Key takeaways:

• Demand for gardens and other outdoor spaces for lounging, cooking, and dining has surged since the coronavirus pandemic began.
• Gardens require constant tending to remain viable, even through less-active winter months.
• Don’t treat all plants the same. Vegetables, shrubs, and other greenery will need different kinds of maintenance.

Before COVID-19 hit, millions of Americans had never gardened. With more time at home this spring, they planted perennial beds and borders, vegetable and herb patches, and fruit trees to improve their yards’ aesthetics and provide food for their families. They also may have constructed outdoor spaces for lounging, cooking, dining, and to simply have a place to breathe fresh air.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in my 42 years in business,” says Sacramento, Calif.–based landscape designer Michael Glassman. “Homeowners who never planted anything were freaked at the thought of going to the grocery store. They preferred to stay home and garden.”

But unlike many of the rooms in our homes that don’t require frequent attention, gardens need active involvement to see them through to the end of the season and over the winter.

As summer winds down, many new to gardening are asking what they should do now.

Novices may have encountered problems of overgrown shrubs, half-eaten tomato plants, and hostas with holes that rabbits or deer feasted on. Do they rip out the dead ones or grab their shears to prune? Did they overwater and so now look to install a better irrigation system? Or maybe homeowners are wondering what to do before the season’s over, so they still might enjoy fall vegetables, like beets and broccoli, and perennials, such as coreopsis and astilbe.

Help your clients who were bitten by the gardening bug so that they don’t get discouraged. Here’s what Glassman suggests heading into the fall and winter months.

Deadhead perennials. When perennial flowers have finished blooming, cut off old stalks or stems, which is called “deadheading.” This keeps them healthy and helps them to regenerate more flowers next season, says Glassman. He’ll do this at least once a week with his finished stalks.

Prune and transplant overgrowth. Plants and bushes require different types of trimming—think of it like a fall haircut. For example, a lilac bush should have its old flowers and stems cut to thin out the growth, allowing light into the center of the bush. This will allow it to grow bigger and fuller next season. For a pear tree, thin out crisscrossing branches and carefully shape the tree. Hydrangeas should be heavily cut back to keep them from getting too tall. Overgrown hostas can be transplanted to another part of the yard after they finish blooming, usually during late fall. Glassman says it’s best to call a licensed arborist to safely prune larger trees.

Mulch plants to retain water. Using an organic material, such as wood, bark, or straw, homeowners should mulch flower beds and around trees to help them retain water, keep down weeds, and prevent the soil from drying out. It also curtails ground temperature fluctuations, which protects plants over the winter. Mulch will give gardens a nice professional look. Many communities offer mulch at a reduced price, or even for free, so check with your municipality’s building department. The best times to mulch are fall and spring.

Set up a drip irrigation system on a timer to water plants. This will help prevent overwatering, which is much more common than underwatering, Glassman says. The system can be hooked up to a soaker hose and uses a timer to regulate watering. A good rule of thumb is to water early in the morning before the sun is high in the sky, causing the water to quickly evaporate. A homeowner should water daily for the first two weeks after planting, then slowly scale back to every other day. At the end of the season, be sure to unplug hoses and other systems so they don’t freeze and burst.

Keep pests away. New gardeners often learn that certain plants and flowers in their gardens extend an invitation to bugs. If you’re seeing partially or completely eaten leaves and stems, you’ve got company. Spray with insecticidal soap or use Neem oil rather than a chemical, which, Glassman says, “defeats the purpose of growing your own healthy vegetables.” Use them early in the morning or after dusk so you do not damage the plants. If you get aphids, consider releasing ladybugs in the morning or evening to prey on them, he suggests.

Deter larger wildlife. To control voles and gophers, dig down into the ground two feet and lay heavy-duty wire mesh, or build a raised planter at least 18 inches high that’s filled with a quality, organic planting mix. This keeps animals from digging up and eating plant roots. A homeowner could also go with vegetables and flowers that are known to be more animal resistant such as rosemary, lavender, thyme, and society garlic.

