Lockdown living spurs creative, lifestyle spaces

If a year of lockdown has taught us anything, home is absolutely where the heart is. Having spent so much time at our places of residence, it has also become abundantly clear to many homeowners, that the 'heart' needs a little tender-loving care, and perhaps a few much-needed upgrades.

Living such busy lives, we often don't pay enough attention to our living areas, which often results in too much clutter and a lot of dead space. With the onset of lockdown, and the long-term shift to a remote work lifestyle, homeowners have started to consider how best to maximise their space, to ensure not only a comfortable workspace, but lifestyle as well.

Home Gym is the order of the day

One of the bigger trends to emerge during lockdown is homeowners moving their workout spaces to their living spaces. If you're looking to follow suit, we have some tips to ensure you make the most of your workout space and achieve the results you are wanting too.

Use the space you have

If you have plenty of space to work with, you will have a lot of options, but if space is limited make sure you can get the most of it. Decide on your goals before kitting out the gym and bring your surrounding into the equation. If the space is small, focus on functional movements and limited, multi-purpose equipment.

Soften the blow with rubber mats

Even if you aren't planning on lifting heavy weights, a must for your home gym is a synthetic floor. If you don't have a lot of space, lay down a yoga mat or piece together the puzzle piece foam blocks you find in a children's play area.

Get multi-purpose equipment

If you have unlimited space and budget, you can go wild, depending on what you want from your workout, but if the space available is limited, or you don't want to put too much money into your equipment, get multi-purpose equipment to ensure you can make the most of it. Adjustable dumbbells, resistance bands and TRX systems are some examples of equipment that offer a variety of options and don't take up too much space.   

Personalise your space

One of the best things about having your gym at home is that you can personalise it. Add a tv, sound system, motivational posters (if you need them), anything that will make it a space you actually want to spend time in. The more the room space speaks to your tastes, the more time you are going to spend there.

Start a social hour

If you miss the gym vibe, start a social hour at your workout space. Invite a couple of friends around to join you for a workout. You could even make it a set part of your routine and hold each other accountable. If you live in a development, push for a communal workout space, where all the tenants can enjoy it.

Dead space equals opportunity

Spending all that time at home has meant many homeowners have cast a more critical eye on how their space is being used, leading to the recognition of clutter and/or dead spaces throughout their homes. The term "dead space" describes the empty, unused, and sometimes forgotten spaces of your home. This could also include empty spaces on your walls or rooms that seem to serve no purpose anymore (other than to put in storage or other unused items).

Keep it clean

The best way to avoid clutter it to keep things very low maintenance. Things that require cleaning - nooks and crannies with funny ornaments. People are looking for minimal maintenance in their homes now, so lots of glass vases or ornaments that need to be cleaned are on the way out. Keep your lines clean and maximise the space you have with functional spaces. Turn that spare room you're not using into a workout / office space instead. 

Home office

Like workout spaces, more homeowners are working from home and working at the dining room table is not cutting it anymore. Special spaces are being created for office work, without having to make any extensions to the home.  People are using the space they already have to elegantly and efficiently incorporate their work needs. Just remember, less is more and keeping it low maintenance is pivotal.

Home library

When stuck for ideas on how to maximise that dead space, don't forget an open bookcase can do wonders to the aesthetics of a room. A book-laden home is also always appealing and does wonders to help clear clutter.

Lighting (light it up)

Bare spaces are often the perfect location for a tall floor light or a substantial floor standing sculptural object. Consider some edgier ideas like a conceptual lighting piece made from a cluster of neon tubes.

Make that wall a window

Putting in a window where a blank wall would be is a smart design decision, assuming that it doesn't affect your privacy. Not only will you amplify the natural light in your home you may be lucky enough to create a beautiful outlook.

The world is continuing to look inward and there is a growing trend to operate remotely from your home. It is important for property owners to ensure their living space covers a multitude of uses and maximises not only the creature comforts, but the practical elements as well. You can only improve your property by paying attention to these trends and making sure your home offers all the aspects of a modern living area.