Angela Jones, owner and principal designer at Lakeshore Designs in Peterborough, said her company has been busier than ever, with some people looking to invest in their homes and others just tired of their surroundings.
“It has been bananas for us,” Jones said. “Everyone is in his or her home now. And before, maybe, they were travelling, but now they are spending that money on the home.”
She said some simple ways to refresh a home could be applying a coat of paint, rearranging the artwork — or even switching the purpose of the space, with perhaps the living room becoming the dining room, or the guest room becoming a home office.
“You can have some fun with it,” Jones said. “Switch things up and see how it works for you, or try something fun like a stick-on wallpaper.”
She said that with more people working from home, living and dining rooms are now doing double (or triple) duty, acting as offices, classrooms and conference rooms.
Jones said it is important to create designated areas in the home for all of your needs.
“Think outside of the box so that you can be creative. Use things you might have in the house and do it by zone,” Jones said. “You’re not entertaining, so you can take your house by function this time. You want to make each space comfortable, welcoming and uncluttered.”
She said to think about specific needs. If you need a quiet space, for example, when mapping out your space, add an organized and specific work area so you can improve your focus and productivity.
Jones said something else to think about is your background for video calls.
“It really is what everyone is looking at,” she said. “So you don’t want it to distract from what you are saying.”
Jones said it is OK to add some personality to the space, but make sure it is tidy.
“Take a photo of what you look like on your screen and take a good look at it to see where your eye goes,” Jones said. “You want people to hear what you’re saying and not be worrying about what is happening behind you.”
And if you don’t know where to start, you can book a virtual consultation with Jones to get some ideas.
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