Going forward, designers will be paying plenty of attention to surfaces, and those with at least some less of germ resistance will be more in demand, according to interior designer Alison Koch.

“I think cleanable surfaces will be at the forefront of designers' and clients' minds for the foreseeable future.” Popular flooring options will be LVT, cork, and ceramic tile.

 Is the future of homes germ-free? That's absolutely impossible. But how we live inside our current homes, the way we renovate, and build new ones will likely reflect our collective fear of another pandemic.

Koch predicts one positive effect of the pandemic could be new innovations in building materials. “I’d love to see new technology in counters and surfaces that hold less bacteria or are easier to clean for both commercial and residential applications.” Read more >