Order bulbs to be a step ahead for next season. Now is the time to peruse garden centers and online garden retailers for spring bulbs. Homeowners should plant in the fall, before the first frost arrives. Among favorites to consider are allium, tulips, daffodils, anemones, and irises. Many experienced gardeners like the look of a big visual display of the same type of bulb, which requires larger orders. For ideas, look online at the displays in the famous Keukenhof Garden in Holland.

Try raised planters or horse troughs. Rather than planting directly into the ground, raised “containers” help improve soil drainage—it also means less bending and sore backs. When thinking ahead to next spring, Glassman recommends planters or troughs that are at least 18 inches high to discourage snails and slugs from climbing in. He also suggests cutting one or two drainage holes in the bottom for water to seep out and filling them with a light, organic planting mix. “Be sure to set your vegetable garden where it will get a least five hours of sun each day,” he says. “Add in some nasturtiums or marigolds as a way to gain color and edibles at the same time,” he says.

Remember, there’s no such thing as a black thumb. “Everyone can be successful. It just takes time and patience,” Glassman says. “Don’t be afraid to experiment with different plants—it should be fun, not stressful. A cliché, but Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a successful garden.”

National Association of REALTORS®
Reprinted with permission

Clients feeling cramped at home? These tips can help open up a room without knocking down a wall.
Clients feeling cramped at home? These tips can help open up a room without knocking down a wall.

Bring nature indoors. Add plants and use natural textures in furniture to tie indoor decor to the outdoor view that’s visible through the windows that aren’t blocked by curtains.

Accentuate the vertical. Draw the eye upward so a room looks more spacious. Add a bookshelf that reaches to the ceiling. Install vertical shiplap or wallpaper with vertical stripes. Hang a pendant light fixture.

Consider “see-through” furniture. Choose chairs and sofas with visible legs instead of furniture with skirts that reach the floor. This allows you to see under and around pieces so they appear to float in the room rather than dominate it. Glass coffee tables are a good choice, too.

Lighten up surroundings. We all know white walls reflect light and makes a room look bigger. But why stop there? HouseLogic recommends painting walls, ceilings, and trim the same shade of white to present a soaring, bright space.

Go big with accents. Many people think small when designing a small room. Instead, add a couple of oversized accessories, like a big piece of art or a single large chair. A lot of little objects make a room appear cluttered while one or two big ones make it feel more spacious.

Get away from the wall. Create a central layout instead of pushing a sofa up against the wall. When there’s a wall right next to a piece of furniture, your eyes are drawn to the wall, which can make the room seem more cramped.

Simplify the color scheme. Use a monochromatic color scheme for walls, furniture, and accessories. When objects are a similar color, your eye doesn’t dwell on each one but rather sees them in a unified, uncomplicated form.

National Association of REALTORS®
Reprinted with permission

Skip the curtains. Curtains block natural light and the view to the outdoors, making a room feel smaller and darker.

Staging professionals offer up ideas for prepping properties.

How has the pandemic influenced home stagers? Bloggers from REALTOR® Magazine’s Styled, Staged & Sold team of staging professionals offer up ideas for prepping properties.

Send cozier vibes. “Cozy is the new ‘luxury.’ We’re using more place settings on tables, setting up a coffee station with a tray, mugs, and napkins, displaying magazines and books on coffee tables, and draping fur throw blankets over beds—all of this conveys a more homey feel. Outside, we’ll have a fire pit surrounded by chairs or a hammock on the lawn.” —Krisztina Bell, No Vacancy Inc. and Virtually Staging Properties Inc.

