The Post COVID-19 Home
“Home should be a sanctuary”
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated home trends that were gaining adoption, and also created new ones that will fundamentally change the ways in which we interact with and view our homes.
Flex Spaces
With the whole family spending more time at home, there is an increased need for flexible spaces. Key areas must easily transition between community living and isolation; homeowners will need creative ways to delineate spaces and open them back up again. For example, entertainment areas should have the capability to quickly convert to conference areas and back again at a moment’s notice. Previously unused or underutilized spaces can be creatively converted to functional space. Taking a conference call on the formal dining table while the kids play in the background will no longer be the regular mode of operation.
Home Office
Many of the benefits of working from home became apparent during the pandemic. Once commonly accepted pitfalls of traditional office work, such as commuting and expensive office leases, are decidedly no longer in favor. As companies continue to adopt the work-from-home trend, there will be an increased need for dedicated functional, advanced home offices. The home office of the future will know your routine, perhaps starting your cup of coffee in the morning, turning on your devices, and adjusting the lighting for maximum productivity.
Health
A more obvious trend as a result of the pandemic is the desire to monitor health at home. This may lend itself to broader change in the form of higher transparency in healthcare. Homes will have a “health dashboard” that constantly monitors the health of the home and its inhabitants, reporting on anything from air quality to body changes resulting from diet and other lifestyle factors. Healthcare will become far less of a “black box”, where people have no transparency into how various environmental and lifestyle factors play into their overall health.
Garages
Similar to the idea of flex spaces, garages deserve their own spotlight as a space ready for change post COVID-19. Modern garages are typically used solely for storage of cars and items. By expanding the garage or converting wasted space, homeowners can add valuable additional living and entertainment areas. A busy working couple can create a separate area for presentations and conferencing. A car aficionado can showcase his collection and entertain guests by converting excess garage space to an entertainment area for games, socializing and more.
Gyms
As gyms closed and became unavailable for the duration of the pandemic, people quickly found creative ways to exercise at home. In doing so, they found value in the convenience, privacy, and flexibility of a home gym. Dedicated and technologically savvy spaces for home gyms will become increasingly common. They will have home automation components, such as knowing your routine, adjusting temperature, lighting, and even difficulty of the workout. And they will also have a social focus, given that gyms have always had a social component to them. Machines will be increasingly connected, whether integrating with social platforms or providing audio/video capability for remote group workouts.
As the COVID-19 pandemic comes to a close, we will continue to see these trends accelerate in homes around the world. Please contact us at hello@rare-homes.com to discuss how Rare Homes can create the home of tomorrow for you.