COVID-inspired trends that will shape the way we build our homes in the future

Ah, COVID. Are there any facets of life it hasn’t shaken up? After more than a year of lockdowns and tentative travel, the pandemic has finally caught up with building and renovation trends. 

Yes, even when it comes to home design, there is a “new normal”, with people’s expectations in 2021 well and truly transformed by what we went through in 2020. 

“I feel there has been a real cultural shift in that we’re now thinking of our homes not just as an asset,” says architect Rebecca Caldwell, director of Maytree Studios. “People are interrogating what a home really means. We’re finding there’s far less discussion about over-capitalisation and more love – and money – to shower on a place that has sheltered clients through a time of upheaval.”

The addition of a home office, solar panels on the roof and a pool in the backyard are the obvious COVID trickle-down house trends of 2021. But Caldwell, along with builder John Christophersen, director at James Anthony Constructions, are here to reveal they’re just the thin edge of the design wedge when it comes to pandemic pivots. 

Double the office space

It seems like a far-ago time when a home office was considered a luxury. Now, two home offices are the thing every modern working family wants.

The trend is emblematic of shifting working patterns – “Eighty per cent of our clients aren’t going back into the office on a permanent basis,” says Caldwell – and likely to change the very configuration of a house.

“The typical three bedrooms plus study isn’t going to cut it anymore,” says Caldwell. “Most people need a fixed station for their screen, but instead of making a house larger, we’re making the configuration smarter.”

You can expect smaller spaces with operable doors – “you need to be able to close it off completely” – and attention paid to chic cabinetry or Zoom-worthy backdrops.

Multi-purpose furniture meets multi-purpose spaces

After

Before

Of all the design trends sparked by COVID, the return of the Murphy bed may just be the cutest.

Otherwise known as a fold-down bed, these retro-tastic beds are hinged at one end to be stored vertically against the wall when not in use. A staple in Doris Day films, they’ve made a comeback due to their space-saving superpowers. As Caldwell says, “Why waste all that space in the spare bedroom when you only have guests stay over three times a year? This trend is essentially about how spaces can be multiplied.”

Make mine automatic

Home automation is the way of the future, says Christophersen, whose high-end clients are introducing technology to remotely control everything from their garage doors to their air-conditioning, home entertainment systems, lighting and appliances.

“It’s all about integrating your audio-visual set-up and all the other technology into the fabric of the house, which you can then control via an app on your phone or tablet. It’s been around a while but it’s becoming much more affordable,” he says.

In addition, you can expect the houses of the future to have four or five Wi-Fi ports: “We all discovered last year that decent Wi-Fi coverage is crucial.”

One house, three generations

Multiple generations living under one roof has become a much-documented “thing” during the pandemic, but social forecasters predict it’s here to stay thanks to the high cost of housing, an ageing population and the benefits of grandparents helping to bring up young children.

That means people are seeking architectural solutions to help everyone, from infants to the elderly, live comfortably together – whether that’s through a granny flat, a compound of separate dwellings united around a common area, such as a swimming pool, or something else altogether.

“A renovation project typically means you’re looking 10 years down the track,” says Caldwell. “The home needs to answer a whole bunch of questions about how you’ll be living by then.”

She suggests different ways to “flip” a house plan. For example, the downstairs media-slash-rumpus room could eventually become the new main suite for ageing parents, or a house could be future-proofed with wider hallways and bigger bathrooms to factor in any potential mobility issues that arise down the track. 

Serene green

One of the things Caldwell is asked for most is to create a “resort-style” feel in the home. Is it a kneejerk reaction to the international travel ban, or indicative of a deeper search for serenity and peace? 

“Rather than getting external stimulation from running around at 100 miles an hour, people are looking at ways their home can facilitate a slower life,” she says. “Having greenery and living spaces is very much a part of that.”

New designs are bringing the outside in by creating outdoor spaces that transition to becoming like extra rooms in the house. “The size point is becoming more important. People are building less, but building better, and using that extra space for their garden. The interiors are then ‘borrowing’ from the outside space with doors that completely fold back.”

A carbon-free future

Houses are going green in another way, Christophersen says, by incorporating design elements that make them less reliant on heating and cooling appliances.

Solar panels are a given, but batteries to store their excess power are going mainstream. “Your payback on some of these units is only four, five or six years,” he says.

Households are also installing electric vehicle charging stations – even if they don’t yet have an electric car. “The circuit will cost around $1000,” Christophersen says, “and it’s a great way of future-proofing your home.”