3 ways the pandemic has changed home design

3 ways the pandemic has changed home design

The pandemic has changed the way we use our homes, and that evolution is showing up in design trends in a few interesting ways. We talked to interior designer Stacey Cohen, owner of Stacey Cohen Design and Room Edit, about how people are living and working in their homes right now.

“We’re really thinking about how we use our spaces differently,” she says. “And the money we had put away for travel or extra activities is going into improving our homes, and especially our shared spaces.”

Stacey has noticed three key pandemic-related trends in home design: home offices/learning spaces, multifunctional rooms and soothing spaces.

desk overlooking window

1. Offices/workspaces

All the working and learning from home we’ve been doing has kickstarted a real focus on home offices and workspaces, and Stacey’s team has been kept busy outfitting offices and learning areas that make it easier to work comfortably and quietly and to be creative and productive at home.

“I'm a big believer that your physical environment really affects how you feel and how productive you are,” she says. “Whether you're an adult or a child, having an inviting place to work or learn is so important. And it's not hard to create that kind of environment.”

She says the key is having a quiet, uncluttered space with an organizational system like a desk with drawers or cabinet with doors that close. Add a proper, comfortable chair, paint the wall a nice colour, decorate with plants and framed photos or artwork, and you’re good to go. Pinboards are a great way to keep clutter organized: they’re especially popular in kids’ workspaces where children can pin drawings, photos and other things that inspire them.

Read more: 5 top interior design questions answered

study interior

2. Multifunctional spaces

There’s huge value in spaces that can do more than one thing. Your office doesn't only have to be your office: it can double as a guest room or yoga studio or the place where you use your rowing machine. There’s been an uptick in interest in furniture that can be used in different ways: sofa beds, Murphy beds and desks that can be hidden away when not in use are popular purchases these days.

“We've done a lot of home offices that are also kids’ areas or second TV rooms,” says Stacey. “In an office/guest room, you can opt for a foldout sofa instead of a bed, so when it's being used as an office it feels more like an office, but can easily be converted into a comfortable room to sleep in.”

The Stacey Cohen Design team is often asked to come up with creative solutions for adding workstations into kids’ bedrooms. IKEA is one of their go-tos for small budgets because they have nice desks and comfortable desk chairs, plus things like tabletop organizers, pinboards, and inexpensive frames for children's artwork. CB2 and Wayfair are also good resources.

Read more: 5 tips for interior design on a budget

home office space

3. Soothing spaces

Life is stressful: we want being at home to be relaxing, but we also want to feel inspired and be productive. Stacey has 3 low-budget suggestions for creating soothing spaces:

  • Paint or wallpaper one wall. A beautiful wall covering or striking paint colour might be overwhelming if you're completely surrounded by it, but on one wall, it can be very inspiring.

  • Change up your hardware. Any piece of furniture – from a used desk you found at a garage sale to an IKEA kitchen to a high-end piece – can get a nice lift from new handles or door pulls. Pick something you really love from Lee Valley or IKEA, Home Depot or Etsy, and every time you use it, that beautiful little addition will give you a lift, too.

Need some inspiration for making your space more liveable? Check out Stacey Cohen Design and Room Edit to get some great ideas for inspiring spaces. And if you’re looking for a new place to call home, we can help. Talk to a property.ca agent today.

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