Homeowners are investing a lot of money into remodeling or renovating their living space despite the pandemic. Figures from a study by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University show an increase in home remodeling and maintenance spending in the second half of 2021. It’s even expected to increase by about 8.6% around mid-2022.
So what parts of the house are homeowners changing? Here are six trends in home improvement in 2022.
Spa-Like Bathroom
Experienced mortgage brokers and real estate agents would tell you that the bathroom is one of the greatest draws of any property. It’s a deciding factor for many buyers, in fact.
The function of bathrooms, however, has evolved over the years. A few years ago, people wanted highly functional bathrooms with enough storage space. The bar has been raised these couple of years; not only is a bathroom a space for personal care, but it’s also a place where people can relax after a long day.
People are renovating their bathrooms into spaces reminiscent of spas. Design trends include light-colored tiles or even quartz, indoor plants, and décor that give off calmness and serenity.
A Work-from-Home Sanctuary
Although cities are emerging from lockdown, the work-from-home setup is here to stay. The Global Workplace Analytics reports that at least 25% of people will still be working from their homes a few times a week by the end of 2021.
As such, many home renovations focus on creating a productive and quiet space where employees — and even students — can get things done.
Some popular home office projects include:
- Investing in an ergonomic workstation and office chair
- Installing soundproof walls to minimize distraction during virtual meetings
- Improving light fixtures or allowing more natural light into the home office
Multigenerational Living
Figures from a study by Generations United, a non-profit org, show that the number of Americans living in a multigenerational household (a home with three or more generations) has quadrupled over the past decade. It rose by 271% from 2011 to 2021. About 57% of these households live together because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They also enjoy a lot of disadvantages. Multigenerational living:
- Makes it easier to care for everyone’s needs
- Improves finances
- Enhances the physical and mental well-being of the household members
- Improves relationships among family members
Multigenerational renovation aims to make parts of the home safe and accessible to everyone. Projects include:
- Safety and accessibility features for bathrooms
- Features that improve the privacy of personal spaces
- Soundproof features
- Countertops that everyone can use
- Laneway houses
Home Gym
When gyms closed down, people relied on makeshift home gyms. While some people will return to fitness centers when the lockdowns ease, others love the convenience of a home gym.
This is how home gyms became an extremely desirable home feature in 2020. Home gyms offer privacy, and many feel more comfortable working out without anyone looking at them. You can also customize your home gym according to your fitness paths, unlike a gym with a dizzying array of unfamiliar contraptions.
As such, more people will be transforming their attics, basements, or spare rooms into home gyms by 2022. Popular home gym ideas include:
- Turning a spare bedroom into a quiet yoga studio
- Transforming a garage into a functional and fashionable workout space
- Making a treadmill nook out of an unused corner in the house
- Transforming an attic or basement into a CrossFit gym
Entertainment Spaces
When entertainment hubs, arcades, malls, and movie houses closed during the pandemic, people had to rely on entertainment at home. At first, makeshift entertainment space sufficed. But as quarantine measures dragged on, people recognized the need for dedicated entertainment areas, especially for kids.
Entertainment space renovations are a popular project in 2021 and even next year. Families turn spare bedrooms into:
- Home theaters
- Game rooms
- Playroom for kids
- Music rooms (usually with sound-proof walls)
Smart Home Movement
Homeowners are moving towards smart home living, which increases privacy, convenience, and security. Some technologies even improve the sanitation of the household. Many renovations involve:
- Smart Home Locks. Household members use either keyed or keyless systems to tighten security in their homes.
- Water Leak Detections. These systems immediately alert the household of a water leak, before they cause greater damage.
- Home Management Panels. Instead of manually adjusting a bunch of wall switches, people can invest in smart home panels. These enable them to control everything (lighting, locks, windows, etc.) in a single place.
Whether they’re catalyzed by the pandemic, these home improvement trends show that the way people live constantly changes. Despite dramatic economic and social disruptions, people always find ways to adjust their houses to a new way of living.
