How is the pandemic changing our living spaces?
The pandemic has been with us for over a year now. During this time, our lives and the world around us have changed. Our approach to interior design and online shopping has also changed. Many homes and apartments have undergone major makeovers over the past year. Why are Poles renovating and furnishing their homes on such a massive scale during the pandemic?
Article at a Glance
It's time to renovate!
Online shopping is becoming part of everyday life.
Design is moving into virtual spaces.
The Renovation Boom
When the government imposed the first lockdown in the spring of 2020, long lines formed outside stores. This wouldn’t have been surprising, were it not for the fact that lines also formed outside stores selling building supplies and home furnishings. Forced to stay at home, Poles decided to use the time to spruce up their homes. That’s when interest in how we live surged, and it has remained high ever since. We’re spending more time within our own four walls, so it’s no surprise that we want to make them as pleasant as possible. The lack of access to our usual forms of entertainment and restrictions on travel—especially abroad—mean that we’re spending the money we’ve saved on our interiors. Home decorating has become one of our favorite pandemic pastimes.
For many of us, changes to our homes have become a necessity. The pandemic has forced us to reorganize our living spaces. Today, in our homes, we don’t just sleep and relax after work—we also work, study, and exercise. We’ve had to find room for home offices and set aside space for our children’s remote learning. We celebrate family occasions at home instead of at rented restaurants. We practice yoga or Pilates at home rather than at gyms. For all these activities, we needed changes—a different layout and smart, functional furniture. Furniture that saves space and can change its function—such as fold-away desks, daybeds, or extendable tables where both parents can work.
We shop online
The pandemic has also changed consumers’ attitudes toward online shopping. Poles have become more informed shoppers, have gained a better understanding of the world of online shopping, and, most importantly, have stopped being afraid of it. Companies, for their part, are doing everything they can to ensure that when a consumer visits an online store, they receive complete and comprehensive information about the product. As a result, consumers are increasingly willing to buy items online that they previously felt they absolutely had to see and touch in person before purchasing. All kinds of online guides and webinars showing home renovation projects from start to finish are extremely popular. The topics vary widely—from how to lay and paint bathroom tiles yourself to how to set up furniture, to make the best use of the space.
Available live
Interest in interior design was also influenced by the fact that brick-and-mortar home improvement and furniture stores remained open for nearly the entire past year. Of course, they operated under strict health and safety protocols, but that did not prevent eager shoppers from frequenting shopping malls and furniture showrooms.
All of this has meant that the design industry, despite the restrictions, has not slowed down. Designers have moved into the virtual world, meetings have turned into teleconferences, and design fairs have become online events. Designers are persistently seeking inspiration, and companies are simply changing their approach to presenting their new products and bringing them to market. New products are constantly being developed, and new trends are emerging. Only occasionally do overburdened production lines lack the capacity to quickly and efficiently bring new products to market.
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