Trends in this pandemic
Primarily defined as domicile or a sanctuary where one finds comfort and refuge, the word home took quite a detour this ‘Pandemic-crazed 2020’ as people were forced to adapt and adjust and, by large, making decisions that are leaning more towards the practical side, rather than the superficial.
Put a finger down if the pandemic turned your house down.
If 2020 hasn’t given us much of a fright, this panic-induced and anxiety-fuelled year also provided us with some horrifying home design trends that designers hope and pray will be quickly forgotten.
Last Halloween, REALTOR® Magazine published Styled, Stage, & Sold––a blog highlighting some of the most horrifying house design trends of all-time. And for this year’s spooky holiday theme, the magazine counted down the Top 10 scariest, decorative frights on an equally terrifying year.
Barely grazing the list––at number 10
#10 Mason Jars
All this pent-up energy as people who are on lockdown turn to social-media-driven inspiration in this pandemic. The signature aesthetic range of DIY design projects, including using mason jars with flowers, candles, or candies. Putting the ‘clot’ in cluttered countertops with unbearable decor. Interest in mason jar has plunged significantly (40%) since 2015 when it’s at its peak, according to Living Spaces. A house item that takes a lot of space and falls short with its functionality, house designs involving mason jars should be one of your resolutions, leaving it in the past, for a more aesthetically pleasing tomorrow.
Coming in 2nd from the bottom––at number 9
#9 Chalkboard Walls
Do-it-yourself chalkboard walls or chalkboard wall paint made its very first appearance in every child’s room as a cute, geeky, and whimsical accent. Then, due to unfortunate turn of events, the aesthetic started edging into other spaces inside homes. Most designers who want to erase this now-outdated trend from memory. Reserve walls for paint, not scribbles.
Early on the countdown––at number 8
#8 Macramé
This Bohemian-style tapestry that’s a throwback of the 70s era began a renaissance known as macramé, laced with those fringed edging on furnishings. However, collective a decision is to leave the past in the past––especially when it comes to the decade of disco. Alas, fringe once again, is being sent back into its time capsule.
Just lucky to be included––at number 7
#7 Millennial Pink
Unfairly blamed for going overboard with pink; Millennials have made other mistakes, too.
But for those who are competent in mapping and guessing trends know that the true measure of a powerful trend is when it starts popping up in bathrooms, paired with pink sinks and tubs, that homeowners will start complaining––’Enough is enough’. As older generations know well, colorful bathrooms can lead to regret. Don’t let history repeat itself.
We’re almost at the half of the countdown––at number 6
#6 Antlers
Many designers started decking every household walls with white, brass-brimmed, fake deer wall mounts to modernize the long-established tradition of taxidermy. Many of those designers now say they look kitschy.
Going live on the list––at number 5
#5 Chevron
That continuous ‘V’ pattern is a visual playmate for your eyes as it can do funny things if you stare at it too long. As more people come down hunkering at home during a pandemic, chevron has really become a sore sight for the eyes. Chevron-patterned accessories––rugs, pillows, and linens–are cast aside for more neutral, earth-toned patterns.
A force––at number 4
#4 Gray Interiors
If 2020’s gloom and doom haven’t been depressing enough, with a continuous train of bad news. Do we really want our interiors to make us feel gray, too? All-gray interiors-floor-to-ceiling paint, along with gray furnishings and cabinets––makes us long for vibrant color pops, like in blues, greens, or yellows, that bring everyone hope.
It’s meant to be––at number 3
#3 Furry Furniture
Faux sheepskin chairs, sofas, and furniture coverings had their heyday in college dorms, and they even adorned the interiors of luxury homes for a time. But no one ever warned us how matted these pieces could get after use. No one should ever have to brush their furniture––period.
Yes, we do––at number 2
#2 Wallpapered Ceilings
Metallic wallpaper on ceilings looks chic in magazine photos and TV design shows. But in reality, wallpaper on a roof is a terrible idea. Wallpaper has proven to be a short-term fad that comes and goes through the years. Save yourself the trouble of putting it up––and then taking it down in short order.
And finally––at number 1
#1 Cluttercore
With a considerable number of homeowners adapting to a lived-in style while spending more time at home during the pandemic. Social media’s role was pivotal in informing the world the meaning of ‘cluttercore’––the antonym to Marie Kondo’s decluttering movement––was in style. Instead, cluttercore dictates every shelf and wall space’s eccentric stuffing with an assortment of knickknacks and thing-a-ma-bobs.
House designs for the year 2020 may have seen some of the most horrifying trends for the past decade; however, what it lacks in visual finesse, it compensates with its social purpose––providing emotional and mental stress release on a pandemic-stricken world. Keep updated on the latest hot trends in real estate investing. Watch our webinars now!
As families cramp inside their homes due to the imposition of lockdowns, curfews, and quarantines and learning online is not sustainable for productivity. More interior designers and home builders are carving out workspaces to promote a more efficient working environment.
Pandemic Design Saga: The Rise of the Home Offices
Even before the pandemic, the work-from-home trend was gaining traction in terms of popularity. With improved technology, ease-of-access, and connectivity, more people can be more productive even while staying at home. As more employers come to terms, even more so due to COVID-19, working-from-home has become more prevalent. As students learn online, many families find themselves crowded around the kitchen countertops or in various nooks and crannies to accomplish tasks on their laptops or tablets.
Mary Cook, the founder of a commercial interior design firm from Chicago, Mary Cook Associates, has experienced the gravity of the situation firsthand. Repurposing some spaces in her house to provide additional functionality––like turning her dining table into an office ––one of her three children claimed the sitting area in the parents’ suite, another chose the furnished basement. In contrast, the third chose a table in the family room. Luckily, Cook’s husband is retired, and so doesn’t need to compete for working space.
Flexibility + Necessity = Sustainability
The practice of finagling has made real estate professionals note the need for more functional work-from-home solutions. This led to the creation of home offices using two techniques: reconfiguring & reading. Varying in size and location, residential spaces depend on the availability of these two factors. Outdoor dwelling units have also been a developing trend if plot size and local building codes permit them.
Pyatt Builders regularly includes a flexible room in its 2,000-square-foot new homes. ‘It can work as a home office or remote-learning classroom,’ emphasized Todd Pyatt, owner, and president, on their social media campaigns and email blasts.
Despite some imperfect workspaces, working from home is considered a better option for some people because they have far fewer distractions and mainly interruptions than when working in their offices. Also, we haven’t gotten any vaccine or a definitive cure yet for COVID-19. Many workers have been unsure and reluctant to step outside the comforts of their homes. However, as for those who are adamant that working-from-home is not a sustainable solution, may take this note-worthy advice from those who have found this setup quite favorable: self-discipline, high-quality remote collaboration, and well-being.
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Disclaimer: The blog articles are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in the content is intended as legal or financial advice.
Excerpt: If 2020 hasn’t given us much of a fright, this panic-induced and anxiety-fuelled year also provided us with some horrifying home design trends that designers hope and pray will be quickly forgotten.
Snippet: As COVID-19 wreaks havoc across all industries around the world, it also brought forth some of the most eccentric design trends.
