The home design industry experts have always had to be at the forefront of innovation. It is necessary for the nature of their work. They have to be innovative to find ways around roadblocks such as clients’ budgets, regulation restrictions as well as size restrictions. They have to be creative and quick with their thinking in order to find alternative ways to do things. The current COVID pandemic has made it necessary for those in the home design industry to start thinking of ways for us to move forward with the changes in lifestyle that must be brought about due to the COVID 19 outbreak. 

Home Builders and designers are now having to strategize innovations into new home designs. With many people now needing to work from home there is the need for home offices more than ever. We also find many couples sharing whatever office space was already present in the home. This has created the need for additional space. With many people not having the financial or time capital to expand their homes, now we have to be looking into designing flex rooms. 

A flex room can be used in an office during working hours and can double as a guest room at other times as well as a game or playroom for kids as well. Bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms are ideal for cross use as an office as they allow for working individuals the type of environment they need to work in especially if there are kids at home. These bedrooms are also ideal for persons that may need to self-isolate if showing symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. 

Equipping your Home with a Decontamination Room 

We can kick things up a notch by investing in ultraviolet light incorporations for foyers or mudrooms. Ultraviolet light is currently being used in hospital settings as a means of decontaminating items. There are of course safety implications so these rooms would have to be entirely lockable if ultraviolet light will be used within. 

Equipping Your Home for Deliveries

The option is being explored to have a lockable box built into an exterior envelope on your home. This will allow delivery people to securely leave your deliveries without having to come into contact with you, your home, or vice versa. 

Considering New Materials to Use

Surfaces, paints, and other materials that can handle a lot of cleaning will now be essential. This may mean more synthetic materials than natural products. We would have to be moving away from porous surfaces such as natural stones. The move would be towards surfaces such as standard quartz which may prove more durable to repetitive chemical cleaning.  

When it comes to color, white may be better for kitchens and bathrooms which must be cleaned often. 

New technology comes at a cost. There are now door handles that self sanitize but it is still very early for residential projects. The cost of these times and implementing these new designs could add up and many people are already low on income. We see where people have had to cut costs. We now see more people planting vegetable gardens even when working with limited outdoor space. Those who don’t have space are looking towards growing vertical gardens, garden walls, and garden windowsills.