Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

7 Ways the Coronavirus Will Change How We Design, Style, and Live in Our Homes

7 Ways the Coronavirus Will Change How We Design, Style, and Live in Our Homes

The current health crisis could have lasting effects on how we view our personal spaces.

Home is no longer just a place to rest your head. Since the 2020 coronavirus outbreak began, our homes have transitioned into makeshift offices, gyms, classrooms, restaurants, cocktail bars, concert venues, movie theaters, and more. With so many activities happening under one roof every day, small studio apartments and large family homes alike have had to adapt to incorporate new functionality, and the way we look at these spaces is changing, too. "Now more than ever we are finding the true meaning of our homes: a place where we want to feel comforted, safe, and inspired," says Lauren Nelson, a San Francisco-area interior designer. "There is so much unknown right now that we cannot control, but our homes are a space where we do have control over what we put in it, how we arrange it, and how it makes us feel."

But this change in how we view and interact with our interior spaces could last long after the current health crisis passes. "It's unclear whether people will be spending more time at home on the other side of the pandemic, but it is clear that the collective stress has made an impact," says designer and real estate developer Amalia Graziani of Noor Property Group. Here are a few ways that design experts predict interior design will change after coronavirus.

                        

1. Larger Home Office Spaces


For many, new work-from-home policies required living rooms, guest bedrooms, and basements to suddenly function as makeshift home offices. In the future, homeowners might be more interested in larger, more defined home offices as opposed to temporary desk setups, especially as some employers enable remote work permanently. Online interior design service Modsy, for example, saw a 40% increase in home office design requests in April 2020 compared to the same month last year. For those living in smaller spaces, multifunctional pieces such as drop-down desks or stylish office furniture that doubles as decor can help blend a work station into another room more seamlessly.



2. Defined Mudrooms and Entryways


As shelter-in-place orders limited our trips outside to the occasional grocery store run, we became more aware of the germs we could potentially bring into our homes. Entryways became the spot to remove face masks and set down items that came into contact with germy surfaces before washing hands. Los Angeles-based interior architect Sybille Zimmermann predicts these new habits will lead to a resurgence of mudrooms or alternate points of entry. "A place to remove shoes, jackets, or put down bags will help to mitigate germs and bacteria from entering the home," she says.



3. Private Spaces


For families isolating together, more time spent under one roof has highlighted the need for private spaces where each person can enjoy some alone time. "Being scattered all day and then gathering around the dinner table feels like a pattern of the past," says Courtney Barton, a Houston-based textile designer and shop owner. "Instead, families are striving to carve out semi-private spaces around the house to maintain productivity (and sanity!) from morning to night." In addition to more formal home offices, this renewed focus on privacy could result in separate kids' bedrooms, designated reading nooks, and home layouts with distinct spaces rather than open floor plans.



4. Thoughtfully Designed Kitchens


Experimenting with recipes has become a favorite new hobby for many sheltering in place, which has caused a revived interest in kitchen organization and design. "The frequency of cooking and how we purchase groceries have forced people to rethink how they organize and store food," Zimmermann says. "We're reevaluating how to maximize the efficiency of the kitchen with all of its extra use." Expect to see more orderly kitchen storage, larger pantries, and specialty appliances, such as bread machines and cold-brew coffee machines, that help amateur chefs achieve restaurant-style results at home.



5. Hygienic Surfaces


In the future, kitchens, bathrooms, and other high-traffic areas could be designed with easy-to-clean hard surfaces, such as glazed ceramic tile, and materials that naturally repel bacteria to limit the spread of germs. "Crisis or not, it's always a good idea to use naturally antibacterial surfaces such as copper and brass to keep homes (and people) safe and healthy," Zimmermann says. No-touch technology in faucets and doorbells and increased home automation can also help reduce germs on frequently touched surfaces around the home.

                                

6. Increased At-Home Entertaining


Weeks of sheltering in place reinforced the idea that home is a safe space, and that logic is likely to continue as people begin to gather in person with family and friends again. "As restaurants open their dining rooms and life starts to look more 'normal' again, I predict at-home entertaining will be more popular than ever," Barton says. "The homes of friends and family members are controlled environments, making them an inviting option for safe and comfortable celebrations and gatherings." As the weather gets warmer, backyard barbecues and patio get-togethers provide a relatively safe way to enjoy the company of others in a private setting.



7. New Shopping Habits


As people think more critically about decorating their homes, spending a bit more for high-quality furniture and decor might be more appealing. "I think (and hope) you will see a shift back towards investing in quality, high-use pieces," says Sara Barney, an interior designer from Austin, Texas. "Gone will be the days of fast furniture and sofas you can throw away in a year." While shopping for furniture online has become the norm over browsing in person, disruptions in the supply chain have limited some options. "With custom furniture delayed and international shipments in limbo, local in-stock items are more valuable," says designer Graziani. Shopping locally also helps support small businesses that might be struggling.

Regardless of whether coronavirus results in permanent changes to interior design, the pandemic will likely cause us to look at our homes through new eyes moving forward. "I like to think this period of time has heightened the intimacy we have with our homes," interior designer Nelson says. "I absolutely think people have become more thoughtful about their spaces now that they've had the time and space to truly experience it in such a concentrated way."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×