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While today’s homes no longer have sleeping porches, they often have decks and balconies. In my 2019 year-end forecast, I predicted that in 2020, we would start to see a wider application of European-styled retractable glass panel systems to make balconies more useable year-round.
COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the benefits of having a balcony. Over the coming year, expect to see even more municipalities allowing retractable glass panels on balconies, decks, and patios to make them more functional throughout the year.
The 1918 flu pandemic introduced the ‘powder room’ in houses to keep guests away from other bathrooms. It also transformed bathroom designs. Shiny white seats replaced wooden toilet seats. Pedestal sinks, built-in bathtubs, and white subway tiles were introduced to minimize the spread of germs.
Around the same time, the famous French-Swiss architect Le Corbusier urged people to strip their homes of needless clutter, eliminate carpets and heavy furniture, and keep the floors and walls clear. He envisioned a city where every home was whitewashed, and “there are no more dirty, dark corners.”
Even before COVID-19, an increasing number of Metro Vancouver multi-family developments began offering clean, white interiors and exteriors. However, most spec-built, single-family homes often seemed to belong to another era and place.
In the coming year, I will be interested to see if some single-family homebuilders replace their traditional Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian house designs with cleaner, more modern designs.
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