms from growing.
Bringing calm home
“Leave your worries at the door”.
A sense of security and calmness is needed by every individual now. Bringing in elements of nature will help you in ways beyond count. This could be easily achieved by having larger windows with views to outside, using colors which appear more connected to earth, having indoor plants, etc. This will surely impact your overall wellbeing.
Believe in Decluttering your home/office. Sell, Donate or Scrap things from your space which you don’t need. Next, organize your possessions by having smart storages.
When the world is full of uncertainty, having a space that feels like an escape to the outside world but also a connection to your own self will be a pre-requisite for design.
Smart Home Gadgets
Voice and Face recognition will be the new norm in our houses. Just give it a thought, you are coming from outside and your hands are full with the store-bought things. You don’t want to touch the door handle as you might be carrying germs. A door that opens with your voice command would be the ideal setting. Not to mention, the fewer items you touch, the fewer germs you spread.
Home as the New Office
With time, we got comfortable with the work from home setting. A study reveals that in India, 70% of working professionals now prefer a work from home setting. So, now we have to give more attention to this arrangement as well. Spatial organization will change and the definition of work from home with a chair and a table in the living room or in the corner of the house will definitely change. We need to focus on a separate area with larger windows, comfortable seating space, blackout curtains, etc.
Multi-Purpose Spaces
Regardless of the size of our home, people love to congregate in the kitchen, living and dining areas. To make these rooms adaptable and functional for multiple different activities is crucial. From working, studying, playing to exercising, make these areas of your home as multipurpose as possible.
Smart Kitchen Design
Experimenting with recipes has become everyone’s hobby post Covid, which has caused a revived interest in kitchen organization and design. With the current situation, a lot of focus will be on practical design and maximum storage. Given the trend, it is obvious that the world will move towards safer choices. Maintenance free surfaces such as stone, glass or laminate would be the easy choice.
Improve physical health at Home
Our homes are our Havens. They keep us safe and healthy. Thus, having gyms, outdoor space, air-purifiers, water filtering systems, etc. would be of primary importance.
Trends in Color
Color Psychology plays a major role in setting trends in interior spaces. The new trend will be of colors with minimal hues which instill a feeling of peace and overall “feel-good” factor.
It’s known that colors have an impact on our moods. We spend more than 90% of our time indoors. So, spending our crucial time in environmentally positive space will help enhance our mood and well-being.
Office Design
Offices are set to get major transformations to serve the future.
Smart cubicles will make a comeback in order to maintain social distancing amongst workers. We will see lesser contact surfaces. Open doors and a cleaner desk would be the new norm in our offices. Attending visitors only on appointments would be the new common.
We are all set to see some new technological advancements as well which will be incorporated deeper into our workplace to reduce human interventions and thus, chances of contact.
Less is More and Local is Better
In interior design, a concept of “Less is More” is all about creating simple and impactful spaces. Simplicity is the key to achieving a room that is spacious and serene which calms your mind.
In this, don’t forget to buy local and help build nation’s economy.
Houses and not Apartments
In times of pandemic, it is necessary to reduce contact with everything that is used in multistoried apartments – elevator buttons, elevator doors, door handles, surfaces and above all- neighbors. After forced self-isolation on different floors above the ground, often without a balcony or terrace space, we all desperately want to move to a new house. It can be small, but it has to be separate, a small courtyard to get the sun inside and a terrace where we can sip that cup of coffee in the morning.
More than an escape from the routine and the urban chaos, the house will now offer you a retreat from the ugly situation outside. Urbanization shall surely take a step back as we re-locate to tier two or tier three towns.
Living Sustainability and Quality over Quantity
As we spent more time at home, we realized our utility bills have shot up. So, is there really a way to reduce it? The answer is a definite yes. Switch to smaller investments like light bulbs to solar panels to keep your cost down. There are tons of ways to do this.
In addition to this, remember that the quality of every thing you buy is important and not the quantity. Save your money more.
The Future is Green
As all of us in this world found solace in confined spaces, we realize the importance of health in these spaces. In a broader context, sustainable design seeks to minimize our negative impact by enhancing the efficiency and moderation in use of materials, resources, space, etc.
It is just to ensure that our actions and decisions should not inhibit the opportunities of the future generations.
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