Take a look at five home trends that we think will still be popular when lockdown ends
It’s hard to believe that it’s been around a year since we first heard of cities going into lockdown and people being told to ‘shelter in place’ at home. Sometimes it feels like the year has flown by, and sometimes it feels like it has lasted forever.
With homes becoming places where we work and learn, the very concept of ‘home’ feels different than it did at the beginning of 2020. We’re spending more time at home, and using our homes very differently than we were used to.
Some things won’t last, of course, and before too long this period will hopefully be consigned to the history books. But it’s very likely that the pandemic will have permanently changed some of our perceptions of home.
And there’s no doubt that it will continue to impact home decor trends for 2021. So here are five areas where we think the changes are likely to last beyond the latest lockdown:
Home as a multi-use space
During the pandemic, and especially during lockdown, we’ve all seen that home needs to be a more adaptable space. It’s not just a base to relax in at the end of the day, but is now used for work, education and socialising as well.
Many people have had to work from home, as offices and workplaces shut for lockdown. This may not be a permanent switch for everyone, but it’s likely that a certain proportion of the workforce will not return to the office full-time.
It may be that people spend two days in the office and work three days at home, or they may work full-time at home and travel into the office for meetings and presentations.
Whatever the final outcome, home workers need to be able to draw a clear boundary between work and rest. Working from your sofa or bed is OK in the short run, but can eventually cause aches and pains.
So clever storage solutions and flexible workspaces are likely remain popular. This allows you to pack work away at the end of the day, turning your home into a place for relaxation and socialisation.
And houseplants, feature walls and bookcases are also likely to stay popular as a backdrop for all those video calls!
Going out at home
We’ve been working more at home, but we’ve also been playing more at home as well.
With pubs, restaurants and cinemas closed, we’ve all had to entertain ourselves a lot more. For some, that’s meant taking up new hobbies (banana bread, anyone?) while others have just found ways to do their usual pastimes at home.
Some have built bars and created more social areas for dining in the garden. Or they’ve invested in better tech so that they can enjoy watching films or playing games.
Social distancing measures are likely to be around for a while, so these trends will probably last as well. You might want to start pricing up home cinema equipment or plan a more social garden ready for this summer.
A comforting colour palette
Working and entertaining aside, home is still the place where we can retreat from the world outside . The stresses and strains of life in a pandemic have taken their toll on many of us, and so it’s no surprise that interior decor trends are calling heavily on calming, comforting colours.
Soft neutrals and natural materials help to create a relaxing sanctuary to hide away in. Meanwhile light airy tones give a more invigorating, productive air for home working spaces.
These trends are certainly likely to prevail throughout 2021, and you can always add a seasonal pop of colour
Keep it clean
Remember the days when we used to shake hands with people?
Now we’re all used to using hand gel and wearing masks to protect others, and safe has become synonymous with clean. Our home is our ultimate safe space, so we want to know that it’s also a clean space.
Whether you’re designing a new home from scratch or doing up your existing home, hygiene is likely to be a major factor in the next few years. Easy to clean surfaces are going to be very popular, especially in shared spaces like the kitchen and bathroom.
But clean doesn’t have to mean clinical, so you can still create a welcoming and comforting look. Designers will be working hard to create homewares that offer hygiene as well as great looks.
Bring the outside in
We’ve noticed a real increase in interest in houseplants over the last 12 months. And with people spending more time in their homes, there’s even more love for them.
You could go for large statement plants like a Monstera deliciosa (cheese plant), a collection of cacti and succulents, an indoor herb garden or even a terrarium.
Adding greenery to your home is a great way to add colour and a sense of nature into your home. Of course, that is even more beneficial if you don’t have access to a garden.
This trend isn’t going anywhere in a hurry, and we’re sure that once you get the houseplant bug, you will just want to keep adding to your collection.
What do you think? Will you be incorporating any of these trends into your home in 2021?