What Covid-19 has taught us about our homes
Zia Lilley, interior designer at John Ross Architectural Builders considers how the pandemic has changed the way we inhabit our homes and how we can look forward to building better.
Closing the door on open plan
Kiwis are very attached to the idea of open plan – but the reality of a fully open entrance, living room, kitchen and dining space is not a practical set up for most families. After living in lockdown, we’ve realised that sometimes you just need a big old wall – or at least degrees of separation that allow people to do their own thing. ‘Broken-plan’ (or split-level) living is a more flexible alternative with freestanding walls, mezzanine levels, sunken living spaces (when sites allow it) and other design features to provide spaces that are connected without being unnecessarily open. Don’t underestimate more minor changes either: colour, materials, and lighting can do a lot to give pockets of privacy and cosiness.
Home as the new office
Covid-19 has created the most dramatic disruption to office working culture in our lifetimes. Companies across New Zealand have been forced to embrace remote working and the technology that supports it. For many, the home ‘office’ is a desk against a wall, relegated to a forgotten corner of the house. If working from home is something you need to be equipped for, this will not do! Consider what works best for your working style; a quiet separate room or a nook in a more open living area? Make the space inviting with a calming colour scheme and cosy touches you might normally save for a living room.
Outdoor living
Kiwis are blessed with a big ‘backyard’. Most of us are never far away from a beach, lake or forest. Despite outdoor living spaces being key to maintaining our wellbeing, they are often an afterthought. A great approach is to make choices that extend the home’s usable living space and connect it seamlessly to the surrounding environment. Think louvred roofs, outdoor fires, or multiple decks – providing options depending on the occasion and weather. Smaller choices are significant, too; is there enough colour and texture to look at? Are we designing a space we can maintain? Do I have the perfect spot to enjoy a cuppa? It’s about creating those simple, everyday pleasures.
Your ideal self doesn’t exist
Many building companies sell the idea of a ‘dream home’, and it’s easy to get carried away and begin planning it with your ‘dream self’ in mind. The version of yourself that cooks for large crowds (if only you had a bigger kitchen), cleans more regularly (if only you had more time), and enjoys hours spent tending to your veggie garden (if only you had more energy).
It’s great that we now have a better understanding of how we truly use our spaces and time on an everyday level. How much use would a second oven actually get? Are mosaic tiles a sensible option if I don’t want to be cleaning them regularly? Should we plan to landscape the garden ourselves, or is it smarter to budget for a contractor? Make decisions based on how you are most likely to live, not how your ideal self would live!
Carrying on the conversation
It’s easy to find a building company that will build your dream home, delivering your requests, without question, on the notion that ‘everything is possible’ (for a price). What you actually want, though, is to work with people who make a real effort to understand your lifestyle and help you make informed choices.
It’s time for us to think about how we can use this crisis to rebuild and produce something better. We’re using our new understanding to build smarter, not harder… and we’re excited about where this re-imagining could take us.
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