How have people wanted to change their homes since lockdown?
Life in lockdown was difficult for everyone and as a result of the 6 months we’ve spent at home, we’ve all had to adapt to a new unprecedented way of living.
Many of my interior design clients have had to learn to work at home, which they wouldn’t have done in normal circumstances. During this time at home, many people have looked at the spaces in their homes and decided to change home interiors and re-decorate.
Home offices:
As an experienced interior designer, I have noticed most people who contacted me for home work projects, have been especially interested in transforming a living space into a home office and working environment. The time spent in lockdown has inspired us to think about changing our homes and with more of us working from home, a lot of people are adapting their homes to meet this need.
Extensions:
As well as having worked on home offices and working spaces, I have worked on a range of extension and renovation projects. According to Lisa Dawson Styling, research shows that over the 13 weeks of lockdown, UK homeowners applied for over 60,000 extensions and conversions which would add 1.5m square metres of space to homes. An assessment of the 60,000 planning applications for extensions and renovations reveals that over half of these were from London based home owners. Yet the most popular local authority for extension and renovation applications was Leeds, closely followed by Cornwall. This clearly shows that the inspiration and intention to change homes has been seen in all parts of the UK.
Do it yourself (DIY):
In addition to this, many people have been busy with home improvement projects – they have been given more time and have used this to action projects they have always wanted to do. Lockdown prompted 40% of homeowners to bring forward home improvement plans. An immense 61% of homeowners carried out a DIY or renovation project during lockdown, ranging from new interiors or garden design to simply renewing the paintwork. (Lisa Dawson Styling).
Kitchen Spaces:
The kitchen is a great space where you can make big changes without having to completely replace it, and I have been busy working on several kitchen re-vamps this year. I have worked on changing kitchen cupboards, painting units and adding shelving for displaying some of my client’s favourite pieces of homeware or interior accessories.
(See below the before and after of a Kitchen I have worked on.)
Creating the perfect home and adding to home spaces not only adds value to our properties, but is a sustainable and effective method of investing in our homes during these uncertain times.
Since many people have been spending money on small jobs in their homes and generally updating their interiors, I have noticed that many of the projects have also been inspired by some of the latest trends.
What are the new interior design trends this Autumn?
In Autumn 2020 interior design trends include adding more neutral tones and earthy tones to homes. Dried flowers and plants have also become very popular features in people’s homes, as well as the use of softer fabrics. This is because people prefer rooms which are de-cluttered, minimalist and filled with sustainable decorations and furniture.
Making changes to your home can positively benefit your mental and physical wellbeing
Many changes have occurred in homes this year and some of the tasks have involved: renovations, creating a home office, changing garden exteriors or simply updating a bathroom. It does not matter whether these changes and developments to homes are on a small or big-scale, as ultimately these changes to homes have been proven to positively benefit people’s mental and physical wellbeing and that is especially important during these uncertain times.
My Services:
My services are varied, as I work on every aspect of interior design. My projects range in complexity, from working on a single blind to a complete interior design project where I transform a whole house and its interiors. I work with clients who generally live in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire and many of my clients live in St Albans and Harpenden.