In 2020 we saw the world change as we knew it. Covid-19 saw people permanently working from home, schools closed and all social activities cancelled.

People were forced to use their homes differently and despite the government announcing last week that working from home is no longer a strong recommendation, the demand for single-use spaces is continuing to dimmish in value. In this blog, we continue to discuss our predictions for architectural trends for 2022 with the incorporation of flexible spaces into home design. 

Homes are no longer just a place you go after work to eat and sleep; home for many people is now the office, the gym, the bar, and much more. Therefore the layout of your home space is integral to ensuring it remains as flexible as possible – this is where open plan living continues to thrive as an architectural trend but with a more broken/flexible approach. Below we discuss ways in which you can achieve this: 

Flexible accessories/furniture

There are many ways that accessories and furniture can be used to help create a more flexible living space, for example, a bookcase or room divider can help separate a room into distinct areas when needed. If you are working late, for example, at a desk tucked away in the corner of the living/dining space, a bookcase/room divider can be perfect for when people are home and need to eat dinner. Similarly, fold-up tables for working and eating are perfect for helping your living space work as a dining room or home office without a permanent desk or large table. Fold-up gym equipment is ideal to help turn your space into a gym area, without it taking over. 

Layout/home design

Open-plan living is perfect to make your home space appear bigger and is often more appealing to potential buyers however, to create a flexible space it is important to ensure the layout is well thought through. For example, if this space will be used as a living room, dining room, and kitchen – using a corner sofa is a perfect way to create a living room enclave that can feel semi-private when needed. Incorporating different levels into the design such as having the dining area on a lower level to the rest of the room can similarly be a perfect way to enable space to double up as a home office whilst still feeling fairly separate, but remaining connected to the rest of the downstairs space. Despite these aspects, the space still remains open and therefore can be utilised well for family gatherings, Christmas, catch up with friends, or simply a family evening meal. 

There are many ways that spaces can be laid out to best work for all your home needs however these will differ for each family and what may work for one may not work for another. Therefore, it is important to first identify what you would ideally like your home to offer and then work with an architectural designer to decide how your perfect space can be created. 

At Arc Design Services, we specialise in architectural design, dedicated to offering a fresh and exciting approach to every project. With this in mind, Arc Design Services could help create flexible spaces in your home whether this is in your new build, existing home extension, or renovation plans. Contact our experts today at Arc Design Services at www.arcdesignservices.net or 0161 928 4433.