COVER STORY
New Design Trends in 2021
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t has been a full year now of dealing with the effects of COVID-19. Since then, we have come to expect a lot more out of our home space. Many of us have transformed areas of our homes into a home office, gym, classroom, and the backdrop of innumerable Zoom meetings. Our homes must serve multiple purposes now and in the foreseeable future. So, it is not too surprising to see that many homeowners are rethinking what they truly want out of their home layout. Many are seeking to incorporate more functional, at-home living spaces.
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW The open floorplan concept has been a long-lived design trend that has appealed to many homeowners. This concept typically combines the main living room area, kitchen, and dining areas into one open, undivided space. The idea behind it is to create a spacious home layout that is visually pleasing, while better utilizing square footage. By eliminating hallways and doorways, homeowners create a centralizing, unified area better suited for entertaining and family time. Prior to the pandemic, this design trend worked beautifully, and was highly sought after. However, 2020 marked the beginning of a new era.
REDEFINING LIVING SPACES As people started to spend more time at home, the need for privacy and quiet spaces has emerged. It has become more difficult to for a home to service so many different roles with no separation of the space. Most people who work from home can testify that distractions are everywhere, and when you combine your workspace, with your kitchen space, with your rest space, distractions only multiply. Designers are now using more room dividers, area rugs, and curtains to add more division in open layouts.1 Designers expect these changes to impact the way we live and work for years to come. Some home builders are predicting that the open-concept floor plans will phase out of popularity.2 Buyers are searching for multiple, smaller spaces with more separation and privacy. We are now seeing more design features such as alcoves, pocket doors, and sliding partitions. These designs enable homeowners to have more functional space and to section off rooms as needed. In addition, home offices used to be an optional home design trend, but they are now more of a necessity than ever before. However, the design has become more flexible due to necessity. Not everyone has a dedicated room to use as a home
Photo credit: Designer Kerrie Ann Lehnert, Kitchens by Kerrie, Kerriedawaydesign.com.
6 | ELEVATE [ MARCH 2021 ]
