New Quarantine Home Life Design Trends

A year ago, as we reflected on many months already spent in quarantine, we predicted that these nine trends would prevail in 2021. Many of these, such as “true personalization of home sanctuaries,” seemed to manifest indeed as we became more and more acquainted with our homes and home offices.

Now, having spent nearly two years living amid the Covid-19 pandemic, we are continuing to see the evolution of homeowners’ lifestyle preferences and trends. When it comes to design in the home, there are a few over-arching trends we’ve got our eye on.

Technology that Supports Well-Being

While conveniences have been embedded in smart technology for some time, the new quarantine home life model led to renewed attention to what interconnected devices can enable, that is, a greater sense of well-being. In short, homeowners are taking advantage of technology that promotes happier, healthier living.

For example, wearable technology that monitors heart rate, sleep, and more enables a far more thoughtful connection to our health. Meanwhile, in home design, technology such as sensors embedded in the Marvin Awaken Skylight allows for better air quality. This skylight integrates with smart home systems and can sense when it’s optimal to vent in fresh air and when there’s rain or weather that requires it to close. The push of a button on a remote control (or via smart phone app) gives homeowners the ability to support overall well-being with ease.

Seamless Transitions Between Indoors and Outdoors

Spending so much time at home in isolation led to a yearning for more time outdoors, where there’s less risk of spreading sickness and more opportunity to benefit from sunlight and nature. In home design, this translates to more spaces that break down barriers between indoors and outdoors.

Large doors with expansive glass do this well, sliding open with ease to virtually erase the boundary between a house and a patio, deck, or backyard. We see more homeowners installing multi-slide doors, lift-and-slide doors, and bi-fold doors, offering more access to natural light and views when closed, while empowering more beneficial outdoor time when open. Some homeowners are very creative with these large doors, installing them where windows or a single door previously existed.

Multifunctional Spaces with Thoughtful Floor Plans

With all the hours we log at home, we demand more from each room of our house than ever before. That’s why more homeowners require their homes to serve multifunctional purposes.

Making the absolute most of the square footage available in your home means looking at each room and each nook as an opportunity for efficiency. Could the guest bedroom double as an at-home office with a compact, or stowaway desk? Can the space under the stairs become a better storage area? What furniture in the living room will allow for a greater variety of activities? And as multigenerational living situations continue to evolve, these multi-use spaces and thoughtful floor plans allow families to thrive, even when the physical walls of a house might feel snug.

Thoughtful Design Upgrades

Daily interaction with your home brings into focus the home-maintenance projects and upgrades that have been patiently waiting their turn. Faced with these persistent issues every day, homeowners are taking on basic utility and design projects in a more thoughtful manner.

“If I’m going to do this project now, I’m going to do it the right way,” they think to themselves. “If I’m going to upgrade my kitchen, I’m going to make it the kitchen of my dreams,” they say.

A window replacement project, for example, is a lot of work! Yet, thoughtfully undergoing window replacement means totally transforming your home with beautiful windows that offer a polished aesthetic and improve life at home, where so much of our days are now spent.

Comfortable Office Spaces to Accommodate Working from Home

As more employers embrace remote work options, homeowners are turning a fresh eye to their home offices. “Good enough” is no longer good enough when it comes to the place you work five days a week. Therefore, homeowners are transforming their home offices into the comfortable, ergonomically correct spaces they need to work well remotely.

For many, this means adding a great office chair with enough support. For others, it can mean rearranging the space to allow for a window view to break up staring at a screen for too long. Whatever “comfortable” means to you, designing a functional home office appears to be one home design trend that’s here to stay.

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