Home Sweet Home

The last 18 months have been a challenging journey for everyone. With three national lockdowns behind us, Abode2 focuses on the unexpected positives that have come out of this demanding period in history – specifically, what we’ve learnt from our homes.

Spending more time at home than ever before, careful interior spatial planning has helped us take control and harness space and light in the most effective and practical ways possible. Looking at last winter’s online searches, contemporary garden rooms were at the height of fashion for homeowners hungry for more space and that ‘home away from home’ feel without having to leave the house – with inspiring home offices and stimulating home gyms particularly popular for garden room ideas. Conscious space planning coupled with clever storage solutions, such as bespoke home offices that blend with existing surroundings, really can change your whole outlook on life.

Seamlessly connecting people and nature within the built environment, spending more time inside increased our instinctive need to welcome natural outside influences into our homes through thoughtful biophilic interior design. Using natural materials, plants, and lighting were just three ways homeowners and businesses successfully energised and rejuvenated their interiors through lockdown. Biophilic colour palettes are renowned for their healing, tranquil, and inspirational qualities – from balancing greens to calming hues of blue and lively yellows to warming orange tones.

Helping reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, a properly ventilated home is a safe home. Breathing in clean air not only reduces the chance of health issues, but it also aids digestion, improves skin, and normalises sleep patterns. Letting in essential airflow and light, wooden window and door frames have been the material of choice for as far back as we can remember. However, with more of us becoming environmentally aware during lockdown, slender aluminium frames tick all the boxes when it comes to creating minimalist ‘more glass, less frame’ aesthetics that are enduring yet low maintenance, sustainable, and kind to the planet. Sleek aluminium windows make large ‘walls of glass’ possible, welcoming far-reaching views, light, and fresh air inside whilst remaining thermally sound.

With little choice but to work from home through lockdown, the lines often become blurred between getting motivated and properly switching off at the end of the day. Considering all the points mentioned above, each one is key to achieving a good work-life balance. Other effective ways to maintain a healthy work-life balance include: prioritising your time, having set work hours and sticking to them and taking time out for hobbies.