The changes the pandemic brought about in our lives aren’t limited to the constant wearing of masks and face shields, reducing contact with other people, and refraining from going outside. The virus also significantly impacted other aspects of our lives, such as work and school.
Most of all the changes, the more prominent one is probably how this pandemic will affect future home designs to accommodate the necessities that surfaced during this and the past year. With our future full of uncertainties, we can at least take comfort in the fact that our houses are places where we can be completely comfortable, whether we’re working, going to school, or relaxing.
Nature Indoors
Although incredibly behind schedule, appreciating nature is better late than never. Having gone through months of quarantine with nothing but the corners of our homes to explore has made us appreciate it more.
With limited chances to go outdoors, future home layouts will include nature-inspired indoor and outdoor designs. Thanks to biophilic designs, even though freely exploring nature scenes is still out of our reach, we can still enjoy them from the safety of our homes.
Touch-free Technology
Viruses and bacteria spread and multiply in various spaces, and the solutions for this are regular sanitation and voice-activated tech. Though cleanliness is vital, we can work smarter and mitigate the risk of contracting diseases by decreasing our contact with different surfaces.
The use of smart tech is the most viable option for preventing the spread of bacteria. With homes retrofitted with intelligent devices, such as automatic doors and voice-activated appliances, we no longer need to press different buttons that can house millions of microbes.
Open Spaces
Cooped up is an understatement when describing home quarantines. Even though our situation is relatively tolerable, thanks to the entertainment brought by books, shows, and electronic devices, the need to go out for a breath of fresh air is still strong.
Post-pandemic homes will feature open spaces where we can bask in the sun and fill our lungs with fresh air. These spaces can also serve as areas for different activities like exercise and intimate gatherings.
Isolated Areas
While there are open spaces, isolated areas are also vital. Spending every day at home with our families is an incredible blessing, but alone time is also essential, especially when working or taking classes online. We’ll most likely spend most of our time at home, so we’ll need additional rooms for different activities.
After the pandemic, more houses will have isolated areas, like a study room, home office, and a gym. We can also think outside the box by building a new establishment outside of our homes. For instance, using high-quality steel supplies to build an outdoor office or personal gym will provide us with a sturdy and durable space where we can truly focus.
Brighter Facilities
Bright spaces are natural mood boosters and energizers — things everyone undoubtedly needs during these trying times. Once this challenging period is over, homes will also have more brightly lit spaces using natural light.
Considering that we now work or study from home, where we usually laze around, we need the muster up all the focus and concentration we can gather to finish our tasks. Natural light is the best solution for that.
Improved Air Quality
Staying indoors for extended periods is not great for our health, especially for houses with bad indoor air quality. In the future, most homes will have air purification systems to maintain healthy air quality, helping ensure that we remain in top condition even after staying indoors for weeks at a time.
Cleaning appliances equipped with HVAC filters will also take over other equipment. These can help eliminate dust and other microparticles during cleaning tasks.
Well-stocked Pantries
By now, everyone has gotten used to purchasing a lot during grocery runs to reduce outdoor trips. In present kitchen designs, cabinets, racks, and refrigerators serve as spaces for storing perishables.
In the future, just like spaces for a home office and study room, a pantry is also a necessity. With a well-stocked pantry containing everything from food to other household essentials, we can keep ourselves safe by limiting having to go outside.
Room for Recreation
Going outdoors is highly risky, so even though it’s unfortunate that most recreational facilities like cinemas, malls, and restaurants are closed, maintaining distance from public spaces is the best thing we can do to protect ourselves.
To make up for this, having a recreational room at home is the best solution. With a room filled with gaming consoles, an entertainment system for watching movies, or other activities like tabletop games, we can still have a way to take a breather from the stress brought by quarantines.
Now that our houses play more prominent roles in our lives, just like the other things dramatically changed by the pandemic, home designs will also require modifications. With better layouts, we can keep creating a comfortable and productive lifestyle at home.
