As COVID-19 restrictions continue to loosen up across the US, it’s clear that many elements of daily life will have changed long-term. We’re seeing a similar trend in the design space—throughout the last year and a half, consumers spent more time at home than ever, giving them time to reevaluate their priorities for residential space.

Here are a few of the trends we’re seeing in post-COVID high-end New York City residential design, and what they mean for consumers and designers.

Unsurprisingly, being stuck at home for a year gave many people an outsized appreciation for homes with spaces beyond just bedrooms and living rooms. Specifically, the value of having a home office has become clear. So did the value of flex spaces, like a bonus room to use as a second office or a loft for a makeshift gym. 

While these items may have been seen as luxury spaces in years past, the overnight transition to a work-from-home atmosphere made these spaces essential in many households. Those without the benefit of an office or flex space were forced to make do with bedrooms, closets, and other locations where their presence infringed on the room’s actual purpose. 

Expect to see residents choosing homes and apartments that have these flex spaces in the months and years to come, especially as we see whether more companies embrace remote work permanently.

COVID-19 also left us with a heightened sense of our own privacy at home—or lack thereof. Living in an apartment complex with hundreds of other people highlighted the challenges of sharing building access with so many other people. Residents may have had to pass someone daily in the stairs or elevator just to get back to their own private space.

With this in mind, we’re seeing a resurgence in the luxury townhouse market and a preference for residences with private entrances. While passing strangers on your way to your front door may not have been much more than an inconvenience in the past, the safety concerns throughout the pandemic may sway residents to reconsider spaces without that extra level of privacy.  We are seeing people trading the views and amenities available in high-rise apartments for the true luxury of privacy.

Lastly, as you’ve likely heard if you pay any attention to news or social media, both residential and commercial spaces are seeing increased costs and lead times for new construction and renovations. Fortunately, this is likely a short-term problem due to challenges to supply chains over the last year and a half. 

In any case, many residents today are having to put home projects on hold to wait out the delays or hope for cheaper materials in the months ahead.

Ultimately, only time will tell what the architecture and design worlds will look like in a post-COVID environment. While these trends seem to have been foreshadowed by the events and opinions that emerged during the pandemic, it’s also possible that design will enter its own roaring 20’s-esque renaissance and take us in a direction we couldn’t have predicted.

We’ll be watching the trends to continue to share what we’re seeing in the high-end residential design space.  If you have any questions about the best way to build or modify your home or development – we are here to help!