This year saw an incredible shift in the day-to-day operations of the world. Offices shuttered, daily commute ended, and we tried to do it all—from schooling to working out to therapy to vacations—in our homes. It’s no wonder that how we’re thinking about renovation projects has likely changed from previous years. We can all agree 2020 has been a year to remember.
The COVID-19 pandemic was completely unexpected and has caused many businesses to adapt during extremely uncertain times. Many employees have resorted to working from home which has proven to have a range of drawbacks including home distractions, increased isolation and worst of all poor internet connections!
The pandemic has most definitely highlighted both the advantages and disadvantages of working from home with many perhaps missing office life more than expected.
Historically, this was not the norm 20-30 years ago - something that no one expected to happen. So we reached out to those in the world of decorating, landscape design, and home improvement on what the big trends will be for 2021 reno projects.
With more and more workers taking up remote positions in a post-COVID world, I think we are going to see an even larger increase in demand for live/work-space renovation, whether that’s the transformation of current bedrooms and bonus spaces into offices or the addition of purpose-built home-office structures to empty land. The focus will be on creating functional spaces that can double for both [live/work] purposes, such as built-in furniture that can be hidden away or used for work and storage, or improving sound insulation in existing walls and areas to create a calm environment for work.
People will spend more time and effort in designing a unique working space to maximize their concentration, motivation, and productivity. Things like location, colours, decorations, and furniture have a big effect on your mental and physical state. In fact, bright lighting has been shown to make people happier, ambient sounds help people focus, and poor air quality can lead to a drop in productivity.