5 Ways The COVID Pandemic Will Change How We Decorate, Style & Live In Our Homes

To say 2020 was a year unlike any other is a bit of an understatement. 2020 changed the way we view each other, the way we prioritize our work lives, the way we school, and the way we look at our homes. All that had been familiar was suddenly strange. Things that we had taken for granted were suddenly cherished. One of the most important changes that many people dealt with because of the pandemic was the way that they experienced their homes.

Prior to the pandemic, some people looked at their homes as nothing more than shelter, creating functional spaces within it to eat, sleep, and hang out. Others had always taken pleasure in creating haven-like environments in their homes. Some people had it figured out how to view their homes. They may have been in the process of thinking about renovating their spaces, or they were happy with the way things were.

The pandemic turned all of that on its head. All of a sudden, homes were havens, workspaces, schools, and refuges all in one. Homeowners, renters, and designers realized that they had to turn their homes into multifunctional spaces, stat.

How People's Spaces Might Evolve Once We're Past the Pandemic

The following are five possibilities of how people's spaces might evolve once we're past the pandemic.

1. We'll Turn the Living Room Into the Heart of the Home

One very important change will most likely be the elevation of the living room as the center of the home. Living rooms are typically multifunctional spaces that can meet the needs of everyone in the family. After the pandemic, this will become even more true.

Beautiful desks and chairs added to previously unused areas of the living room to create lovely office spaces or impromptu classrooms may end up staying in place for the long term. These nooks have allowed people to take care of business while other family members sit nearby doing things like reading books or watching a movie. Such setups are great for families who like to stay close, but they’re also ideal for city families who may have less square footage to work with than their suburban counterparts. People might use glass or acrylic desks and chairs because they provide plenty of space to work without making the room seem cluttered.

People who have the space may add things like larger sofas or bigger coffee tables. A beautiful, larger, well-made sofa invites togetherness and comfort into a room while adding a gorgeous aesthetic layer. If you top the sofa with colorful pillows and throws, you’ve created an area that no one will want to leave.

Coffee tables will no longer be just for showing off glam coffee table books. Large coffee tables are easy to turn into gaming tables at a moment’s notice. You can also use them when friends and family gather around for something new like traditional Japanese or Ethiopian meals. The possibilities are endless.

2. We'll Pivot When Redecorating Rooms With Open Layouts

Many people have bought homes with open layouts, or they may have renovated and retrofitted their existing homes to accommodate this extremely popular design feature. Open layouts help make a living space feel spacious and grand, and they allow people to stay connected with each other even when they’re hanging out on opposite sides of the space. The downside to this type of layout, felt by many people during the pandemic, is that you can't close off part of the space when you need to have a private Zoom call or focus on a work project.

For many people, the solution for this dilemma has been to add pocket doors to their open spaces. While French doors swing open and shut like traditional doors to allow people to enter and leave a space, pocket doors are doors that open by sliding and disappearing into a compartment or “pocket” in the adjacent wall. They're hidden when they’re open, and you can pull them out again when you want the room closed off. This gives you the option of switching back and forth between an open layout and one that’s closed off, a setup that’s helpful if you really need your spaces to be multi-use.

3. We'll Transform Other Rooms in the House Into Mixed-Use Rooms

Many people found that they had to turn other rooms in the house into mixed-use rooms during the pandemic in order to maximize the space's functionality. Kitchens and bedrooms were frequently rearranged to accommodate office areas. Many folks put sofas in their bedrooms in order to create a sitting area where they could have a separate space to relax and work. Those adjustments are probably going to become permanent now that people see that they don't have to use rooms for just one purpose.

4. We'll Create Outdoor Havens

The pandemic has taught many people the importance of having access to outdoor space. There has been a renewed interest in creating outdoor living spaces that meet the entire family’s needs. People are creating dedicated play areas for younger family members, and they’re also creating gorgeous outdoor living rooms complete with fire pits, tables, and luxurious seating areas that invite people to sit and enjoy the space for hours.

5. We'll Use Wallpaper to Light Up a Room

Another way that you can revamp a room is through the use of wallpaper. Wallpaper is like paint: It’s an excellent way to instantly change the look and feel of a room before you place any furniture inside of it. Warm wallpaper colors and patterns can take a plain room that lacks energy and infuse it with a vibe that lights up the mood of anyone who enters the space.

During the pandemic, people found that doing something as simple as using colorful living room wallpaper could turn that room into something cozy, welcoming, and different. It made them feel like they'd discovered a new, secret room in their home, a delicious feeling when people were unable to travel to enjoy new spaces and experiences. Those lessons will carry over long after life has gotten back to normal. We have all learned that you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to instantly change the look of a room.

There are so many resources for decorating that can help you get your home ready for the exciting new world that's coming after the pandemic is over. Reach out to us at Wallshoppe today if you would like more ideas for redecorating your home.