{"id":21527,"date":"2020-05-12T09:30:39","date_gmt":"2020-05-12T14:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/?p=21527"},"modified":"2020-05-12T09:30:39","modified_gmt":"2020-05-12T14:30:39","slug":"will-covid-19-change-how-we-design-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/2020\/05\/12\/will-covid-19-change-how-we-design-homes\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Covid-19 Change How We Design Homes?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Canva<\/a><\/p>\n

What will be the design impact of coronavirus? Experts weigh in on the features we may see more of, as the general public shifts towards a health-conscious home design. Features such as antimicrobial materials, no-touch fixtures, and hospital-grade air purifiers, and additional bathrooms could all become the norm to make our homes a formidable fortress against a future viral threat.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what could be on your buyers\u2019 future must-have list:<\/p>\n

Bidets and smart toilets<\/b><\/p>\n

The rush to buy\u2014and the despair in not finding\u2014toilet paper was one of the first challenges during the Covid-19 onset.\u00a0 Could this actually have an impact on future bathroom design?\u00a0 Bidet suppliers say \u201cyes\u201d, and are already reporting record sales and backorders of their most popular models.\u00a0 Wellness design consultant Jamie Gold says that \u201cbidets are gentle and hygienic, and even when TP is back on store shelves, these devices will still be in demand.\u201d<\/p>\n

To go next-level with your bathroom upgrade, consider investing in a smart toilet with air drying and antimicrobial UV lighting to sanitize your seat.<\/p>\n

Additional bathrooms<\/b><\/p>\n

And speaking of bathrooms, quantity is everything.\u00a0 With more family members being at home at the same time, it may become very common for sharing to be a thing of the past.\u00a0 Especially with the thought towards contagious viruses\u2014if one family member is ill, having individual bathrooms makes it easier to quarantine.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget the half-bath though.\u00a0 Having a fully sanitized and designated \u201cguest bath\u201d may not be as much of a luxury as an expectation in new home design.<\/p>\n

Mudrooms<\/b><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve seen the popularity of \u201cdrop zones\u201d rise over the past few years.\u00a0 Builders have started to put them in as a standard, and they are a great way to stay organized.\u00a0 Organization, however, doesn\u2019t necessarily include keeping things sanitary and secluded from the rest of the house.\u00a0 Recently, families have adopted complicated routines that include wearing masks and carefully removing clothes and shoes for\u00a0fear of bringing the virus into their homes. So, what\u2019s the solution? \u00a0Mudrooms.<\/p>\n

Real Simple <\/i>magazine shares that \u201cin the future, even once we ditch the masks and gloves, we may still think a little differently about our entryways–the return of the mudroom, or an antechamber between the front door and the house, provides the ideal spot to remove shoes, hang up jackets, and slather on sanitizer before stepping inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Antimicrobial or touch-free fixtures<\/b><\/p>\n

Another change may be in the way we consider finishes for their antibacterial properties rather than how they coordinate with the kitchen or bathroom.\u00a0 Stainless steel, a popular choice for many is actually not as \u201chealthy\u201d as copper or ceramic.\u00a0 Viruses usually only live for a few hours on those surfaces, compared with 24 hours or more on stainless steel, and they may hold up better under more aggressive cleaning solutions and steam.\u00a0 Just re-designed with stainless steel?\u00a0 No problem\u2014perhaps opt for a touch-free faucet as a simple health update for your sinks.<\/p>\n

Home offices<\/b><\/p>\n

And of course, the most obvious change will be the request for office space. For weeks we\u2019ve seen coworkers, entertainers, news reporters, even doctors over a screen using apps like Zoom or Meet-Up.\u00a0 For those who normally don\u2019t work from home, their kitchens, bedrooms, and living rooms have become makeshift offices until they\u2019re able to safely re-enter an office.\u00a0 And the makeshift office space may have quickly proven too small, or perhaps not sound-proof enough.<\/p>\n

Home renovator, David Sipp says, \u201cAs people video chat and Zoom more with colleagues from home, they\u2019re becoming hyperaware of the changes they\u2019d like to see in a home office, including better lighting and more storage.\u00a0 And since a return to the workplace will be gradual, high demand will continue for an office that\u2019s comfortable and functional.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cutting-edge air filtration systems<\/b><\/p>\n

Although scientists are still researching the\u00a0fine details of how long the coronavirus lingers in the air\u00a0after a cough or sneeze, homeowners may be inspired to take matters into their own hands with high-powered air filtration systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cWater and air filtration systems tend to be seen as an unnecessary addition, easily abandoned in [favor] of a designer table,\u201d\u00a0Ukrainian architect Sergey Makhno writes.\u00a0 \u201cBut, manufacturers of smart home systems will go one step further.\u00a0 Their programs will not only control the temperature of the air in the house, but also its quality and, if necessary, they will automatically clean it. \u00a0Air from the outside will, of course, be filtered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although a hi-tech air filtration system likely isn\u2019t in most buyer\u2019s budgets, a review of their HVAC system probably is.\u00a0 From Real Simple<\/i>, \u201cEven as we await the scientific evidence [about HEPA filters], the novel respiratory disease, coupled with more time spent at home, is making many of us rethink our indoor air quality.\u00a0 Replacing or upgrading the filters in HVAC units in homes, as well as investing in air purifiers for homes and apartments, may soon become a top priority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pools, playgrounds, gardens\u2026and wine cellars<\/b><\/p>\n

With entertainment amenities closed to the public and households having to depend on creativity and possibly sparse resources for recreation, fitness, fun, and destressing, the demand for at-home-entertainment will surely extend past the home theatre.\u00a0 Homebuyers, especially those with children to keep occupied, could move \u201cextras\u201d such as a pool or playground area to the top of their wants list.<\/p>\n

Not far behind could be the space for gardens.\u00a0 Even if the fear of a food shortage isn\u2019t a driving factor, many people have turned to gardening recently as a new hobby to reduce stress and add to a healthier lifestyle.\u00a0 A longer work commute could be an acceptable trade-off to have a place for planting.<\/p>\n

And alongside a fresh salad, many homeowners may find it nice to reach into a personal wine cellar for a favorite beverage.\u00a0 According to a report from the National Association of Home Builders, in 2017, 31 percent of new-home buyers with an annual household income of $150,000 said that a wine cellar was their most desired amenity.\u00a0 It\u2019s predicted that even after dining and social restrictions are lifted, this number could rise dramatically as homeowners continue to entertain in small groups and continue to dine at home more frequently than before.<\/p>\n

Even if these particular home design features haven\u2019t crossed your mind lately, it\u2019s to your benefit as a buyer, seller, realtor, or builder to pay attention to trends.\u00a0 We certainly hope that we won\u2019t see another time period that requires stay-at-home orders or social distancing, but we do believe that the impact of the past few months will last for quite a while.\u00a0 And whether or not that means a new office, bidet, or wine cellar may be in your future, you probably won\u2019t be the only one making those choices.<\/p>\n

Adapted from Inman.Com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What will be the design impact of coronavirus? Experts weigh in on the features we may see more of, as the general public shifts towards a health-conscious home design. Features such as antimicrobial materials, no-touch fixtures, and hospital-grade air purifiers, and additional bathrooms could all become the norm to make our homes a formidable fortress […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21527"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21527"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21527\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21531,"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21527\/revisions\/21531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/athomeshuntsville.com\/realestate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}