In the News

Between offices transitioning to remote work and schools finishing the semester online, COVID-19 had a big effect on home design trends in 2020. The Tim O’Brien Homes design team has been tracking these changes and compiling comments from our customers to better suit our buyers moving forward. 

Overall, the pandemic left buyers wanting more. That means more room to work, more room to play and more room to live comfortably without feeling cooped up at home. 

#1 Request: Home Offices

The kitchen table just doesn’t cut it anymore when you work from home every day. This left many homeowners scrambling to clear a space in their home for a desk, a chair and a neutral background for conference calls without distraction. 

A flexible space like an extra bedroom is the perfect solution allowing you to optimize it as a home office as long as you need or keep it as a permanent solution for quiet homework and hobby time. 

#2 Request: Storage Space

Stocking up on essentials seemed like a great idea to cut down on grocery trips. However, many families returned home to realize their home isn’t really optimized for a bulk supply of toilet paper and non-perishables. 

Walk-in pantries and bigger hall closets can keep your family organized without disrupting the daily routine or hiding the go-to snacks in the back of a dark kitchen cabinet. 

#3 Request: Room for Family

The last few months have been especially difficult for families kept apart due to health concerns and social distancing. Naturally, distance has made the heart grow fonder in many scenarios and made people think about how to best take care of each other moving forward. 

The housing market was already on a path toward more multigenerational offerings and, according to a 2018 study by The Pew Research Center, 64 million Americans are already living this way. That is 20 percent of the population and the highest level since 1950.

#4 Request: Healthier Homes

Between diseases and seasonal allergies, there are a lot of threats we think about outside our homes. But have you considered what follows you inside? 

Studies show that indoor air is up to five times more polluted than the air outside because those elements mix with pet dander, dust, hair and cooking fumes we produce every day. Tim O’Brien Homes combats this with green building techniques that save money on energy bills and ensure your family is breathing cleaner air.

If you are ready for an upgrade to a home that fits your needs, contact us to set up a private in-person or virtual tour of one of our model homes.