Parade of Homes

Photos courtesy of Hiddenbed & IKEA Canada Dedicated spaces for business or pleasure Cont'd on page 114 >> WITH MUCH OF THE POPULATION still sheltering at home — having re-located their work, school and even child-care settings as a result of health directives prompted by COVID-19 — it's no surprise our residences' primary function has changed drastically to reflect the new normal. Nowhere is that change more evident than in the rising need for dedicated home office spaces — a few years ago, a relatively unimportant luxury, but these days, top of mind for home buyers whose return-to-work plans remain up in the air. Ask anyone who's tried logging a full day from a hastily assembled kitchen table set-up — or lugged their computer from room to room looking for an uncluttered background for video calls — and it's easy to see how the rising demand for new, work-friendly homes has led to a busy season in the Manitoba housing market. "It has never been more important to have functional spaces in your home," says Colleen Chaput, marketing manager for Kensington Homes and Foxridge Homes (both Qualico companies). "Some families have been home together … for the past six months. Work and play are now in the same place, which can be a challenge for a lot of families. The need and desire for more privacy with separate desk and play spaces — like second-floor lofts and office spaces — has increased tremendously." Chaput says sales representatives have already seen an uptick in requests for home plans that can accommodate an office, with some individuals looking specifically for main-floor spaces with exterior windows. Prior to the pandemic, many Kensington and Foxridge homes already included flex rooms that could easily be converted to studies, playrooms or even music rooms. They currently boast more than a dozen home plans that can accommodate a main-floor office, and several more that include a loft, which can be converted to a home office with a view. "As workplace mentalities shift and organizations decrease the size of their office spaces or add space between their employees, people will have more freedom to work from home," says Chaput. "We believe that our clients will need a dedicated space to work or run their business from for the foreseeable future — maybe forever." SALES REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ALREADY SEEN AN UPTICK IN REQUESTS FOR HOME PLANS THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE AN OFFICE, WITH SOME INDIVIDUALS LOOKING SPECIFICALLY FOR MAIN-FLOOR SPACES WITH EXTERIOR WINDOWS. IKEA ALEX DESK Parade of Homes Fall 2020 113

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