If you’re anything like me, the past few months you’ve been spending a lot more time at home. Also, if you’re anything like me, the home that you have found yourself spending that time in now happens to be your office, school, exercise gym, art studio, sourdough bread bakery…As we are all now acutely aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed every facet of our lives, including the relationship that we have with our home environments.
Being at home 24 hours a day, seven days a week, our homes are now being asked to be something that they were never designed to be: functional multi-purpose spaces that accommodate numerous activities simultaneously and seamlessly. And in its current form, my home is failing at the task. We just didn’t foresee needing two dedicated work spaces for adults, as well as room to play and learn for two kids… and that’s not even mentioning the fourth pet we adopted early in the pandemic. With work-from-home and school-from-home guidelines in place for a seemingly indefinite time, it is time to make our homes the multi-tasking spaces they have the potential to be.
The first step towards making a more successful environment for the new normal is evaluating what your needs are for your home, and the way your home is currently being used to meet those needs. For instance, a quick design evaluation may reveal that there are rooms in your house that are being under-utilized, and that could easily be turned into an office or homework / study area. Doors and walls can be added in strategic locations to provide a higher degree of privacy and sound separation if needed.
Adding more functional space within your existing home is another option. That unfinished basement or attic could be transformed into the ultimate home office or yoga studio that you have always wanted, but now really need! These spaces can be designed to integrate into the rest of your home while also providing some separation between home and work and school.
Lastly, if space allows, a separate accessory structure could be built on your property to provide you with the ultimate home office or multi-purpose space.
Suzanne Zahr, Architect and SZ Build are happy to discuss how we can help you make your home work for you. We are currently operating under all of the COVID-19 safety protocols per state guidelines, and look forward to hearing from you!
- Parker Eberhard, SZ Build Construction Manager