It’s no secret that many office spaces are empty these days. While many are relegated to working from home, most are also saving money by not commuting, using their vehicles less and taking fewer vacations. Due to restaurant closures, people are also eating out less and cooking more. Given all of the areas that people are saving money it begs the question as to where all the money is going?
Look around and you will see that home sales in rural areas are way up as people move into larger homes where their money goes a little further. They no longer worry about long commutes or even child care since many kids are home and handling schooling remotely. Home improvements are happening at a furious pace as people look to add fitness centers, home theatres and new kitchens. At present, IKEA reports that most of their stores are sold out of their popular and affordable kitchen cabinets.
As we contemplate a future where people go into a physical office space less and less, the Design community contemplates how to best adapt to an environment that is highly personal, residential and bought online. Here are a few ideas as to how the Design Community can stay relevant at a time when there is a lot of uncertainty.
1- Know your supply chain. There is currently a lot of disruption when it comes to sourcing materials and products such as cabinets, lumber, tile, lighting and furniture. Stay in touch with your product representatives and understand where all the demand is coming from. If you follow the demand you can also market to the demand appropriately. Larger construction firms and showrooms are probably good sources of referrals.
2- Now’s the time to make something. Whether you’ve had ideas about a line of wallcovering or a new chair, there has never been a better time to launch a collection of your own. Given that the internet is the great equalizer, physical showrooms and decades of history seem less important than if you have product to sell and it’s ready to ship. Any person who uses Amazon can tell you that often you buy the item you can get the quickest (provided it has reasonably good ratings!).
3- Be Your Own Boss. Lots of contractors are making a killing flipping houses or raising money to speculatively develop to current demand. So why can’t you do the same? Now might be the right time to buy a fixer up and put your skills to use. Given the turnover in the housing market anything you fixup is likely to sell and sell quickly.
4- Help your corporate clients re-position their spaces. If you have clients who are stuck with office space, why not help them find a good use for it. Whether you can convert it into co-working space or re-arrange it for greater functionality many renters will have to figure out what to do with all their space in the coming years.
5- Network locally. A lot of wealth has been created by this pandemic. While it’s true many businesses are struggling there seem to be just as many who have benefitted. Go into a local bicycle store and you will find that they can’t keep any inventory in stock. It is also true that companies that are doing well are also looking to extend their gains into the future. Perhaps that small market is expanding into the adjacent storefront or the local butcher needs a second location.
The simple truth is that a creative person can be creative anywhere so why not change your reference point and start looking at new opportunities that have been created by a resurgence in residential neighborhoods. While no one knows what the future will hold, it is fairly clear that most workers are not exactly rushing back to their offices. That being the case, start networking around the areas you live and you will likely see that there is work to be done right in your backyard.