Irreversible changes are taking place in the home and in the ways people live in it. And we will not be going back to “the way things used to be” any time soon: priorities have changed, as have the needs we have in our indoor and outdoor spaces. The transformation that is now under way – one the health emergency has only accelerated – concerns our whole approach to home living.

What is the best way to live in the domestic environment, making just a few, important changes? How should we adapt the home to the new normal, so that different functions can co-exist within it?

We need furnishings and complements that can satisfy several different needs simultaneously: working and playing, eating and working, sleeping and keeping fit, using the living-room also as a workplace or study… And this is where the world of design comes in, with designers defining new kinds of furnishings and complements that stand out for their versatility, flexibility and adaptability.

If the home does not have a multi-functional space, then furnishings will change in order to adapt to new lifestyles. That means creating multitasking areas, which might for example involve spaces separated off by fabrics, complete with shelves, bookcases, cushions, rugs and maybe even toys to keep children entertained in those moments when we take a break…

Our surroundings strongly influence our mood and sometimes we only manage to concentrate by stopping for a moment, even if just to have a hot drink. Suggestions might include the mugs in the Ceramic Lab Collection, or those from Bahne. By surrounding ourselves with versatile, multi-functional complements we can strike the right balance between our professional and domestic lives, for example with items from SD Laser, which under the brand name I Dettagli brings together Italian craftsmanship and modern laser technology. Or there are the fragrances, accessories and clocks in the S | P Collection, and the elegant and versatile Flex tables: modular items from the Belgian brand Pomax. 

If space is particularly limited, the new Umage range of furnishings and complements is designed to provide a solution with the rationality and simplicity typical of Scandinavian design. While for those who see the home more as a refuge and a place for reflection, inspiration may come from products like Chic Antique, whose new collection celebrates the beauty of nature.

The main thing is not to let work time eat into leisure time. Home working is great,but it needs to be wisely combined with slow living, the new trend we are going to be hearing more and more of.