The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly has prompted change in every aspect of our lives - in an era of staying home, desires for adjustment of everyone’s main habitat have certainly surfaced. These changes revolve around the changing role of the home as space with more uses than ever before. 

The largest change involves the outside environment of the home. The increase in time secluded from public life introduces a new focus on the area surrounding home. The biggest trend seen is the transition from city to countryside, with an increased desire for access to nature. Apartments are lower in popularity than homes, as the desire for less contact and density of people goes hand in hand with our rising attention to hygiene and cleanliness. With the new ability to work and learn from home, factors such as school district and commute to work become less of a priority in choosing a home.        

Popular home features that arrive from this work-from-home environment cover everything needed to make a constantly comfortable home environment. These include: temperature and energy efficiency monitoring, indoor air quality, and noise pollution. Some other features that help induce the feeling of nature access indoors include more natural light in homes, (and in turn, a reduction in electrical lighting), and nice outdoor spaces, like gardens. An increase in gardening everywhere has been seen as a result of food shortage scares from the pandemic. People have a greater demand to be self-sufficient in the threat of lock down, which will lead to a reduced number of food miles and other positive environmental impacts.

The open-concept home layout has proven to be troublesome in recent times of heightened need for privacy when working from home, and when home with all residents. The desire to get some quiet alone time from family members/roommates introduces a possible end to open plan living. .      .   

The restaurant industry was hit extremely hard during the pandemic. This inability to dine out increased the amount of home cooking everywhere. People spent more time in the kitchen than ever before, which has raised attention to the quality and ability of their appliances. Now more than ever people everywhere want nice kitchens equipped for all of the food being prepared in them.                          

As a result of the pandemic, our homes are new everywhere, more functional than ever, and their designs and surroundings are adjusting accordingly.