Soon after the initial COVID outbreak, and the lockdowns that followed, living space design began to change. Even only a few months of being isolated in a home prompted most to reflect on the purpose and value of their properties. Home improvement tools and materials saw a huge increase in sales, along with both office and gym equipment. Residents want to make sure that their interior designs and living spaces are no longer an afterthought.
Alongside these interior changes were those that occurred outdoors. Being unable to use public spaces in the same way, even temporarily, made gardens much more valuable. Those who had access to private outdoor spaces were considered to be fortunate. As such, properties with gardens saw their value rocket. While certain aspects of these pandemic crazes have returned to a sense of normalcy, gardens have, interestingly, retained their popularity, an ongoing value that is significantly influencing garden design.
Let’s look at the influences of these changes and what exactly these new trends are.
Remote Working
Perhaps the most ubiquitous transformation of homes is the accommodation of teleworking positions. Residents are finding themselves in need of professional utility at home, an environment that was once entirely reserved for personal pursuits.
While some have been fortunate enough to find space, even an entire room, to dedicate their professional roles too, others are turning to the garden. Outbuildings, such as garden shed conversions and log cabins, have become the new venue for remote workers, being ideally separated from a home, as well as easily customisable for various tasks and roles.
Wellbeing
There was a revelation for many during the lockdowns, with residents realising just how important outdoor space and, particularly, nature was to their mental health and wellbeing. Gardens have, as a result, become more greatly revered for their restorative potential, being seen as spaces for health as much as they are relaxation and aesthetics. Outdoor spaces are also being more closely merged with interiors too, as homeowners see greater benefits in being around and among natural landscapes.
Food Sources
As food scarcity becomes a more familiar concept, especially with images of empty supermarket shelves becoming commonplace on the front pages of newspapers, residents are turning to their garden spaces for kitchen support.
Even small gardens are being utilised for their potential utility. Vertical gardens and compact growers are also being added to balconies, hosting various vegetables, fruits, and herbs, all to save both food bill costs and, importantly, the environment.
Environmental Sustainability
Even as society distances itself from the pandemic, garden popularity is not diminishing. This is, in large part, because of a growing awareness of environmental impact. Homeowners are more closely scrutinising their carbon footprints and seeing how they can reduce their impact on the environment.
Gardens are excellent assets for doing this and, in a further example of homes moving away from gardens as ‘pristine’ spaces, residents are choosing to utilise their outdoor areas for the benefit of local ecology, establishing micro-meadows, beehives, and even composting systems.
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