"Everything at Home" or 'Stay-at-Home Economy' is a rising trend in the era of New Normal, which emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing everyone to adapt their lifestyles and conduct most activities at home.

Data on consumer behavior during the lockdown revealed that, in addition to working from home (WFH), most consumers sought leisure activities to alleviate boredom, such as cooking, exercising, watching movies, playing games, or gardening. These activities have significantly influenced the demand for housing to align with new lifestyle behaviors.

For those looking to purchase second-hand homes or planning to renovate their homes to create more functional spaces for various activities while ensuring cleanliness and safety, we have compiled ideas for adapting home spaces to fit the New Normal lifestyle. The bedroom, living room, kitchen and dining area, bathroom, and outdoor spaces are the top five areas most utilized during the lockdown.

Home as the New Office

Transform your home space into a suitable workspace for WFH by organizing your bedroom to create a work corner or establishing a new workspace in an unused area of your home. It is advisable to find a spot for your desk where natural light can reach, install slats to filter light and reduce heat, and choose a desk and chair that are comfortable for long hours of work.

A Quiet Corner for Relaxation

Create a cozy corner in your home for resting your eyes from work and engaging in leisure activities to relieve stress, making staying at home less tedious. For example, set up a coffee nook with small plants to create a favorite spot in your home or design a small outdoor relaxation garden using paving blocks, tiles, or synthetic wood arranged in beautiful patterns, complemented by a table and chairs for resting.

Additionally, consider a workout corner by finding a space within your home or dedicating part of your living room for light exercises such as yoga, aerobics, or following workout videos.

Green Spaces: The Oasis of Your Home 

Planting trees and decorating gardens have become popular leisure activities during lockdown, helping to refresh and enliven the home atmosphere, creating a more relaxing environment. Decorating your home garden can be easily done with small plant pots, focusing on low-maintenance plants that thrive in indirect light, help trap dust, and purify the air, such as snake plants, rubber trees, chrysanthemums, and pothos.

For decorating the garden around your home, if space is limited, consider installing vertical gardens or ready-made gardens that are easy to maintain and can also serve as sun-blocking wall gardens to keep your home cool.

A Clean Home Free of Germs 

To promote a healthy living environment, many homeowners are increasingly interested in innovative construction materials, devices, and household items that feature modern, convenient, and touchless functionalities to reduce the risk of invisible germs. These can be operated via voice commands or automatic sensor systems, such as smart toilets with automatic lid opening and closing, sensor faucets with Smart Infrared Beam systems, and innovative construction materials that prevent germs, like Hygienic Tiles with Silver Nano technology that inhibits bacterial growth.

New Spaces for New Functionalities 

       "Carports" have become increasingly functional in the New Normal era. With WFH, homeowners need to park their cars at home, exposing them to sun and rain. A carport can solve this issue, and it can be added in two ways: by installing a steel structure or a canopy extending from the house. The roofing material can be either opaque or translucent, and it is recommended to allocate a corner of the carport for shelving to serve as a delivery point for online shopping.

        Another interesting area is the kitchen for homeowners who enjoy cooking at home. You can easily expand your workspace by adding a kitchen counter and topping it with tiles for dining or relaxing, enhancing the overall ambiance.

     Before adapting your home space, the first step is to observe your own and your family's lifestyle patterns to understand what additional space or functionality is needed. Once you identify your needs, you can seek advice or recommendations from home improvement experts to ensure that the adaptations are appropriate, quick, and tailored to everyone's lifestyle and age.

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