The Age Of Nesting: New Report Explores Long-Term Impact Of Global Lockdowns On The Home

Months of 24/7 occupation have fundamentally transformed the role of the home
Consumers’ collective concerns about hygiene, wellbeing and immunity will continue to influence how we live
Homes will adapt to become ‘blended spaces’, able to fluidly facilitate different kinds of work, rest, recuperation and play

“The Age of Nesting”, a new report released by Beko, Europe’s leading home appliance brand, in collaboration with The Future Laboratory, explores the long-term impact of Covid-19 on the home.

Pre-pandemic, we existed in an era of Hyper Visibility – where presenteeism, non-stop scrolling and a focus on the ‘experience economy’ dominated our attention and our eyelines.

Under lockdown our attention turned inwards. The home became a workspace, school, gym, restaurant, hospital and even holiday home; forcing people to undertake all areas of their once external lives within the home space. The report forecasts that this shift towards a more local, internally focused mindset is set to remain, heralding a new Age of Nesting.

“The outbreak of Covid-19 turned public spaces into no-go zones and forced residents around the world to suddenly retreat into their apartments and houses. As a result, the way in which we use our homes has undergone a significant transformation,” stated the report.

As a result, a shift to homeworking, a boom in at home entertainment and domestic wellness are just three emergent trends that have been realised overnight; and by 2030, the Age of Nesting will be in full flow. The legacy of lockdown, combined with new behavioural shifts, will have fundamentally transformed where we live, how we live, and the homes we live in:

Rurban Revolution – an increased focus on health, hygiene and recuperative living will lead to an urban exodus that will reboot the suburbs, exurbs and rural areas, while providing cities with an opportunity to become more human-centric. Young people who were previously drawn to cities are finding that high rents, relatively low salaries and the impact of city life is having a detrimental effect on health, leading to Millennial and Generation Z Nesters looking to rural and city-adjacent areas for better physical and emotional wellbeing.
Multi-modal Properties – the home will adapt to become a ‘blended space’, able to fluidly facilitate different kinds of work, rest, recuperation and play. Whether in re-imagined mega-cities or rurban hubs, Generation Nesters’ reliance on the home will lead to space utilisation and functionality placed at the top of the agenda.

‘Community is making a comeback in a big way, and this will continue as we see the rise of working near home, as well as working from home. Today, co-working spaces like WeWork occupy central city locations, but we’ll see the rise of community hubs that are multi-functional, offering for example spaces for art projects and support to the elderly, as well as a mobile workforce’

Pandemic-proof Living – consumers’ collective concerns about hygiene, wellbeing and immunity will persist and shape the younger generation, with the home of the future viewed as a pandemic-proof space and hyper-hygienic, super-sustainable innovations coming to the fore. Home innovations are being designed to reduce exposure to viruses and pollutants and to maximise personal hygiene. Just like the vanity room – a place to wash your hands when entering the home which developed in the wake of the Spanish flu – houses will have entrances where decontamination can take place as you move from the outside world to your inner sanctuary.

Hakan Bulgurlu, CEO of Arçelik, Beko’s parent company, said: “The past nine months have changed our lives forever, and businesses and governments have an important role to play to help us adapt to this new world order. The home in particular will undergo a radical shift, as we rethink where and how we live and look for solutions that reflect increasing concerns over hygiene, sustainability and wellness. This report outlines the trends we can expect to see over the next ten years, and some of the innovations that will help us tackle today’s biggest problems.”

Chris Sanderson, co-founder of The Future Laboratory said: “Now, more than ever, brands and organisations must be prepared for a future in which they help humankind to feel secure, supported and inspired. If businesses aren’t prepared for this, in many ways they deserve to become the casualties of a new paradigm shift in how we broker the way we live, work and play.”

Months of 24/7 occupation have fundamentally transformed the role of the home
Consumers’ collective concerns about hygiene, wellbeing and immunity will continue to influence how we live
Homes will adapt to become ‘blended spaces’, able to fluidly facilitate different kinds of work, rest, recuperation and play

“The Age of Nesting”, a new report released by Beko, Europe’s leading home appliance brand, in collaboration with The Future Laboratory, explores the long-term impact of Covid-19 on the home.

Pre-pandemic, we existed in an era of Hyper Visibility – where presenteeism, non-stop scrolling and a focus on the ‘experience economy’ dominated our attention and our eyelines.

Rurban Revolution – an increased focus on health, hygiene and recuperative living will lead to an urban exodus that will reboot the suburbs, exurbs and rural areas, while providing cities with an opportunity to become more human-centric. Young people who were previously drawn to cities are finding that high rents, relatively low salaries and the impact of city life is having a detrimental effect on health, leading to Millennial and Generation Z Nesters looking to rural and city-adjacent areas for better physical and emotional wellbeing.
Multi-modal Properties – the home will adapt to become a ‘blended space’, able to fluidly facilitate different kinds of work, rest, recuperation and play. Whether in re-imagined mega-cities or rurban hubs, Generation Nesters’ reliance on the home will lead to space utilisation and functionality placed at the top of the agenda.

Pandemic-proof Living – consumers’ collective concerns about hygiene, wellbeing and immunity will persist and shape the younger generation, with the home of the future viewed as a pandemic-proof space and hyper-hygienic, super-sustainable innovations coming to the fore. Home innovations are being designed to reduce exposure to viruses and pollutants and to maximise personal hygiene. Just like the vanity room – a place to wash your hands when entering the home which developed in the wake of the Spanish flu – houses will have entrances where decontamination can take place as you move from the outside world to your inner sanctuary.