2020 hasn’t been a good year, isn’t it! We are grappling with an unprecedented challenge in our lives, that of isolation, induced by an invisible enemy for a period unknown. Our normal lifestyles have been disrupted and everything now revolves around our domestic space.
While the pandemic has pushed us beyond our limits and thrown our comfort zones & daily routines off gear, it has also forced us to perceive our living spaces to the miniscule. After staying boxed in for almost half a year in our homes, we have arrived at this consciousness that our living spaces are not designed to tackle the tenets of this crisis.
Most of us don’t have a proper workspace or a relax zone to cut out the drudgery of quarantine. The houses that we live in don’t serve a multifunctional purpose that is required at present. We have all become couch potatoes owing to lack of space for movement and exercise. We need proper access to the sky, to flora and the sound of nature, to restore our bodies and minds.
With our elders, siblings and families been tethered to the same space all day long for months, it’s time that we rethink our inhabitable requirements and plan our spaces accordingly to fit the evolving reality.
All said, this crisis calls for a reimagination of living spaces and the embracement of new ideas for healthy living. Let’s see how.
Choosing Hygienic building materials
No amount of social distancing or hand sterilization can help us from this virus if surfaces inside our homes don’t have contaminant-resistant properties. Anything that can be touched must be built with materials that can be easily cleaned or sanitized. Door handles, kitchen tops, shelves, chairs, tables, bathroom items-the list goes on.
Materials such as copper, brass and bronze have natural antimicrobial properties that can destroy a lot of microorganisms. Such metals can be used for door handles, shelf handles and faucets. For kitchen tops and bathroom finishes, quartz is the ultimate choice as it is hard, stain & scratch resistant and sanitary too. Bamboo, oak that stops micro-organisms from growing are getting increasingly accepted for woodwork, flooring, and is going to set a trend in home design.
No open-concept floor plans. Defined spaces are the vogue
Until last year, open-concept floor plans had been a rage where walls and doors were eliminated to free up space and make their living spaces spacious and airy. However, quarantine etiquettes and work-from-home responsibilities have aired the need for defined spaces and rooms designed for different activities.
Dedicated office spaces with library and study areas will top the list in home space reimagination. Working professionals need a silent office corner with plenty of light and air and away from the main areas of the home. Large decks, balconies and private green spaces that can be used as a space to unwind and exercise have also become a necessity for new homebuyers.
Ramping up technology to make homes healthier
Home wellness technologies that keep a track of air, light and water quality day in and day out will find a permanent place in homes. Touchless technology featuring motion sensors on front doors, elevator switches, faucets and voice-control options for ovens, lights and electrical appliances are set to become commonplace and not a luxury anymore.
Bedrooms to become larger
Since bedrooms will serve as a retreat at the end of the day, they should be a focal point of design and carry plenty of space to walk around on each side of the bed. Uber-large windows to let the sunshine and natural light play around, separate sitting spaces with a desk and en-suite facilities are some necessities that homebuyers will want in the future.
