How the pandemic is continuing to influence trends

It’s been quite the couple of years. Life inside your home has most likely shifted dramatically since the pandemic took hold. Every single Canadian has spent more time in their homes than they ever planned. With the shift to working from home and the lack of opportunity to go other places, our homes have become where many of us exclusively eat, sleep, work, and play.

Trends come from what we’re going through at a particular time. They are a portrait of the needs of consumers based on shifting preferences, and experiences. The pandemic has triggered a variety of trends in design and layout inside homes across Canada as people look to simplify, beautify, and optimize their livable space.

The shift to how we use our homes has triggered a shift in how we want to live in them. There is an increased focus today on how to make life at home more comfortable and enjoyable. Homeowners in 2022 want to simplify their surroundings and make their space more livable.

Homes aren’t just where we sleep, eat and entertain anymore. Now they often also need to be office space. This significant shift in how we use our homes has required us to rethink the need for privacy and noise control in spaces throughout our homes. People working from home want a nice inviting office. This has led to the creation of multi-functional rooms – office by day, bedroom at night.

While we are all spending more time in our houses, we are becoming increasingly aware of the impact our everyday life has on our energy bills. This reality has encouraged people to make more sustainable, eco-friendly choices to control the energy efficiency of their homes. Trends going into 2022, have put added pressure on us to pay close attention to the efficiency of our windows to limit heat loss and save money. People are increasingly selecting larger windows, which challenge the energy efficiency of a home. We follow trends closely to make sure we are meeting and exceeding the expectation for beauty, quality, and efficiency and adhering to ENERGY STAR^® standards.

Sustainability and efficiency, while being a heavy focus going into this year, is not a new trend in Canadian design. There has been, in recent years, growing demand for mindful consumption -energy efficiency that protects both the cost of heating and cooling homes as well as the planet. Homeowners are no longer just buying windows and doors. They are buying ethical, green, energy-efficient, locally sourced, and built with pre-consumer recycled materials products that are consistent with their values. Mindful consumption will be a growing trend into 2022 – people are increasingly looking at where and how their windows and doors are made. Where does a product come from? Is the company ethical? Are they eco-friendly and use recycled materials? All of these things matter to today’s consumers.

There is also a notable shift in choices that reflect a desire for calm and a reflection of hope. This means a greater focus on calm decors, curves, and bringing nature indoors by selecting large windows or doors that maximize views of the outdoors. People want light to come in and to feel inspired by natural beauty. They want to see greenery and life.

Understanding the value natural light provides to our mental health has become increasingly important and valuable. This means larger windows and doors and unobstructed views from windows that are not overdressed.  This reflects the growing trend and need to connect with nature.

If you’ve driven by a newly built neighborhood, chances are they have black exterior windows and doors. Go inside and you’ll see the same look. Windows will often have black grids, not necessarily in a grid, but often as just black horizontal lines. This trend is growing in popularity and is sure to continue to be a preference for many Canadian homeowners and developers well into this year.

Black is back for 2022 but there’s a new colour gaining popularity. 2022 is bringing a bit of a twist to this trend towards dark windows and doors. Keep an eye out for slate grey, which is on track to become a far more prolific choice for windows and doors as the year progresses.

Green is also going to be a growing trend into 2022. Designers have coined ‘Silver Green’ (a greyish green) as this year’s colour of the year, keeping with the idea that people want the feeling of having nature indoors.

There is a growing trend towards biophilia – a need for some people to interact or be close to other forms of life found in nature, be it plants or animals. Natural materials, like stone, and wood will be more commonly featured in homes in the coming year as people make choices rooted in their connection to nature and the environment. The environment is a concern to these consumers, who place importance on selecting eco-friendly and energy-efficient products.

Modern history – minimalism mixed with maximalist – will influence design into 2022 as people look for clean lines. You’ll see more horizontal lines in the preferred designs for windows and doors, with a hint of historical or antique influence. Moldings on doors that look ‘vintage’ are becoming more popular, as are colours that are rich and deep.

Wallpaper is making a comeback, as the mix of modern and traditional styling join forces to create a beautiful new look and feel to a space. Traditional elements are paired with clean lines, subtle curves, geometric patterns, and white space to bring a mix of old and new together to create subdued glamour.

People are really looking to make their spaces defined to reflect their own tastes and styles. This kind of personalization has led to a resurgence of geometric shapes for windows. We are increasingly seeing little geometric shapes being used for windows to make a room truly unique. A small circle, oval, or even an octagon beside a door is not uncommon in 2022. People are having fun with it, adding personality to a home, and adding value by making the house special.

Making a house uniquely yours means you get to have fun with it! Take out that wall and put in a funky interior door in its place. Retractable doors, double doors, or stile and rail with a light natural wood finish are all ways you can customize your space with a unique design, textures, and colour choices.

People are also creating zones in their homes – adapting it to what that person who is spending time in there wants to have. You’ll see more 70s, 80s, and even 90s influence, as we see the return of retro stylings and upcycling.

We are constantly innovating to bring you a wider variety of windows and doors that meet the changing expectations of our customers.

To help with your next project, we’ve tapped into our deep knowledge of local building codes and efficiency standards to develop an online visualization calculator. You will not only understand the energy efficiency of your current windows, but you also will evaluate the advantages of the most efficient windows like Norther Tri-Pane collection™,calculate the energy savings, and total federal and provincial purchase rebates.

We know how you live in your home is constantly evolving. Browse the wide variety of JELD-WEN products, such as windows, exterior doors, and interior doors that could inspire you and help make your house a home.