Here's why green spaces and high-tech amenities are necessities not luxuries for homeowners and property investors in the new normal
“Home, is where I want to be. But I guess I'm already there.” This song by Talking Heads perfectly encapsulates how much home owners are prioritising personalisation of their home, says Robert Brodeth, associate director for architecture at Ong&Ong. Some amount of personalisation is part of any homeowner’s plans, “but the pandemic did play a massive role by giving people the time to consider how much more they can personalise their home as well as the opportunity to address it”, he adds.
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The pandemic has also increased awareness for wellness. Greenery and comfort are boxes that need to be ticked even more now for homeowners—and not just for aesthetic reasons, but from the standpoint of a need to connect with greenery, according to Kelvin Gan, design director of KGID. “Some even use balconies to convert as home office or study areas. Bringing in greenery is definitely a must, to destress,” he says adding that such arrangements also lend to the ambience when it comes to Zoom backgrounds.
“During the Circuit Breaker period, it was interesting to see specific trends like gardening and urban farming taking off,” observes Dora Chng, general manager (residential) at GuocoLand. “While easing of restrictions on dining and socialising has helped to support mental wellness, our penchant for greenery seems to be continuing.”
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