Coronavirus has changed us all forever. It has affected every inch of the globe, our daily routines, behaviours, and way of life. The pandemic has also transformed the way we live in our home and the way we “live” at work, letting our houses become THE place: the place to live, work, work out, meditate… Too much for spaces where most of the time were only designed for “staying.” Many people have found themselves living in a sort of a cage, not even a balcony where to sit and have some vitamin D.
Now that we have experienced the situation, we are prepared to change and adjust interior design, materials, and furniture to this new era.
This new era comes with multi-activity spaces at home, modular furniture to adapt to every task (work, wellbeing, training, Netflix…), separate rooms for working, cleaner and easier to disinfect materials, more sustainable options for building and decorating…
Being closer to nature (after the first lockdown, many people were looking to move out of cities and going to tiny villages or countrysides to avoid the cluttered feeling) or bring more greenery to our apartments is happening as well.
Interior design is moving towards a more comfortable living, which means creating cozy homes for spending more time indoors and forget the outdoor world.
Spaces
Not all people can afford to live in a massive penthouse with a beautiful terrace and tons of m2, so the need for areas that can be easily transformed is a must. Interior design will improve the home’s functionalities and provide separate rooms for different activities, but, at the same time, these rooms will be interchangeable. Office during the day, gym in the afternoon and cinema at night 🙂
We have realised the most important room is… The office. We may not have paid attention in the past, but now it is more necessary than ever.
Working from home is not disappearing, so having a separate space or a convertible space will stay with us—welcome homes with multiple areas for getting the work done.
Furniture
During the pandemic, we have learned about adapting. Modular furniture will help us adjust the space to the exact moment of the day and the number of people living in that precise moment.
Changing the design in just a couple of clicks and providing options for collaborative and expanding areas will help through this new period. We will see this in corporate offices where remote working will reduce the m2, but they will still need space for its associates.
Materials
Nonporous, easy-to-clean materials to reduce germs spreading are in everybody’s minds. Flat surfaces where you could immediately spot any dirt and wipe it.
Noble metals and not so noble like copper or bronze are natural antimicrobial materials with natural properties to destroy microorganisms (now you know why silver cutlery was so famous in the past, to avoid germs circulating the forks). Metal handles and knobs that are touched continuously will be more and more metallic.
Quartz is also one of the materials to have in mind as surfaces made with this natural stone are hard, stain, and scratch-resistant, and hygienic (Sustonable surfaces are made of this kind of stone, for instance).
Style
Nature-inspired designs that bring the entire environment to home are coming. We all want to feel peace and wellbeing, so neutral and relaxing colours mixed with natural materials will be preferred.
The new design era will introduce big plants for healthier air and beautiful scenery and oversized windows for having more natural light in our homes. We have missed nature, so why don’t we bring it to our city apartment?
Interior design matters more than ever, so architects, interior designers, and decorators have an essential task to develop: create functional, open, relaxing, and natural spaces. Homes that inspire and exceed family’s or individual’s needs. Simple and comfortable.
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