How COVID is Impacting Home Design and Decor
When the going gets tough, be creative. In the weeks of isolation we all turned to baking bread and knitting. Being creative helps you deal with difficult situations. Quarantining feels like limbo: you’re waiting to get on with your life while time slips by. It doesn’t have to be like this. Refusing to make changes to make ourselves comfortable because we believe our situation is “temporary” leads us to being uncomfortable for prolonged amounts of time. Ignoring the situation won’t change it. If you’re feeling depressed about being stuck in your home, identify the parts of your interior that are contributing to that mood, and change them. Don’t make your measures temporary. Make them real. These are some ways Covid has changed home design as we know it.
Pandemics have always shaped major shifts in interior design. Bathrooms in the 1800’s were often carpeted–it seems strange and dirty now, but back then it was the norm. We opted for less porous tiles instead and have stuck with them for a while. Now experts are saying its time to once more change these high traffic areas. Things that have a tendency to be touched and get dirty during the day should be furnished with anti-bacterial materials. Copper, brass, and bronze are great for use on doorknobs and other high-use fixtures. For woods, switching to bamboo and cork is better for the environment and your health. Quartz is already popular, but we will be seeing it used in non-conventional ways in the future.
You may have found yourself being drawn into earthy greens and neutral tones during COVID. We are seeing a collective shift in the interiors people prefer, and it has to do with our interaction with the outdoors. People miss being outside or on vacation (especially in big cities) so they are looking to bring them in. Buy yourself a ton of plants, a humidifier, a happy light to simulate sunlight, add in more woods, and opt for dark jewel-toned paint colors that give you a sense of calm.
After being surrounded by your own stuff constantly for the last few months of COVID quarantine, you’ll probably find yourself wanting to cut back on clutter. It’s time to get back to basics. You don’t need to have a ton of things, just a few quality ones. Home furnishing companies are starting to understand this. Many companies are going back to their core line and improving on staple designs with good materials rather than churning out trendy pieces. We have gotten used to paying small amounts for poor quality goods and we now have to be okay with paying more for things that are going to last us as heirlooms. As you go through your home, if you find something you haven’t thought about in the last month, donate it. You won’t even realize it’s gone and you’ll appreciate the extra space.
Carving out individual niches in your place is important. Even if you have a studio apartment, it’s important to delegate areas for different uses and stick to that. Don’t work in your bed, because you won’t be able to sleep. Don’t sleep on the couch, because you’ll start to associate that with a nap. You must have a dedicated office when working from home that doesn’t have distractions or your productivity will dip. Use room dividers to create a workout space, a recreation space, a reading and working space, and any other space you’ll need. It’ll help you stay on track.
In this same vein of thinking, many people are getting frustrated with being around the same scenery and people each day during COVID. A tiny house can be built for as little as $5,000, and if you have the land for it, this is a great option to create a place you can escape to while still being at home. It can also double as a shelter to hide out when sick to keep the rest of your family safe, or a place that relatives can stay and visit without being too close by. If this is a little much for you, check out our article on how to create a stunning backyard escape you won’t want to leave. The key thing to remember during this time is that living in limbo is never a good option. Work with your situation to get the best out of it and it will have a radical impact on your life.
If you’re looking for ways to improve connections with others, check out our article on making dinner an event.