Every industry has been affected by the COVID-19 virus, and both established and new businesses have suffered. Since most ventures rely on their brick-and-mortar stores to bring in revenue, they have taken a massive hit because customers are encouraged to stay indoors and keep themselves safe from the virus. Almost two years into this lockdown and quarantine set up, people have more or less settled, and industries have also resumed business, including the field of design. Over the years, design companies have innovated their products with a virus-free world in mind, but now that things have drastically changed, this industry will head towards a new direction. Keep reading and be updated on the impact of the pandemic in the world of design.
Economic Standstill-Proof
Economic proofing can be related to almost all industries. Still, when focused on the design field, which is incredibly consumer-centered, it’s vital to keep producing quality items even during the pandemic. Design companies are working to make their operations withstand economic standstills by allowing their employees to work remotely to keep them safe without impeding processes. Organizations have also begun offering worldwide shipping so that they can cater to a broader client population.
Biophilic Designs
An idea forced by home quarantine situations, design companies are now crafting biophilic or nature-inspired designs considering people’s demand for environmental spaces after being confined indoors for too long. The world can look forward to greener indoor and outdoor spaces designed using natural and sustainable materials. This design shift is beneficial to the public since natural areas have soothing properties and are also a way to fight against climate change.
Comfortable and Hygienic Products
The hygienic practices the world has adopted during this pandemic will stay for a long time, and design industries will indeed utilize these practices to innovate their products. Now that hygiene and comfort are crucial for indoor spaces, design companies focus on developing easy-to-clean products with non-porous surfaces to prevent the growth of germs and bacteria. Comfort is also vital given that flexible work settings will be a part of the new normal. For instance, interior designers are most likely to include efficient and sustainable household items, such as natural coir doormats that exude style and effectively catch and eliminate moisture and dirt.
Home Office Spaces
As mentioned above, work-from-home setups are slowly but surely becoming the norm. Home workspaces are now essential, especially since the world has seen its plethora of benefits. Interior designers are moving forward with home office ideas and craft more creative ways for professionals to make their houses adopt an ideal work atmosphere. More and more individuals will invest in their home offices in the coming years, knowing that this setup is here to stay.
Modified Traditional Offices
With remote work now a part of everyday business operations, it’s natural for people to think that conventional offices will cease to exist. However, traditional workspaces are still vital to companies. Although meetings and brainstorming sessions can occur online, creatives still need to interact with other minds to polish and generate ideas. The design industry will now concentrate on building offices for their clients that foster social interaction between employees. With less space for individual offices, design companies now craft floor plans featuring added conference rooms and other spacious areas where professionals can gather when needed.
Emergence of New Platforms and Tools
New designs are mainly introduced to the public using trade shows, but such social events like these are not allowed during the pandemic. With plenty of pieces waiting to be launched, design companies have tapped platforms and utilized tools to give clients a great show and their new products the limelight they deserve. Platforms like online press conferences, media tours, and even virtual walkthroughs in augmented reality settings have become ideal substitutes that help design ventures release their products to the world. It’s safe to assume that the design industry will enhance its operations using innovative technologies, considering its present use of modern tools and platforms.
Business as Usual
Despite the number of ventures that have filed for bankruptcy during the beginning of the pandemic, business experts believe that the design industry can recover from this crisis and resume business. Professionals have likened this temporary stand-still to the 2008 economic crisis, wherein thousands of companies went out of business. Still, after the economy has stabilized and people rejoined the workforce, revenue flowed, and companies got back on track. The pandemic has created new needs and shed light on past issues concerning interior spaces; now that the world is slowly recovering, design companies work to provide solutions to indoor problems and get back into the business sphere.
Businesses have always taken huge hits in times of crisis, but they always come back stronger and with more creative solutions. With the pandemic revolutionizing the design industry, the public can look forward to better and more efficient designs.