Creating the Perfect Quarantine Habitat

We are going to continue spending more time at home, so we wanted to give you a few tips and suggestions on how to productively and safely get the most out of all of your spaces!

In our last blog, we discussed how architecture and architects are racing against the clock to help better our current architecture safer during the current novel pandemic. We also touched on the fact that they are very needed to help create safe areas to care for and treat those who have contracted COVID-19. A team of architects was responsible for erecting the field hospital in Central Park, revisioning the Javits Convention Center for treatment facilities, and now they are focusing on creating safe spaces to recover and quarantine in. With another spike in cases here in the Lowcountry, more and more of us might be continuing to work from home, might have to quarantine away from our families, and might have to continue our children's education.

With so much up in the air, the home has become a network of important rooms and a haven from what could be lurking outside. One of the very first blogs we wrote as the pandemic became a reality for us was how to create a proper and productive at home office space. This is becoming much more than just a focus on the home office, attentions are now being turned to the house as a whole. We wanted to offer a few pieces of advice on how to go about creating a comfortable, safe, and spacious areas in your home and what to avoid if you're planning on improving your home.

(Start)

Start from the beginning, and start slow. You've spent a good amount of time at home since this has all started. What has become important to your daily routine and what do you need to be successful and happy in both your personal and professional settings? Do you need a place to work out? Do you need a place to read and write that's away from your workspace? Do you feel crowded in with your belongings or is your home a little too empty? Start with what you have. Play around with moving your furniture, and use objects in new ways than you could imagine to decorate with. Use bowls to display objects that you've had laying around, use your unused pitchers to display flowers, and get those antiques out of strange. Don't get rid of them before you experiment and see if they could be a unique addition to your style and space. On the other hand, if there is a lot of clutter than has been needing to go, now is the time to let it go. Get rid of unnecessary furniture and stuff that could be blocking a great potential area that you could repurpose or help your daily schedule flow better.

(If Walls Could Talk)

Take the next step in small changes with a coat of paint. It can freshen up a whole room, even if it's just a new coat of what is already on the walls. Don't be afraid to try new colors and don't limit your home to just one color. Each room could be a different color, you can play with accent walls, or even just paint certain doors or the trim of a room to make it pop or turn it into a whole new space. You can also continue with taking unique items and turning to your walls. If painting isn't what you want, use the time to highlight the artwork and pictures that you already have. Are their pieces you've collected over time and haven't gotten around to hang up? Have you not been sure if they will match your decor? What a perfect time to experiment with this! Don't leave your walls hanging, they're ready when you are! This is also a great opportunity to straighten your frames, replace what's keeping them on the walls, switch up what is hanging, and in what order they're hanging in.

(Comfort)

Accessorize your space in positive, comfortable, and very green ways. Making a space comfortable comes from what makes you comfortable. Do you need more pillows, more blankets, more books, or more candles to feel comfortable? Make the rooms you spend the most time in ones that you look forward to being in. Get excited about the little touches and additions you're making. Plants are a wonderful way to add a new texture, beauty, and a little fresh air into your home. If you live in a very dense city or don't feel particularly safe going out and about right now, bringing nature inside can bring a calming sense of peace to your home and your state of mind.

(Soap and Water)

Don't forget to start with a good clean, too. The pandemic did start right before many of us tend to naturally begin our spring cleanings. Once the pandemic hit, many of us put that on pause and retreated to the comfort of our desks, favorite chairs, or back porches. Take spring cleaning to the next level. Clean underneath all of your furniture. Clean items and places you wouldn't normally think about like your lampshades, picture frames, bookcases, and the inside of your cabinets. Care for and clean your baseboards, your unused china and serving dishes, and those beautiful cutting boards. There is a lot to say about caring for what you already have in your home before adding new pieces. More often than not, when you take a moment to clean in and around areas you've not touched in a while, you'll come across a surprise or two!

(Great Outdoors)

If you are lucky to have a safe outdoor space, use it to your advantage. Start at the beginning like you would inside your home. Clean it up and clean it out. Get rid of weeds, dangerous or pesky insects, and utilize the space you have. Designate different areas in your yard; places to play, relax, and grow. Create a relaxed and safe atmosphere that can be treated as an extension of your home. Adding a garden, raised garden beds, or unique and space-saving potted plants, vegetables, flowers, and herbs can be a huge game-changer. Experimenting with different sitting arrangments and sitting areas can be fun, too. Play with traditional chairs, pillows, carpets, or even a hammock. Water features, pools, and birdbaths can be an escape from the heat and a treat for your eyes. Experiment with outdoor cooking spaces, grilling areas, fire pits, or even an outdoor kitchen! Don't forget about adding a layer of lighting. Solar lights can come in all sizes and shapes, candles are always welcome, and string lights can create something magical. They can be the perfect little addition to your special sanctuary!

Have you been able to make changes, additions, upgrades to parts of your home? Have you discovered brand new ways to enjoy your home that you didn't think possible? We would love to hear from you! Comment below and share your stories! Stay safe, friends. We look forward to seeing you soon!