Interior Design Trends Post COVID
As we have quarantined at home, our needs for privacy, security, flexibility, and beauty have changed the way we want to live. Social distancing has become the new standard, and even as restrictions begin to lift and life goes back to 'normal', the time spent inside will have bigger shifts starting with the way we see our homes. As I think about life post pandemic with a dreamy giddy feeling, here are my thoughts on post COVID-19 interior design trends that are here to stay.
As working from home has taught many of us, rooms that do it all are coveted assets. Multipurpose spaces — especially in the kitchen and dining areas — are in hot demand. Rooms that can accommodate study nooks, movie or game night with ease, home gyms and libraries, as well as areas to let off steam and find privacy will continue to be a priority for homeowners.
Nature and it's calming effects are here to stay in our homes as our desire to have a connection to nature is only going to grow post COVID. Our inherent need to feel connected to the outside world will mean outdoor areas, no matter the size, will play a more significant role in the overall design of our homes during and after the pandemic. Bring on the calm!
Whether a grand house or a tiny apartment, your home's entry is the sight that welcomes you and your guests and entries are changing as we focus more attention to cleanliness. Beautiful and functional storage is on the rise, especially for shoes and tucking our masks away. Having lived in Japan where shoes are left at the door in favor of slippers, I personally love this. In addition, a desire for many to sanitize their hands upon returning home results in a tray beautifully displayed with antibacterial hand wash in an effort to keep our homes safe from those nasty germs.
While spacious layouts and open floor plans were once all the rage, you can expect to see more separation—with and without walls—in the new year. Creative partitions to divide areas of your home can take many shapes: soft materials like curtains for noise reduction, glass or even well placed plants.
Hotel inspired amenities are on the rise in home design and are likely here to stay. From lux soft sheets, bamboo are my personal favorite, to ambient lighting and perfumed candles, we desire a vacation feeling without venturing past our homes.
As the distinction has blurred between our home life and our work life, we will continue to design for respite and provide ways to draw boundaries around some practices. How the home is connected to the outdoors—views, light, and air—and to spaces that allow respite will continue to be particularly valued.
Thanks for reading,
Meg







