In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many home builders may be wondering what influence this time has had on house design and what trends are here to stay.
From multifunctional spaces to connecting with nature, here are eight things that your home needs in 2022.
Natural colours and materials
“If you look at the trend and colour forecasting in 2022, it has been influenced by the few crazy years we’ve had with COVID, and it’s now about connecting with nature,” explains Melissa Donnan, interior design at Porter Davis.
“There’ll be a lot of natural colours like beige and earthy greens. We’re also going to see a lot of natural materials like timber and stone back inside.”
A home office
Working from home was (and still is) a common way of working. Whilst offices are opening back up, many people still aren’t returning to work five days a week.
“The home office is important with flexible workplaces appearing to be the way of the future,” says Keith Fuller, senior designer at Porter Davis.
He explains a home office ideally will have plenty of natural light, adequate power points and a door or window to act as a barrier to sound and household distractions.
Zoned-open plan
One of the most favoured layouts for decades has been an open plan. But Fuller says the pandemic has shown that zoned living — common in older homes — has upsides.
So, from now on, a careful balance needs to be struck between these two options.
“Open plan living is not dead but I think it needs to change, especially with kids staying around longer and people working from home,” he says.
A zoned-open plan layout means rather than a study nook, the office is closed off and located away from the living space.
Family areas will still be free-flowing but may include elements like fold-away doors to close off the television area at times.
Multi-functional spaces
This is a space set up for several intents and can be easily adapted when your needs change. Think dual-purpose furniture which can fold away.
Also, the room typically needs plenty of storage to hide clutter, such as exercise equipment or art supplies.
Biophilic design
This design concept is about improving connection with the natural environment and is wildly widespread right now.
“Within our homes, this means things like bringing in more natural light, having greenery and more airflow,” says Donnan.
Outdoor kitchens and an outdoor dining area are also on-trend, adds Fuller.
“It’s more than just an alfresco area. A kitchen outside emphasises that indoor-outdoor living concept”.
Curves
For the last few decades, modern design in Australia has been about rigid lines, but the style is changing.
Think softly curved walls and windows, rounded island benches, and mirrors and furniture that play on the circular design.
Simplification
In a post-pandemic world, many of us are decluttering our lives, translating into a reduced complexity of our homes.
“It’s basically minimalism,” Donnan says.
This means paring back the colour palette, incorporating subtle textures and raw materials. Choose one stand out piece to act as a feature in the room rather than having multiple items.
Set up for tech
Complete home automation is not necessary, but Fuller says new homes do need to be tech-savvy.
This includes adding additional power points in strategic areas, along with USB ports. Plan for Wi-Fi, stereos, additional cabling and even for CCTV at the front door.