Give prominence to the home office. “We’re seeing the home office as an area to stage. We either stage a room that was clearly built as an office or we create a space for use as an office. The rise of people working from home means showing a space that can be used for that purpose. We’ve invested in more desks and office items to support the growing request.” —Jennie Norris, International Association of Home Staging Professionals

Spotlight outdoor living. “The ‘bonus room’ may now be your livable outdoor space. Home staging will not stop at the back door. From pretty porches that offer an optimal first impression to an outdoor haven that expands the home’s living space—staging in 2021 will embrace the entire property.” —Julea Joseph, Reinventing Space

Bring on the natural light. “The pandemic has created a higher level of anxiety. Studies suggest that natural light from great windows or enclosed outdoor spaces can boost people’s mood and, over the long term, improve mental health.” —Karen Post, Home Frosting

Offer contactless services. “We’ve offering our staging clients a safe and cost-effective way to enhance their property’s appeal and engage buyers with new virtual staging consultations and ‘staging box’ services. After our experts take a virtual tour of the seller’s home,, we provide ‘staging box’ options with front-door delivery. The box includes things like sofa pillows, rugs, wall art, lighting, bedding, and tabletop accessories, with detailed placement instructions and other guidance as needed.” —Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

National Association of REALTORS®
Reprinted with permission

Despite the rising costs of labor and materials, more developers and nonprofit organizations are helping fill the void in the much-needed affordable housing market.

3 Takeaways:

• Health outcomes are directly related to the quality of a person’s living environment.
• Affordable housing developments today include a greater number of efficiencies and amenities.
• Having a mix of incomes can widen a development’s appeal.

Affordable housing was already in great demand prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. With many businesses forced to shutter and lay off or furlough staff, those who found it hard to pay rent and other living expenses face a greater challenge to care for themselves and their family.

But the good news is that affordable projects are still being developed. New housing solutions in that category offer many features that market-rate units offer: energy efficiency, sustainability, low maintenance, amenities, and flexible layouts.

In fact, Eugene Flotteron, principal at New York City-based CetraRuddy, thinks affordable housing has become the most innovative, sought-after sector for work in the multifamily market. He attributes it to projects going through a highly competitive request for proposal process, which pushes developers and architects to provide programming and building solutions that respond to resident and community needs.

Another reason is the trend of teaming with partners that share costs and bring valued services to residents of an affordable building and neighborhood.

“We’re no longer just building housing but helping to rebuild communities,” says Albert Milo, president of the Related Group’s Miami-based Related Urban Development Group.

Here are other ways affordable communities are coming alive.

New Partnerships

Those joining forces now represent a mix of new and different types of collaborations. 2Life Communities, a Boston-based nonprofit developer, owner, and operator, describes its approach as helping seniors “age in community” rather than the usual aging in place within a single apartment or home. The 55-year-old organization develops housing for older adults that is affordable and offers supportive services aimed at helping each person achieve their goals for this phase of their lives. 2Life actively seeks out creative partners to enhance what it can offer residents and extend the degree of affordability for the full length of their lives, says President and CEO Amy Schectman.

In June 2019, the Boston Housing Authority selected 2Life to partner on the redevelopment of the J.J. Carroll Apartments in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood, with a new 142-unit building that is modern in design to meet current sensibilities. It’s energy-efficient, recognizing the importance of reducing the carbon footprint, and accessible, using universal design and adaptable features so residents can remain in their apartments for life.

Residents will have access to the community space in 2Life’s adjacent Brighton campus, in addition to indoor and outdoor spaces for recreation and connecting. There will also be an 11,000-square-foot Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Center, which will provide comprehensive community-based health and home care services to residents and neighbors.

The Related Group also has partnered with public housing authorities in Florida to redevelop sites for affordable and workforce housing when existing buildings were outdated but the land on which they sat was ripe with potential and offered proximity to jobs. In each case, the company demolished or rehabilitated existing housing and constructed buildings that comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and green building codes, and have room for commercial, educational, and health care facilities, says Milo.

