COVID-19 Has changed the Future of Interior Design! Learn How and Why in the Article Below:

· COVID effect on life at home

· COVID effect on how home owners desires going forward with interior design

First I would like to start by saying that I hope you and your families have remained safe, and strong during these daunting times. I know there are mixed opinions and politics that affect daily life, work, etc… With much of the nation in re-opening phases, I would like to take a moment to aware you of the precautions that DesignbyStephanieO (interior design, staging, and renovation service in DC, Maryland, and Virginia) is taking to ensure we prioritize safety for our clients and our team. With each client we will have a consultation of your choice, virtual or in person. If an in-person consultation is requested we will conduct the visit with precautions such as; disinfecting before we enter homes, as well as wearing masks, gloves, and booties on our shoes, we also ask that our team and clients keep social distancing in mind. Upon the day of staging, we prefer if the homeowners are not home, however we realize that may be difficult during this time. We will take the following precautions either way. The furniture is disinfected upon arrival before entering the home, all team members will be wearing masks, gloves and booties on their shoes. We will clean up and disinfect upon departure.

How COVID-19 has affected life at Home:

Working, eating, cleaning, entertaining, family time, etc… For the last 3 months or so this has all taken place in our homes. Homeowners have felt confined to their homes, many of which are not equipped to handle all aspects of our lives. Homeowners are feeling the need to constantly clean, cook 3 meals a day/7 days a week, working 8 hours+ shifts from their couches, and spending countless hours trying to please their children who can’t get the release of playing with their friends. My guess is many of us can look at this as a blessing and a curse. The blessing, many families have gotten to bond and spend a lot of time together during the quarantine period. The curse, most homeowners living situations were not designed to handle all aspects of life.

COVID effect on home owners desires going forward with interior design:

In recent years the DMV (DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia) has seen an influx of downsizers, and relocations from the suburbs to more urban areas. We predict that in the coming months and maybe even years that desires for more space and more privacy return to the desires of buyers and sellers across the region. With bigger homes and more privacy comes more room for interior design decisions. Homeowners are showing interests in spaces for larger home offices, workout stations/at home gyms, multiple family rooms/dens/basements, more room for at home entertainment/hosting (such as larger kitchens and built in bars), more privacy in and outside the home, more attention to exterior details such as landscaping, bigger and better backyards with pools/patios/decks/etc.,