How has home design changed in the current times keeping smart living into perspective?

In the current times, we do not perceive home to be that place of rest, relaxation, recreation or family time. Since the coronavirus outbreak, our home has become a pseudo form of almost all public spaces including offices, gyms, classrooms, restaurants and sometimes, even movie theatres. Over these months, our homes have become a solitary place and spending too much time in this closed space has led us to rethink our home décor and the kind of changes that can help us lead a better lifestyle; both functionally and economically. Lately, we have understood the true meaning of a home and hence, we are challenged to make our homes a space that will keep us cosy, inspired for our work and above all – safer by adhering to smart living practices.

With social distance being the new form of interaction, spaces are also looking into diversifying and designing better plans that will adhere to the new norms while keeping comfort at bay. All these aspects make me wonder what the industry of interior design is going to look like in the near future keeping smart living into perspective.

Home is the new office

As many continue working from home, interior designers are looking at improvising on the spatial organization where homes will no longer exemplify a poor replication or a parody of offices with a laptop, chair and a lamp which has little to no use. Designers will look at refurbishing a whole room that is exclusive for work with large windows, comfortable recliners and furniture along with blinds or blackout curtains to give a look and feel of an office. Not to forget include soundproof insulations. In the coming months, interior design organizations will replace temporary office setups with stylish office furniture that bring a touch of corporate to your very home. For smaller spaces, designers would be looking at organizing the place with multifunctional pieces of furniture that can naturally blend into a living room and yet make it look professional when you wear your work suit!

Safety first, enhancement second

The pandemic is supporting the idea of less open spaces which has led people to desire to walk through natural open areas. Hence, designers could be looking at creating cosy dens that give a natural feel. The industry is anticipating a shift in spending from less luxurious and unnecessary enhancements to creating a haven for their clientele. Industry experts are working on many technologically-inclined products that will enable soundproof insulations for quieter spaces. Considering how people are becoming overly obsessive about hygiene and infection, designers will bring in a few ways in which outdoor landscape can keep the mosquitoes and other insects at bay. 

Creating sustainable spaces

Considering smart living, designers certainly need to look at modifications that will lower utility bills for people while making sustainable changes as people tend to spend more time at home compared to previous times. Soon enough, designers will focus more on energy efficiency material and sustainable products that are supported by technology and insulation. Perhaps there will be more eco-friendly goods in the market and decorators will emphasize on using recyclable homeware which could essentially turn into a trend in itself. In terms of sustainability, designers and builders are already putting corks to diverse uses – starting from flooring to walls; corks have turned out to be durable and a multi-purpose material.

Contactless supported spaces

Closed, secluded and fancy spaces in the form of personal bubbles will transpire in larger families especially considering the current times. For instance, instead of family members touching the coffee machine, refrigerator and dishwasher, designers may develop a system where buttons may be configured in their smartphones. Alternatively, study rooms may have voice-activated resources where the lighting, audio, and visual aesthetics can be modified by speaking alone. Kitchen and bathrooms can see designers incorporate a no-touch technology inbuilt in faucets, showers, doorbells and other automation systems. 

While I continue pondering on how the industry is witnessing a shift in interior design trends, ideas, and processes, what we must do is prepare ourselves for the change we anticipate and hope for designers to introduce designs that encourage smart living. Hence, it has become important for professionals to update themselves with quality degrees and international exposure. We at Capital Education offer the Professional Diploma in Interior Design, an intensive 6-month program in technical collaboration with London College of Arts. Through this qualification, you will be given a platform to produce and showcase a diverse range of designs and gain knowledge that will support you in your interior design career. If you are an aspiring interior designer looking for a pathway to launch your career, contact us at +9714 397 0095 or drop an email at hello@capital.ac.ae