How Working from Home is Influencing Interior Design

The coronavirus pandemic continues to force us to make many changes to how we live our lives, and none more so than where and how we work. With the work from home era showing no signs of abating, we take a look at how then new working culture is influencing the interior design of our homes.

Multi-functional rooms

One of the main changes to the design of our homes in the Covid-19 era has been the need to make rooms more multi-functional. Bedrooms are now also offices, while spare rooms and dining rooms are often doubling up as home gyms or exercise spaces. With so many schools closed, parents are also having to home school their children which adds another new element to how we use the spaces we live in.

Consequently, the typical open plan living is being quickly phased out in favour of creating separate zones where particular activities can take place.

Homes are being redesigned to accommodate different activities throughout the day, such as work, home schooling and exercise, as well as relaxation and dining. There is also the issue of privacy and the need to create spaces that are quiet and away from the din of family life.

Shopping trends during Covid-19

The demand for multi-functional rooms and assigned spaces has had a significant impact on shopping trends for interior design accessories, such as office furniture to work from home and artwork to serve as an interesting backdrop for video conferences.

Demand for bespoke desks and space-saving bedroom furniture such as futons and bunk beds have also risen significantly.

With Zoom calls now the ‘new norm’, there is a renewed rush to ensure part of the home dedicated to video calls look good on camera, hence the uptake in art and photograph sales.

Importance of lighting

Lighting is another home design element which has taken on even more importance as the winter grumbles on and the evenings remain dark.

While low lighting might be ideal for relaxing and socialising in person, the new normal of working and socialising via video conferences has meant many people are needing to invest in better lighting around the home, especially in areas dedicated to video calls.

It will be interesting to see how many of this new home design elements remain popular once the pandemic is under control.