How we live has changed in the new normal - and a home equipped for our new lifestyle can make a big difference.
Nowadays, home is more than just a place for shelter, rest, and bonding with the family - it is now the epicenter from which daily life has revolved around. Since the pandemic hit and everyone has been advised to stay at home, it has also filled in as workplace, school, party venue, entertainment and recreation zone - all in one.
With people adapting to a new way of life, a new type of home must also emerge to cater to this new normal lifestyle. Given the chance to buy a new home (or renovate your existing one), here are some of the must-have features to consider for a #BetterNormal home:
1. Sanitation porch
Protecting our loved ones from the threat of the COVID-19 virus starts from making sure it doesn’t enter our home. For those who regularly need to go out to work or run errands, having an outdoor area for disinfection is key. With a sanitation porch outside your home, you can sanitize and store your shoes, bags, and outerwear so the possibility of bringing the virus inside the home is lessened. The sanitation porch can also be used to receive and sanitize deliveries for food and packages from couriers. It can also serve as a pocket garden for your plant babies!
2. Extra bedroom for home office
With work-from-home and online schooling becoming the new norm, having a separate room to serve as a home office is now a necessity. Recent studies have shown that people working from home have a tendency to work longer hours, thus sacrificing work-life balance. Going to a different room to work (and not inside your bedroom or a different area in the house) allows the brain to switch from rest to work mode and vice versa - something that is now missing as people no longer commute to and from work. Having a home office also helps us to be more focused and productive - with less distractions and no family members passing in the background during your Zoom meetings. And getting a good night’s rest is easier without your work station at your bedside to remind you about the next day’s workload.
3. Open space
With everyone accustomed to go out of the house freely before the pandemic hit, many people experienced cabin fever or the feeling of being trapped inside for too long during the lockdown. Having an open space within your home to walk around and breathe fresh air has almost become a luxury during this time. A front or back yard to enjoy the outdoors within your home has proven to be a must-have feature especially for families with kids who need space to roam around. And with the renewed popularity of farming during the pandemic, this yard can also serve as an urban garden for planting fruits, vegetables, and other plants.
4. Expanded kitchen and service areas
Kitchens have never been busier in the new normal. With restaurants closed or under limited capacity, people have spent more time cooking and eating in, with some even developing new skills in cooking and baking. Thus, having a fully functional and aptly-sized kitchen is now more important than ever. And if you’re one of those people who have even turned your new culinary skills into a business, you will definitely appreciate having enough space for your production area.
5. Expansion-ready modular design
During these uncertain times, we need to be agile and adaptive to change - and so does your home. Having a functional home is good, but owning one with a modular design that allows for future expansion is even better. Whether it’s for an additional work space, isolation room, or storage, it’s reassuring to know that your hard-earned home can accommodate both your current and future needs.
How are you coping with life in the new normal? More than surviving the pandemic, we can find means to thrive. And this is much easier if you have a home that’s equipped for your new normal lifestyle.
We at PlusHomes have felt the dramatic shift in the way we live in today’s world. We understand that the homes made before the pandemic may no longer fit the needs and preferences of present-day homeowners. We believe that our homes must adapt to how we live, and not the other way around. That’s why we design and build homes that revolve around the following principles:
● Simplicity and minimalism
● Functionality and adaptability
● Stability and resilience
● Extra value for money
We at PlusHomes aspire to be a gamechanger in the affordable housing sector by building thoughtfully-designed, high-quality yet affordable homes that can stand the test of time. As such, each brand new PlusHome comes with these must-have home features:
● Outdoor disinfection areas for disinfecting online and food deliveries, shoes, and outdoor wear.
● Front and back yard provision for a garden and outdoor living area.
● Extra bedroom convertible to a home office
● Expanded kitchen and service area for preparing home-cooked meals
● Simple, modular design with provision for future home expansion
More than just a real estate developer, we consider ourselves to be a housing solutions provider. We build homes to help our homeowners overcome the challenges of living in a post-pandemic world because we believe that there is a better way to live – a better normal.
PlusHomes. Building Beyond Ordinary.
