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The majority of 2020 kept everyone inside. The COVID-19 pandemic brought students home from college, transferred employees from working in their office to working from home, kept children from going to schools and teaching them online, and quarantined a nation of “movers and do-ers.” For nine months of 2020, there was no going out to eat, going to the gym or the park; there were definitely no “let’s get out of the house” conversations.
By staying at home, people learned new skills, found ways to entertain themselves, and spent more time with their families. This led people to make changes in their homes, changes that will affect the residential architecture trends over the recent few years. There are residential architecture trends that have been on the rise for years, but with the unpredictable events that came with 2020 and millions’ housebound status, recent residential architectural trends have come to light.
Multipurpose Spaces
We are seeing an end to single-purpose rooms in 2021. Long gone are the days where one room is used for one thing. With the pandemic keeping everyone at home, children were e-learning in the living room, adults turned their dining rooms into work-from-home spaces, and basements and garages were turned into playgrounds, movie theaters, and in-home gyms.
2020 taught homeowners to utilize their spaces more thoughtfully. Having a formal dining room, living room, or spare bedroom that were barely used, are now being turned into multi-purpose spaces that can be utilized every day. Since leaving the house was not an option, creating spaces away from the hustle and bustle of the home’s main areas was a way for everyone to cohabitate peacefully. If you have a barely used room in your home, research interior design companies and turn it into a functional multi-purpose space for everyone to enjoy every-day!
Indoor/Outdoor Space
In tandem with creating multi-purpose spaces inside, many people spent the summer transforming their backyards into their own oasis. Now that it’s getting colder, it’s time to figure out how to make this space usable for the winter. If you are lucky enough to have great weather all year round, you can have a remarkable functional indoor/outdoor space by installing floor to ceiling glass panes that slide open and close to create an excellent flow between the inside and outside.
For the rest that experience all types of weather, creating a partially enclosed outdoor patio area with heaters or fireplaces will keep you warm throughout the winter season while allowing you to enjoy the oasis that you worked hard to create.
She Shed/Man Caves
2020 also allowed people to channel their creativity by learning new skills or turning their hobbies into careers. With these newly found activities comes a place to create. She-Sheds and Man-Caves aren’t only used to shoot pool or host spa nights; they are now being transformed into workspaces for people to pursue their passions. If your home isn’t big enough to create this space, small sheds in the backyard are a perfect compromise. This is especially great if you have young children in the house and you are working with dangerous tools or chemicals because you will be able to lock it up and keep it out of the house. You will be able to customize, heat, cool, and make a space conducive to your needs.
You can also use these sheds to run your small business or transform it into your “work from home” space. It will be just like going to work without having to worry about where you will park, what you’ll wear, and where you will get lunch! Create a work environment that emulates what you’ve always wanted, and you will boost your productivity and experience less stress.
Bathroom Sanctuaries
A residential architecture trend that has been on the rise for the past few years is transforming bathrooms into sanctuaries. Bathrooms are no longer just used for hygiene practices; these are now multi-purpose spaces for people to relax and soak away the stress. Larger bathrooms with separate walk-in showers and large soaking tubs are becoming more popular. Self-care and focusing on overall wellness is now as important as taking care of your physical health.
These bathroom sanctuaries are often created for the master bathroom with a separate shared bathroom for the other rooms in the home and a powder room on the main floor.
Adding vanities, walk-in closets, and meditation or sauna rooms only adds to this bathroom sanctuary’s peacefulness. Create a spa-like atmosphere in your own home to achieve balance for your mind, body, and spirit 24/7.
Smart Homes
Technology-friendly homes have been around for the past couple of decades, adding more and more innovative features every year. Intercoms, whole-house sound systems, and motion-activated lights are just a few standard features that have been around for a while. Now people are looking to create “wireless” or illusions of a wire-free space. No one wants to see a tangle of wires coming out of the wall or jamming up their outlets with power strips and extension cords. Furniture with wireless charging capabilities, wall outlets that are camouflaged, and Amazon-Alexa or Google-Home integrated appliances and homewares are features that will be standard in the next few years.
Bring These Trends Home
If you live around the San Antonio area are interested in bringing these trends into your home, contact your residential architects at Studio S. Architeks today. We help our clients create the luxury home of their dreams. From design concept to finishing touches in your favorite room, we will work with you every step of the way. Your home is not just where you eat and sleep; it is supposed to be your haven; Let us help you make it that way.
