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What Impact Could Covid-19 Have On Interior Design
We’re living in a world unlike anything we’ve ever known before. Our homes have become our sanctuaries, our families transformed into our colleagues and the world outside has become a scary place. Without a notion as to how long this period of self-isolation will last, we focus more on our homes. Those 4 walls that once simply kept us safe have now transformed into the place that we spend every waking moment. It seems inevitable that this change in our circumstances will have an impact on the world we emerge into. So, we’ve taken a look at how the coronavirus pandemic is predicted to change both interior design and the way we look at our homes.
In an article published on 25th March Ukrainian Architect, Sergey Makhon, predicts we will see a shift towards houses rather than high-rise buildings. Currently, our focus lies on avoiding human contact or touching surfaces that others have touched. Therefore, apartments and flats pose a significant risk - everything from lift buttons, stair bannisters and door handles are potential sites for infection. In our own homes, we minimise contact with those from outside of our family and have the power to control disinfection at our own rate.
‘More than an escape from routine and urban chaos, the house now offers a retreat from viruses and infections.’
Makhon also predicts that we may see a shift away from open-plan living to home designs that are more segregated. Primarily, he notes this shift as an effort to reduce the risk of contamination from the outside world.
‘In the aftermath of the pandemic, the entrance area will be separated so that we can leave our shoes, clothing and belongings on the street, rather than carry dirt into the living quarters.’
Another key shift mentioned in this article is a renewed obsession with home offices. Where once, we made-do with a makeshift table in the corner of the room or perched in the dining room, now this space will become more important. It is likely that businesses will adopt more flexible working situations for many of its employees - either to minimise the spread of further infection or simply for productivity reasons. Therefore, having space in your home where you can effectively work will become a priority. Makhon predicts we’ll move towards a ‘completely separate room with large windows, blackout curtains and comfortable furniture. It will be technically equipped and sound-insulated.’
Italian Bark, an independant resource for interior design professionals, created a podcast entitled ‘Coronavirus crisis impacts - Trend - Q&A’ that directly addresses the impact they expect Covid-19 to have. With all three hosts based in Italy, their situation differs slightly from our own here in the UK (for example, they are advised to only go food shopping every 10 - 15 days), but there are points we believe will take force here too.
The hosts note a switch in direction away from ownership into one where sharing and the consideration for our community takes centre stage. In their predictions, this will feed into how we design our homes in the future. Once again, we will fall in love with minimalist design, using less of any given material and reusing those that can be recycled to minimise waste. Equally, they suggest that we will move away from the linear manufacturing and production line that brings many of our essential items in from China. Instead, we will shift back towards a love for locally manufactured and sourced products that support the businesses from our own countries. For designers, they predict that we’ll see a move towards focusing on heritage in order to stimulate the local economy. From here, more sustainable products will be born with fewer air miles and we’ll see a reborn adoration of local craftsmanship.
Similar to the predictions of Makhon, they suggest that home offices will become a design focus all on their own. Consumers will begin to recognise the power of interior design, not just an effort to look ‘pretty’ but one used to create a home where we can comfortably live. This forced self-isolation has driven large families to be cooped up in living quarters. It is suggested that this will drive us to design areas for privacy - whether this means a move away from open-plan or simply a drive to keep spaces individual to each person.
New technologies are already emerging that work to improve our indoor space - including products that purify the air and those that allow us to connect virtually with our loved ones. Alongside this, we expect to see a rise in cleaning products and items that self-clean to minimise the potential for another pandemic.
Your Thoughts
How do you see this global pandemic impacting interior design? Let us know in the comments below.