Its Liberty Square project in Miami will include 1,500 mixed-income apartments, replacing the city’s oldest public housing project, and its River Parc project, also in Miami, will house 2,500 senior, affordable, and workforce apartments, the latter for families with incomes between 60% to 140% of area median income.

Cleveland-based developer The NRP Group uses a slightly different playbook, seeking health care provider partners because it agrees with the Centers for Disease and Prevention that 60% of a person’s health outcome is directly related to the quality of their living environment, says Scott Skinner, development associate.

“If someone has access to safe, quality, affordable housing, they’re less likely to frequent an emergency room and more likely to engage in preventive health care,” he says. To make this easier, his company builds spaces into its affordable buildings where programming can focus on healthy living and cooking, workforce training, and childcare. For its Churchill Gateway development, it is partnering with University Hospitals Health Systems in Cleveland to build affordable housing with an outreach center for health education and workforce training. At its Clark-Fulton neighborhood mixed-use project, it has partnered with Cleveland-based MetroHealth System, and the building will be constructed on the hospital campus using low-income tax credits.

Institutional investors have also become partners, seeing an opportunity to reap a steady income stream, says Adam Ducker, senior managing director of RCLCO, a real estate consulting firm based in Bethesda, Md. New developments are also showcasing an area’s heritage, Ducker says, citing the transit-oriented El Centro de la Reza development that reflects Seattle’s Latino community and offers affordable housing, retail, offices, classrooms, and a cultural center.

Activated Streetscapes

Because affordable housing is considered a way to strengthen a neighborhood, the ground floor, and outdoor streetscape are designed to bring them to life by increasing foot traffic, says Flotteron. One strategy is to allow passersby to see through glass walls into active spaces. At CetraRuddy’s 535 W. 43rd Street building in New York, where 20% of the units are affordable, 7-and-a-half-foot-high windows permit a “dialogue with the neighborhood and showcase activity from within,” Flotteron says.

Two projects from New York-based Body Lawson Associates take this approach. Its Marcus Garvey Village, going up in New York’s West Harlem neighborhood for low- and moderate-income families, will include 169 affordable units and a community facility. The mixed-use Peninsula building on almost 5 acres in the Bronx features six buildings with 740 units, all fully affordable, and includes services such as a school, retail, open space, and light industrial quarters. “The idea is to create places that empower the community,” says architect Victor Body-Lawson.

Community Approval

Generally, in publicly bid RFPs, the community is involved at the beginning of the process to share its needs and remains engaged as the project moves forward, Flotteron says. Architect Jason Boyer of Studio Ma in Phoenix knew that residents and community leaders in Berkeley, Calif., wanted the building he was designing for Capstone Development Partners to be affordable for the target demographic—graduate students and service providers—despite the area’s high $90,000 AMI. All 98 units in the proposed development are studios, with sustainable features, a low energy profile, and street-level retail.

Having a mix of incomes can widen a development’s appeal, which is the case with the mixed-use development The Parks at Walter Reed, on the site of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Twenty percent of the 2,100 residential units will be designated affordable for veterans, seniors, and others.

In Princeton, N.J., architect Joshua Zinder, managing partner at Princeton-based JZA+D, developed a solution that helped a 1924 building retain its original character and provide more residential units in a community in need of them. Two of the 10 units are affordable. The building at 30 Maclean Street also reflects a commitment to green building and certification under LEED for Homes, Zinder says.

“The zoning board responded positively to the fact that the development team is composed of local entities. We went a step further, working with the local neighborhood and primarily the African American Masons chapter that previously occupied the building when it was a meeting house,” Zinder says.

They preserved what was special about the building’s facade—most notably the cornerstone and original signage. But the commitment to having affordable units was critical to winning the approval, he says.

Enhanced Sustainability

To know which systems might produce the best sustainability, developers now hire energy consultants who model outcomes. New York-based Bright Power has found that electrifying buildings—which eliminates the use of fossil fuels—offers excellent performance and a good return on investment, says Andrea Mancino, executive vice president.

