This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
COVID-19 Pandemic Spurs Demand for Better Homes and Offices ¶
July 11, 2020
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing people to spend more time at home, residents in Nairobi are seeking better living and working spaces. According to Muthoni Ngugi, owner of Gaze Furnishings, an interiors store, furniture and home accessories sales have increased in the past three months.
Ngugi attributes the surge in sales to people seeking to add a little spark to their homes. 'More people are making orders to furnish their houses even as effects of the coronavirus bite,' she says.
Before the pandemic, many people did not realize how drab, dysfunctional, and uncomfortable their homes were. However, with the lockdown, people have been forced to spend more time at home, leading to a major awakening.
Ken Kanyingi, a marketer, discovered that his house was poorly lit only after he started working from home. Making video calls with his clients was a challenge without proper lighting.
Interior Designers Association of Kenya president George Washington Karani says that dealing with a pandemic that would confine people indoors was never a factor in design processes. 'Home designers didn't anticipate such a crisis,' he says.
According to Karani, the pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of interior design in homes, not just in Kenya, but across the world. He argues that interior designers should be involved in the concept stage of home design, rather than just being brought in for fittings and finishes.
As a result of the pandemic, homes, restaurants, shopping stores, schools, and hospitals will undergo a major redesign that incorporates lighting and soundproofing and also to accommodate the need for social distancing.
Interior design artist and consultant Sophie Gai predicts that spaces will be bigger and more ventilated with large windows and doors. 'Some people may choose to shift to the countryside,' she says.
Additionally, restaurants and other public places are likely to adopt technology in their booths to allow people to work. 'Booths such as those at supermarkets will be in increased use, especially at building entrances,' Gai says.
George Washington Karani outlines five specific areas that are expected to transform in the design of homes going forward:
- Entry foyer: This space will be returned to the design of residential homes, with a need for a transition area into the house to clean hands, remove and store away dirty clothes, shoes, or even shopping bags.
- Modular furniture: For those with smaller spaces, modular furniture, which is multifunctional, will be adopted.
- Domestic Servant Quarter (DSQ): There will be a need for live-in house helps as opposed to those who come and go.
- Visitor spaces: As a precautionary measure, there will be a need for a space for visitors who come and go and who can only sanitise without changing their clothes.
- DIY domain: Most people will want to learn how to paint, to decorate and to do other minor fixtures such as plumbing to minimise the number of people coming into their homes as a way to reduce exposure to bugs.
According to Karani, the design of the entry point of any home will be critical, to ensure the safety of its residents. He also predicts the rising popularity of the 'do it yourself' (DIY) domain in interior decoration.
