A more flexible approach to living
Lockdown has forced us all to spend more time indoors, contemplating – among other things – our interior lives. Sam Wylie-harris surveys future home design trends following the coronavirus pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it an increased awareness of social distancing, and lockdown has seen the functionality of our homes being questioned like never before.
Houzz – a leading online platform dedicated to home renovation and design – has analysed search data and consulted industry professionals in an attempt to predict how life after coronavirus may translate into the design of our future homes.
Lockdown has meant that far more of our daily activities took place in our homes, with many house-bound citizens quickly adapting them to double up as an office and exercise space too.
Professionals on Houzz expect future homes will be designed with this flexibility and appetite for multifunctional spaces in mind, utilising clever building methods to create rooms that are easily reconfigurable, depending on the time of day.
Interior designer Samantha Watkins Mcrae says: “One of the most effective design solutions for making your home work harder is found with bespoke joinery.
“Smart, well-considered bespoke furniture will always improve living and aesthetics, but now more than ever this can be used to transform a room into different functions.”
One of the major effects of the Covid-19 outbreak was the massive rise in awareness of how we bring germs into our homes. As a consequence, designers may rethink entryways into our private spaces, with mudrooms and larger porches becoming the norm.
Closed off from the rest of the property, these transitional spaces would allow us to remove and store outerwear, leaving germs from outside at the door.
Architect Rebecca Jones says: “Buffer zones have become even more important. These allow the outside to be tempered – viruses, as well as mud, coats and mess, can be contained and not walked through the house.”
She also suggests putting a sink in this space, “not just for muddy boots, but for essential handwashing before you get into the house.”
To incorporate a mudroom into your home, Jones advises: “Consider converting a garage for this, or you could add a porch. The beauty of this approach is that, in most cases, this can be done without extensive remodelling or even the requirement for planning permission – although this does not apply to listed buildings.
“Porches can be put on, or spaces converted without planning permission provided certain criteria are met – position, distances to boundaries, height restrictions and materials. This can be explored in more detail with a design professional.”
Another of the results of lockdown was a greater reliance among the population on hi-tech gadgets and screens. Technology has been a growing priority for homeowners over recent years, with 13 per cent of renovators now incorporating some form of smart technology, according to Houzz.
As tech continues to become more and more innovative, and increasing numbers of household gaining the ability to be controlled remotely, we may begin to see voice recognition technology more commonly used in the home, reducing the need to touch switches, household appliances and remote controls – all common germ hotspots.
No-touch tech is likely to become more popular in the bathroom too, with professionals on Houzz reporting sensor-controlled taps and lights rising in popularity.
Access and connection to outdoor space has become far more valued for a populace forced to largely live life within four walls to arrest the spread of Covid-19. As a result, the
Houzz pros expect homeowners to place a much greater importance on having private alfresco areas of their own, increasing the demand for homes with balconies and gardens.
Connecting kitchens to the outdoors has been a popular trend seen on Houzz for the last few years, with some 52 per cent of kitchen renovators opting for designs that open out on to a garden or patio.
Richard Hobden from RHJB Architects of London expects this to continue, saying: “The intrinsic links we seek to create between home and garden have become invaluable. Although somewhat clichéd, the merging of internal and external environments provides the impression of greater space and significantly reduces the feeling of confinement.”
Hobden adds that improving the connection between your kitchen and garden can be achieved in several ways, suiting both how you live and your budget.
Simply enlarging a traditional small window, dropping the sill to the floor and opening it up will create an impact. Equally, adding a projecting window with a reading seat can provide an attractive lightfilled feature.
Extending your kitchen and introducing a large-format glazed pivot or sliding doors will add swathes of light to both your new and existing spaces.
Where possible, RHJB always detail a level sill between the inside and outside, making the garden feel like an extension of the room, and improving access for all.
Access and connection to outdoor space has become far more valued for a populace forced to live life within four walls to arrest Covid-19