When Chelsea, Mass.–based The Architectural Team designs multifamily, affordable housing, it may use both sustainable and passive house design. The latter involves a set of principles that help achieve a high degree of energy efficiency, according to the Passive House Institute. ”Many low-income housing funding agencies strongly encourage designing to passive house standards in order for projects to secure highly competitive funding,” says TAT associate Jay Szymanski. The goal, he says, is to reduce a project’s overall energy consumption, which, in turn, reduces residents’ costs.

Designing smart mechanical systems also keeps interiors breathable through controlled ventilation. By collaborating with the Boston Housing Authority and developer Beacon Communities, TAT redesigned The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony in South Boston into fully affordable mid-rise buildings and townhomes, along with a passive house building for low-income seniors.

“The project reflects an emerging national wave of affordable multifamily housing built to stringent energy-saving standards,” Szymanski says.

Another way to improve sustainability is with materials. At its emerging 350 Clarkson Avenue building in Brooklyn, N.Y., where 30% of 280 units will be affordable, CetraRuddy has created a masonry façade with copper panel details, which break up the scale in a modern way, Flotteron says. Body Lawson Associates used recycled materials to boost sustainability in its 63-unit Home Street Residences for homeless seniors and low-income residents in the Bronx, with an exterior clad partly in gray brick and an interior with site-salvaged wood for some furnishings.

More Amenities

The amenity war that first heated up in market-rate buildings has made its way into affordable housing. On the top of the list is community rooms where residents and neighbors enjoy activities as well as programs, such as workforce readiness training, says Ducker. Developers also often include outdoor activity and living space, as CetraRuddy has with a rooftop terrace at 350 Clarkson. Then there are the extras when space and funding permit. TAT, for instance, is considering incorporating electronic lockers for deliveries and video screens to post messages. In its 43rd Street building, CetraRuddy designed a mailroom as a welcoming hub.

COVID-19 is inspiring design trends as well, such as touchless faucets and light switches and automatic doors, Flotteron says. The units themselves are likely to have open, flexible floor plans, better storage, Wi-Fi provided on site, and maintenance-free materials, such as vinyl plank flooring. Finishes for kitchen appliances have improved to convey a sense of pride, architect Body-Lawson says. And if providing washers and dryers for each apartment isn’t feasible, an effort is made to have machines on each floor, Studio Ma’s Boyer says.

Affordable Housing in Your Community

The market for affordable housing is typically governed by the local need to provide workforce and supportive housing for marginalized members of the community, says Body-Lawson. Affordable housing may be part of the solution both for inclusionary housing and mixed-use developments. For New York City, for example, mandatory inclusionary housing is a zoning tool developed by the Department of City Planning and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which requires developers to include affordable housing in areas that are rezoned to allow for more housing development. This promotes low-income and market-rate units to coexist in the same development, he says. And doing this enables new housing developments to enjoy better services while creating a balance in the economic demographics of the community.

Some mixed-use developments with both affordable and market-rate units are mandated by local governing bodies and are often at least partially subsidized. Check with your local municipalities and housing authorities about new and upcoming developments in your community to get a better understanding of current and future affordable inventory.

National Association of REALTORS®
Reprinted with permission

REALTOR® Magazine’s Styled, Staged & Sold blog counts down some of the cringeworthy decorative choices people are making while hunkering down at home.

Homes are meant to be a source of comfort and refuge. But as if 2020 hasn’t been horrifying enough, some skin-crawling home decor trends have emerged this year—and designers hope they’ll be forgotten quickly. Last Halloween, REALTOR® Magazine’s Styled, Staged & Sold blog highlighted some of the most horrifying design trends of all-time. (Furry toilet seat covers still give us the chills!) For this year’s spooky holiday, the blog counts down some of the biggest decorative frights in a terrifying year.

