During lockdown, my home became an office and video-call centre, as well as a makeshift yoga studio, restaurant and movie theatre — there were even days it seemed like a bakery, with all the cookies and galettes I felt compelled to make. For many, their homes also had to act as daycares and schools.
By Athena McKenzie // Editor of Spruce Magazine
It’s only natural that our homes evolve to support our changing domestic needs, and some architects, designers and realtors expect lasting trends to come out of the lockdown. Predictions include minimalist design, with easy-to-clean décor and surfaces, multi-purpose spaces and closed-concept floor plans.
When it comes to renovating — or what we look for when purchasing a new house — some choices will focus around the possibility of another pandemic. Others will grow out of our experiences in our homes during isolation, and what we discovered we really needed.
While the open-concept floor plan has been popular for decades, with the entrance, living room, dining space and kitchen flowing into one another, the pandemic has highlighted the advantages of a separate entrance area. This enables inhabitants to leave shoes, clothing and belongings (possibly dirty or contaminated from time outside our bubbles), rather than bringing them into the living quarters. To further enable cleanliness, more house layouts will see a bathroom by that entrance.
As more of us work from home, there will be more renovations to accommodate permanent home offices, with some embracing a more professional esthetic for those frequent Zoom calls — though I myself would miss the candid peeks into colleagues’ homes. Other add-ons, like at-home gyms, will also move up the priority list.
There is also a renewed appreciation for nature and our outdoor spaces. A backyard oasis becomes even more appealing when the prospects of cancelled travel plans are still very real.
Some changes can be much less involved. While I might be the only woman I know who didn’t engage in a deep closet purge, my partner and I did rearrange our furniture (several times), as well as creating productive and comfortable work areas. I also switched out my bedroom linens, moving away from my usual muted palette to a vibrant tropical pattern. It’s a small thing, but the broad fronds and cheery tones always spark a smile.
Lockdown wasn’t fun, and the full effects of this pandemic are yet to be seen. But for those of us privileged enough to have homes on Vancouver Island, this is an opportunity to really reflect on how we use our spaces.
Continue Reading… Creative Floor Materials.
