Dedicated office space, home gyms, and entertainment areas are a few of the trends that influenced our homes in 2020 because we spent so much time in them. If you’re looking to buy, sell, or renovate in 2021, here are 8 ideas you’ll want to keep in mind!
In 2020, we all had to get creative with how we used our space. (You know what we’re talking about — Pelotons in our living rooms and Zooms in our master baths). Some homeowners made their houses more livable with renovations during the pandemic, while others made minor upgrades to improve their existing space. Here’s a list of eight trends that homeowners adopted over the past year that can give you some inspiration for your next remodel, DIY project, or even your house hunt!
1. Dedicated Home Offices
With offices shut down and so many of us working remotely in 2020, it’s no surprise that more homeowners needed a sacred space to get work done. Some chose to partition off common areas, like living rooms and kitchens. Others permanently set up shop in their guest bedrooms, basements, or bonus spaces so that they could buckle down in peace. Many companies are now embracing the benefits of having employees work from home, so it doesn’t look like this trend is going away anytime soon.
2. Better Kitchen Storage Solutions
They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. With families preparing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks there in 2020, things got a little chaotic. Many homeowners have opted to create better kitchen storage solutions, like built-in appliances, deep pull-out drawers, or a spacious island for seating and food prep. After all, it’s a lot easier to jump on the banana bread bandwagon when you have an organized pantry or substantial counter space.
3. Space for Entertainment
Typical entertainment options like concerts and movie theaters were limited in 2020, so some homeowners figured out ways to bring the fun to them. Home theaters became particularly popular (and not hard to DIY), as did recreational rooms with features like climbing walls and indoor bowling lanes. Hey, if you’ve got the basement space, use it!
Are open floor plans losing their appeal? Some home design experts expect buyers to look for homes with more walls—and fewer shared spaces—in the future.
4. Home Gyms
While gyms were closed down or operating at limited capacity in 2020, health became more of a priority than ever. There’s been plenty of demand for in-home fitness equipment over the past year. Many homeowners have renovated a guest bedroom or basement area into a dedicated fitness space. With a little out-of-the-box thinking (say, installing a climbing wall next to the bench press?), some exercise enthusiasts have turned a rarely-used room into a sanctuary to get their sweat on.
5. More Walls, Less Open Concept
Open floor plans have been all the rage in recent years. But many homeowners discovered their spaces felt, well, too open during the pandemic. After all, it can be hard to focus on your video conference when your pets and kids are all up in your business. Creative room partitioning served as a temporary solution during quarantine days. But some home design experts expect buyers to look for homes with more walls—and fewer shared spaces—in the future.
6. Upgraded Outdoor Spaces
With all the time we spent inside our homes in 2020, it was only natural to want to get outside. Creating a comfortable, enjoyable outdoor space has been top of mind for many homeowners. Decks and patios are current popular renovation projects, while buyers focus on finding homes with lots of backyard space.
7. Going Green and Saving Green
Keeping a home energy-efficient is a perk for both the environment and the wallet. Some people invested in “green” initiatives over the past year, like airtight windows, new insulation, or HVAC upgrades. These improvements can help lessen the risk of heated or cooled air leaking outside, resulting in wasted energy and air. Updating the air-conditioning system can also improve a homeowner’s air quality.
8. Spa-like Bathrooms
Believe it or not, the bathroom became a popular escape for many homeowners in 2020. To level up the tranquility, some homeowners invested in soaking tubs, steam showers, built-in Bluetooth speaker systems, and massaging showerheads to create a sanctuary for de-stressing.
Takeaways
Has 2020 changed the way you think about your home space? Whether you’re interested in buying a new home, selling your current one, or upgrading your existing space, these 2020 home trends can add plenty of value.
What were some of the home trends you noticed in 2020? Tell us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!