10. Mason Jars

Crafty people, inspired by Pinterest, have been collecting mason jars like they’re as rare as toilet paper in a pandemic. This signature farmhouse aesthetic encouraged a range of DIY design projects, including filling mason jars with flowers, candles, or candy. They clutter countertops with forgettable decor. Interest in mason jar designs has plunged 40% since its 2015 peak, according to Living Spaces. Nowadays, save the mason jars for storing jam.

9. Chalkboard Walls

DIY chalkboard walls or chalkboard wall paint first graced children’s rooms as a cute and whimsical accent. Then, unfortunately, the aesthetic started edging into other spaces in the home. Designers want to erase this now-outdated trend from memory. Reserve walls for paint, not scribbles.

8. Macramé

This 1970s throwback began a renaissance via Bohemian-style tapestries on walls, known as macramé, and fringed edging on furnishings. But most of us prefer to leave the past in the past—especially when it comes to the decade of disco— and, alas, fringe once again is being sent back into its time capsule.

7. ‘Millennial Pink’

Millennials may have been unfairly blamed for going overboard with pink; others have made this mistake, too. But it’s when the trend started popping up in the bathroom, with pink sinks and tubs, that homeowners started to say, “Enough is enough.” As older generations know well, colorful bathrooms can lead to regret. Don’t let history repeat itself.
 

6. Antlers

Many designers attempted to modernize taxidermy. White, brass-trimmed, fake deer wall mounts started surfacing on walls. Designers now say they look kitschy.

5. Chevron

That continuous “V” pattern can make your eyes do funny things if you stare at it too long. And with more people hunkering down at home during the pandemic, chevron has really become a sore sight for the eyes. Chevron-patterned accessories—rugs, pillows, and linens—are being cast aside for more toned-down patterns.

4. Gray Interiors

The gloom and doom of 2020 has been depressing enough, with a continuous train of bad news. Do we really want our interiors to make us feel gray, too? All-gray interiors—floor-to-ceiling paint, along with gray furnishings and cabinets—make us long for vibrant color pops, like in blues, greens, or yellows, that bring us hope.

3. Furry Furniture

Faux sheepskin chairs, sofas, and furniture coverings had their heyday in college dorms, and they even adorned the interiors of luxury homes for a time. But no one ever warned us how matted these pieces can get after use. No one should ever have to comb their furniture—period.
 

2. Wallpapered Ceilings

Metallic wallpaper on the ceiling looks chic in magazine photos and TV design shows. But in reality, wallpaper on a ceiling is a terrible idea. Wallpaper has proven to be a short-term fad that comes and goes through the years. Save yourself the trouble of putting it up—and then taking it down in short order.

1. Cluttercore

Some homeowners have embraced a lived-in look while spending more time at home during the pandemic. But there’s a reason minimalism has worked before. Social media tried to tell us “cluttercore”—a backlash to Marie Kondo’s decluttering movement—was in vogue. Instead, cluttercore dictates stuffing every shelf and wall space with knickknacks. It’ll bring you greater comfort, cluttercore enthusiasts say. Let’s get real: Clutter is never cool, even in a pandemic.

National Association of REALTORS®
Reprinted with permission

Families cramped together around a kitchen table, working, and learning online isn’t sustainable for productivity. Now, more home builders and interior designers are carving out workspaces.

Even before the pandemic, the work-from-home trend was growing in popularity. Improved technology and connectivity are allowing people to be more productive at home as employers have offered greater flexibility. But now that COVID-19 has made working from home even more prevalent—coupled with students learning online—many families are finding themselves crowded around the kitchen table or staking out various nooks to accomplish tasks on their laptops or tablets.

Mary Cook, founder of a Chicago-based commercial interior design firm, Mary Cook Associates, has experienced this challenge firsthand. She took the dining room table for her office in her suburban house; one of her three children claimed the sitting area in the parents’ suite, another picked the furnished basement, and the third chose a table in the family room. Fortunately, Cook’s husband is retired and so doesn’t need to compete for working space.

