There is no doubt that COVID-19 has changed our world and certainly the way that we look at interiors. The pandemic has had a huge impact on health, the economy and the way that we live. Several countries have faced extended restrictions and therefore, the perspective of our own home has become our main sanctuary and safe place. Whether you are buying a home or renovating your current abode in the midst of a pandemic, although somewhat challenging, it can be done.

Monica Arango, co-founder of C’est ici share some tips to update your home during these challenging times to make your perfect sanctuary at home.

Making space

Everything has become a trend during COVID-19. We have seen home build gyms, home-offices and spaces that we never thought of contemplating bringing home. A house isn’t just a place to sleep any more, it’s your office, your social space, your exercise space, and more – and people will be looking to create a home that reflects this. We’ll start to see the incorporation of desks and workspaces into bedrooms and living rooms as part of the norm. We advise making smart spaces by decluttering and moving around the existing. Spend a good amount of time minimising the way you live and start giving away all those things that you don’t need. Decluttering can be overwhelming, especially in spaces that have been overlooked for years. Make a plan and set each space as a project. Give yourself a deadline and start creating spaces that work for you. If you use Pinterest, create a board for each of the projects and collect inspirations along the way. Move around the existing and start creating your own sanctuary at home.

Buy local

Buying local and online has become one of the norms within this time. Time has become of essence and waiting is not an option. Therefore, people are showing a greater tendency to buy locally. There has been a huge shift in thinking as we look to shop locally to avoid lengthy shipping delays from overseas suppliers and also support our local sellers in the region. Lucky for the UAE, we have plenty of choices and new shops that source locally including bespoke furniture.

Bring the indoors in

COVID-19 hit and restrictions lifted almost 40 degrees later on this side of the world making it very difficult to enjoy our gardens and outdoor spaces. The main aim of our new homes is leaning towards a safe place reflecting a calm and peaceful space with lots of greenery. Windows and natural light have been valued and appreciated like never before. We love greens and it has become our trademark to incorporate them whenever we can. We, therefore, recommend to make use of the light at home and place beautiful greenery indoors. The Garden Center and local suppliers at Al Warsan have endless solutions for indoor greenery. Invest a good amount of time selecting indoor greens that survive. It’s all about creating a sanctuary and the ability to socialise from home bringing the greenery in to help create better air quality and a soothing greenscape indoors.

The importance of function and form

Spend a good amount of time planning your makeover. During our extended time at home, we’ve placed more importance than ever on the interior spaces of our homes from how they function to what they look like. While the style and aesthetic of your home play a crucial role, the functionality of things plays even a more important role than before. Stop the compulsory shopping and buy smart for your space. While we love trends and to incorporate them here and there, our tip is that you spend your money in functional and transitional pieces that will last for a long time – specifically the basic pieces. Leave the trends for the accessorising and styling. We recommend spending more time planning out spaces and investing in good quality pieces that will last for a long time.

Your DNA

We are very much focussed on the DNA and uniqueness of every home. We do not like labels and certainly focus on creating the unexpected in most of our projects with a pinch of your origins. We recommend that you do that at home. Stop comparing your home to your neighbours and start the makeover of your home on things that work for you and your family. Always inject a pinch of your origins on your interiors and create the unexpected. Get inspired and build your sanctuary that works for you.