COVID-19 has prompted huge shifts in the US interior design industry – suddenly, outdoor spaces, privacy hubs, and colors that boost emotional wellbeing are paramount. How do these demands reflect people’s priorities during the pandemic? And what might they expect at home in the ‘new normal’?

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a swift evolution of the home. Where it was once a private space, it’s now a pseudo-public, multipurpose area required to fill a range of personal and professional needs. How can brands tap into changing nesting aspirations and address new domestic challenges?

How has the pandemic affected intimacy? Why are people going off open-plan design? And will remote-working trigger an urban exodus? In this part of the 2021 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about the forces set to shape our homes and relationships in the year ahead.

Australian research suggests that people may be seeking bigger cooking spaces or walled kitchens as the pandemic moves mealtimes and working into the home. Property and design brands have the opportunity to provide flexible solutions to consumers looking to adjust their living spaces.