TThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we currently live, but it may leave a lasting mark on how we work. Already, Google and Facebook have told their staff they can work from home for the rest of 2020.
And Twitter chiefs have gone one better by telling staff they can work from home forever!
COVID-19 has forced businesses to try remote working when before they may have been against it. If this trial period is a success, those companies may enable more remote working, and simultaneously cut business costs.
What may be unraveling before our very eyes is a new working lifestyle. This could significantly affect demands for property. Our property demands are usually triggered by shorter commuting to inner city business districts. In fact, research has found that Londoners value a shorter commute more than their sex lives.
If remote working continues to grow, we may swap demands for quick commutes for greener spaces away from city centres. But what about inside our homes? How will 2020 and a new remote working world influence interior design?
Interior Design Predictions and Trends for 2020
#1: Demand for New Spaces (The Home Office)
Remote working would be a completely unique way to transform the spaces inside our homes. Of course, some people have offices or a study at home already – maybe even a library – but the majority of workers do not. If they do have anything that resembles a home office, it is often a solitary desk in a spare bedroom. Can we really call this an office?
But that could be about to change. One of the best ways to maximise productivity when working from home is to have a dedicated space to work from. This will separate your personal life and your professional life to help you be productive – and mitigate distractions.
Home office spaces will soon become a necessity for homeowners and renters, not just something to be desired. This could means transforming a guest bedroom into a fully functional office that resembles the same spaces we have occupied in company buildings. But just because they are professional office spaces doesn’t mean you cannot add personal touches to these rooms.
#2: The Best Colours of 2020
New dedicated working spaces may not be enough to keep remote workers satisfied. Spending more time indoors is something we have gotten used to over recent weeks, but it doesn’t make it healthy for us.
Humans have a need to connect with nature, and colour is one way of making that happen. Interior design is likely to play an important part in connecting remote workers to the outside world. One of the best ways of achieving it may lie in the colours we choose throughout our home.
Some colours are more reminiscent of nature, such as greens, blues and yellows. This doesn’t mean people are going to start painting their living spaces green, but it does justify using these colours within the home.
Another way of bringing the outside indoors is through paintings and feature wallpaper. You may have thought wallpaper was left in the 90s – but it’s coming back for 2020. Although, it’s coming back with a new twist. Now you can get high-quality wallpaper that is made from professional photographs, including shots of landscapes and animals.
By adding this type of wallpaper to a single wall in a room, you can create a feature wall that truly brings nature indoors. You can choose anything from a rainforest, wildlife, waterfalls, a desert and much more!
#3: Making Future Homes Healthier
What will the other interior demands be from a society that spends more time at home than any society before? They need homes which also provide:
- Good air quality
- Natural light
- Healthy living
How to Achieve Good Air Quality at Home?
NASA conducted a study to find the best ways to clean the air inside spaceships to keep astronauts healthy. Their research, known as the NASA Clean Air Study, found that some indoor plants are able to clean our air better. Thus, keeping the air inside of our homes healthy is not just about opening windows, but about keeping plants at home.
The best plants for this purpose include, but are not limited to:
- English Ivy
- Aloe Vera
- Snake Plant
- Dragon Tree
- Spider Plant
Using Natural Light Correctly
One of the most demoralising aspects of working in an office is the lack of windows and natural light. Not everyone can have the desk near the window. But at home, you can make sure your desk is always flooded with light.
Clever interior design will make you face the natural light rather than have it behind you when working from a desk. Light from behind can make it hard to see you on Zoom calls, and it can be distracting if you are on a lower floor.
Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles
We may have the perfect office space that keeps us motivated and connected with nature, but that’s not all we would need within a remote working culture. Sitting down for long periods has been linked to 14 out of 22 types of cancer.
Even though data suggests remote working is more enjoyable and often increases productivity, many are reporting that they work for longer and take fewer breaks. This means interior design needs to step up and make sure working from home is healthier and involves less sitting time.
The most effective way of doing this is through practical office equipment, not least a standing desk. A standing desk is exactly as described and will make sure your posture is not compromised by longer periods at your laptop.
How Soon Can We Expect Remote Working to Influence Design?
Now – it is already happening. Professionals have already taken steps to make their current spaces match their new working needs. Once companies follow the likes of Facebook, Google and Twitter in allowing staff to work remotely, these workers are likely to invest more into their home design.
Following this will be architects and home developers who will have to accommodate the new working from home lifestyle.
Studies, offices and libraries could soon become a staple of architectural plans!
