At a time when people stuck inside are posting videos of their dogs jumping toilet paper rolls, home builders may be wondering how they can optimize a home for, well, life at home. Before the pandemic, much of American's daily lives was steeped in a “Go, go, go,” mentality as people rushed from work to appointments, gyms, or another job. Now, many are spending days at a time within their property, and design experts say that this may shape home design to include more multifunctional levels, more storage, and more wellness technology to make sure we don’t wither away on the couch if we ever have to do this again.
What does the turmoil of the coronavirus mean for new homes and communities? For starters, we are all spending more time at home, and gaining a greater appreciation for, or frustration of, all the things that come with that.
What started as work from home, though, may have morphed into something bigger and more important for those of us involved in home and community development, says J. Walker Smith, chief knowledge officer of brand and marketing of KANTAR, a leading data, consumer insights and global consulting practice. Walker calls it “LFH,” or life from home.
“Is it possible that home could become the ‘new car’ in the sense that post-World War II life has been built around the car? Will post-pandemic life be rebuilt around the home instead?” Walker stated in a webinar last week on the state of the pandemic and its effect on politics and business.