My home is my fortress, my office, my gym ...*

 Undoubtedly, 2020 will go down in history as the year in which (almost) we all moved our workplace home. The world we live in, and with it the world of design, is changing at a dizzying rate. And all together we are trying to catch up with the changes, each one in his own way. We learn to live mostly online, while rediscovering some abandoned ways of communicating, such as walking and long phone conversations or communicating in a very small circle.

In recent months, we had also to get used to an unexpected development of one of the major global trends - from living in a globalized to living in a local, microworld. With periods of forced closure, our home has become a refuge from the uncertain world outside and a stage for all activities in everyday life. It is no longer a place to cross, but a "base camp". We have learned to appreciate again the importance of the home environment, the yard, the balcony and the garden. And we quickly had to think about what we like in our home and what we want to change in it so that it can serve us fully in the new circumstances.

The first pandemic in the globalized world led to the rediscovery of the home as the total center of human life. We are distant, but working from home emphasizes the hyperconnection of our lives.

mobile Movo, design Sobočan

Over the past year, we have noticed that the boundaries between private and public spaces are constantly blurring - the kitchen often becomes a suitable meeting place in Zoom, and the dining table becomes a desk. But our home is also beginning to lose its extremely private character - we have the unprecedented opportunity to peek into the homes of the people we participate in a virtual meeting, seminar or consultation, and feel part of their home atmosphere, and this inspires us to change of our own habitat.

The topic of modern nomadism, popular only a year ago, is now shifting towards a trend of slightly slow pace of life in the limited space of the home.

What are the emerging trend? We will have to provide more spaces for home office. Because the tendency for more people to work from home is unlikely to pass soon. In fact, many companies are making the bold choice to close their offices and move permanently to teleworking. And this means that it is good to rethink the current preferences for open common spaces in the home, because it is natural to need a little quieter place to focus for more efficient work or a special space for distance learning. Whether it's a room turned into a home office or just a small corner, we will need clearly defined workspaces for everyone in the household. 

On the other hand, home offices allow us to integrate our own tastes and preferences into our workspace, creating a generally more enjoyable work experience, while allowing us to consider every aspect of our environment: functionality, style, comfort and space constraints. After all, the more we enjoy our workspace, the more productive and efficient we are...

Before you were confined to your homes 24/7, you probably had an area you were wondering how best to use - an empty corner between the bed and the wall, part of a longer hallway, or even a room that now can be converted into a useful space for sports, reading, favorite unloading activities.

...........All this means one thing - a complete change in the concept of the home is necessary. 

Maybe a little help and ideas from designers will help you, especially if you want to make your home safe, and the spaces in it - more flexible, multifunctional and comfortable. By definition, interior designers have the task of creating spaces that protect the physical, mental and emotional health and well-being of the people in them, and in a pandemic, this responsibility becomes even greater. And it is not enough to read the publications about the new trends and colors for the year. Because the bright yellow of Pantone for 2021 in combination with depressing gray is unlikely to lift our spirits. ...

IKEA - a flexible use of space

Smart solutions for maximum utilization of each space, furniture that allows quick reorganization when needed, rethinking the functions in each room - all this together with the possibilities of new technologies will help us turn our home into a fortress.

Contactless technologies will facilitate us, as well as the use of antibacterial and air-cleaning paints and natural surfaces with antibacterial properties such as cork and copper. But it is important to make our home smart, not sterile, to be surrounded by objects, furniture and materials that make us feel good. Now more than ever we will crave a home environment with materials that stimulate all the senses, such as soft textiles, embossed surfaces, warm, cozy colors as a deliberate break from the socially distant world beyond our doors. One of the trends that have been established this year are the rounded sofas, which allow us to sit at a distance and communicate, along with the growing demand for soft shapes in the interior. Upholstery fabrics often have a deliberately irregular texture and thus look bulky and three-dimensional.

Soft rounded corners with rough textile upholstery - one of the trends for 2021. Patricia Urquiola for Moroso

..........So, we have to admit, the improvement of our homes has been and continues to be one of the positive things that must be taken into account as an effect of the past difficult 2020. Because, as Federico Delrosso, founder of Federico Delrosso Architects says, those who are fortunate enough to live in well-designed and built houses have experienced this period to some extent as a holiday, others who have never paid attention to space, materials or light feel like they are in a prison. ...

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* This is part of my article published in CAPITAL Light two weks ago.