The finagling has made real estate professionals note the need for more functional, designated work-from-home solutions. This has led to the creation of home offices using two techniques: reconfiguring existing spaces or adding new square footage. These new home office designs vary in size and location—some near the main living space or bedrooms, others in basements or attics. There’s also the trend of outdoor accessory dwelling units if the plot size and local building codes permit them.

In addition, some new homes might soon offer multiple workspace options on different levels, says Jeff Benach, a principal of Lexington Homes, a Chicago-area homebuilder. For years, his firm’s plans have included a flexible space on the main level of their three-story townhome design that some homeowners use as an office.

“With the pandemic, more buyers—maybe 50% more—are interested in that plan because of the potential for having an office or e-learning space,” Benach says. “It’s become a bigger priority, and we’ll include it in more designs and communities.”

The company also offers options in other designs, including a lower-level finished space, a loft near bedrooms on an upper level, and a built-in desk with shelves at the top of a stairway.

Pyatt Builders, based in Carmel, Ind., regularly includes a flexible room in its 2,000-square-foot new homes, which the company is now emphasizing on social media and in its email blasts. “It can work as a home office or remote-learning classroom,” says Todd Pyatt, owner and president. Because of concerns around COVID-19 and more homeowners’ desire for private workspace, the company is considering including both a home office and a space designed with more flexibility in its 2021 construction projects, Pyatt says.

One of the country’s largest homebuilders, Los Angeles–based KB Home, recently redesigned some plans that include a fully outfitted home office.

“It’s the first time we’ve specifically offered a dedicated workspace with a range of options that provide an affordable work-from-home experience,” says Jeffrey Mezger, chairman, president, and CEO. The design features a built-in workstation with cabinet space, open shelving, and an upgraded electrical package. Home buyers can customize the space more with soundproofing, lighting, ceiling fans, window treatments—even with a beverage center, half-bath, and outdoor entry.

“The company will add options to meet clients’ evolving needs,” Mezger says. Two of the company’s California communities will introduce the concept, after which the option will be available nationally.

Recognizing the demand for private conversations, another homebuilder, Toll Brothers, based in Horsham, Penn., is developing matching home offices for couples.

Cook, who designs model homes for the company in several markets, says people tend to speak louder when they are on a call or in an online meeting than they do in person. She also points out that home offices work best with enough counter or desk space to spread out papers and set up equipment. Well-designed offices, she says, should be flexible enough to meet the needs of different family members at different times because most homes aren’t large enough to include a separate office for each person.

However, more important than size is creating a quiet space. Before the pandemic hit, KTGY Architecture + Planning used to design “home management center” desks in high traffic areas. Now the company is brainstorming how to close off those centers. Making a space that could be as small as a phone booth with a door would let residents take a call or have a Zoom meeting in private, says Jonathan Boriack, associate principal in the firm’s Oakland office. “It’s not a place where you’d work all day,” he says. His firm’s other solutions are to steal space from a laundry room, pantry, or hallway. “The challenge is to control noise,” he says.

The good news for homeowners who incorporate almost any variation of a home office is that they may be adding value to their home now and beyond. “Remote work is here to stay,” Boriack says.

The Stats

Despite some imperfect workspaces, 86% of North American workers who responded to a March 2020 survey from San Diego–based Global Workplace Analytics, a research and consulting firm, said they felt highly productive working from home, particularly because there were fewer interruptions than in their workplace offices. As the effects of the pandemic have lingered, many workers have been reluctant to return to offices and classrooms, and the work-from-home trend is expected to continue. In a survey from 451 Research, an advisory firm based in New York City, nearly 80% of employers say they’ve established or have expanded their work-from-home policies, and 67% expect those policies to remain in place. Three of the greatest predictors of work-from-home success are self-discipline, high quality remote collaboration, and well-being, according to Global Workplace Analytics.

National Association of REALTORS®
Reprinted with permission