How the Pandemic is Changing our Homes
/Its been so long since we all hunkered down in March (ok not really, but those 9 months sometimes feel like 9 years)! Its been fascinating to see how my own family has shifted the way we live in and organize our home but also what we’ve been hearing from clients while planning projects and what we’ve been seeing out there in the industry. These 3 great reads look at some of those post covid-19 trends that make being at home all the time just a little more bearable.
How the Pandemic is Reshaping Interior Design So Far
When all the 2020 interior design predictions came out, we could have never predicted the shake up Covid-19 would have created. From home offices to home schooling areas, we’ve shifted what we focus on. The need for separate space, mini spa-like retreats and outdoor entertaining have all crept up as big priorities in home design. The most interesting for me perhaps is a growing focus on the ‘threshold or buffer’ zones between the outside and inside world, a place for beauty but also function (removing shoes, washing hands to keep germs out)!
The idea of ‘Warm Minimalism’ surfaces here as a way to cope with the stress of Covid-19 and how its changed our lives. “This era of “more is more” is coming to an end, and the pandemic is to blame. Enter minimalism, which is making a comeback, but with a twist.” Unlike minimalist movements of the past the author suggests “the pandemic has left us craving warmth and comfort, so we are combining open, empty spaces with cozy textiles”. This all makes a ton of sense and we are seeing it has made furniture sales that offer simple, soft solutions the winners. Interestingly the author also looks back to how the 1918 pandemic shifted designs to simple and clean features like white walls, open spaces and large windows to inject the “sterilizing powers of sunlight.”
Google’s design chief on the future of your home
The author speaks with a VP and head of product design at Google to understand how she predicts our homes will continue to change post-covid. A few themes include:
1) The rise of the ‘flexible home’ - because “what this has shown us is things can change in the blink of an eye.”
2) The (partial) closing of spaces - a move from the open workspace and open home to have the flexibility to partition spaces when needed
3) The quest for not just comfort, but balance - ensuring we find the right balance between simple and modern with softer, more organic shapes and textures.
Personally, my favorite line in this article is “Balance is where it’s at in everything. This is the universe’s way of saying, ‘Let’s find it.'“ We can apply it to so much that is going on around us right now.
*Images from Arhaus and Crate and Barrel Fall and Holiday Lookboks
*Source articles: Dwell & Fast Company