The New Home

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I've been busy these last few, strange months. Really busy. It seems that people can only stare at the walls of their home for so long before deciding to make some improvements.  The most frequent request? A real office. Not a nook, not a desk and chair, but an energizing, stylish, and functional space from which to rule one's corner of the Earth. Two of my clients are CEOs, several others have senior positions. Even in their essential roles, they are still working from home a lot, or exclusively. Not only do they require a well-equipped and efficient base of operations, but we are also talking regularly about things like ideal web cam heights for Zoom calls, how to style the background, and the benefits of ring lights.

At the same time, there is a renewed emphasis on the master suite. Clients are opting for palettes and finishes that are textural, soft, and calming. They aren't thinking about maximizing square footage, but rather maximizing their experience within the cocoon of their bedrooms and bathrooms. We have been talking about storage and organization perfectly customized to their specific needs, dressing rooms that feel like boutiques, wellness considerations like soaking tubs, steam and light therapy, and bidets. We are installing ambient lighting to provide a soft, calming effect. We are addressing acoustics so that rooms sound as enveloping as they look. Now more than ever, we must prioritize spaces in which we rest, rejuvenate, and recover from our hectic days. 

I bumped into an acquaintance of mine last week. He is an architect specializing in sustainable and smart design. Recently, he completed a restaurant project with an emphasis on indoor air quality and the wellness of staff and guests. In hindsight, he seems prescient, what with COVID-19 still wreaking havoc on what we thought of as normal. But this has been the normal for award-winning Studio St. Germain. And I think, increasingly, it will become our new normal as well. 

As we forge ahead, the opportunity and challenge of better design for all of us awaits.  I, for one, welcome it.