What will the furniture of the future be like?

Our habits, as a society, are constantly changing. Especially with the birth of new generations that bring different ways of thinking, acting and living. Lifestyles change and, consequently, our homes change, also requiring adaptations in furniture. “The homes of the future will undoubtedly be technological, connected and sustainable”, says Beatriz Piunti, content creator at Spark:off Brasil - a consulting company on trends and innovation.

Scholars point out that, in the future, we will have five new types of homes. The first of these is defined as a “Virtual Home”. This idea is based on the rapid advancement of technological devices, which are revolutionizing the way people relate to each other. Generations born immersed in the digital world will have different definitions of family ties. Studies point to the emergence of “nomadic” tribes. In other words, people who do not want to put down roots in one place, but who remain constantly connected, giving rise to the concept of “Virtual Homes”.

“There has been a lot of talk about digital nomads, and with the rise of remote work, even for professionals who had never thought of working from home, there is a great opportunity to work from different corners of the world,” says architect Tiago Curioni. A virtual home tends to be a property that is, in most cases, rented, providing the flexibility to come and go, in a broad and easy way. Therefore, in the future, the furniture industry will need to think about items for homes that are used for short periods of time and that are easy to transport when moving. “The Elephant in a Box, for example, is a folding sofa that fits inside a box, designed specifically for consumers who move frequently,” says Jane Moo, a contributor at Spark:off. This piece of furniture can be assembled in five minutes and disassembled in less than two (without the need for tools).

“The furniture in these homes will be streamlined, lightweight, easy to transport and change the layout,” says Curioni. The architect also believes that there will be a strong demand for multifunctional furniture, such as a sofa where you can sleep, eat, work, watch TV, talk to family, entertain friends, read a book and, of course, all with full access to the necessary gadgets (inductive charging, plug-in or USB). This type of proposal reinforces the idea of ​​smaller spaces that require multifunctional items to be better utilized.

Another housing concept that scholars in the field are betting on is “Temple Houses”. Coming from the need that people have increasingly felt to connect with nature, these spaces will become a trend. “In a post-pandemic scenario, we cannot think about the future of living without taking into account the recovery of contact with nature through green areas, waterfalls, textured soils and vertical gardens”, highlights Beatriz. For her, sustainability is no longer a characteristic applied to solve specific problems or to add value to homes. Care has become a prerequisite that in many realities is already the basis for the planning, construction and operation of homes.

“It is a fact that making the home the most pleasant environment possible is an almost vital necessity for life to continue at a desirable level of normality. The Casa Templo is individual and disconnected from any value judgment that can be made or measured, as each person creates in their own way”, explains Curioni. Another important point for the residents of these homes is lighting. According to Beatriz Piunti and Jane Moo from Spark:off, contact with natural light is increasingly scarce in urban centers and the more technology penetrates people’s lives, the more they seek authenticity and communion with nature. “The quality and quantity of natural light is one of the factors that most contributes to bringing a sense of well-being inside a space”, says Jane.

Smart gardening solutions are already being developed to meet the needs of residents of this style of housing. “The American brands Gardyn and Rise Gardens have created vertical gardens aimed at busy urban residents. Users only need to add water when prompted, and can choose between different fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers to grow,” says Jane Moo.

In addition to this movement to seek greater contact with nature, another strong housing possibility for the new generations is coliving. This concept brings the idea that, in the future, we may have more than one family living in the same house. “Public houses are made up of people who value the exchange of experiences, embracing the shared economy, which for many will be an escape to save money on housing,” says Beatriz. And, according to her, this trend is closer to being realized than we imagine. “Nowadays, there are already apps like Nesterly, which connects seniors with young people for a home-sharing service,” says the Spark:off collaborator. The idea of ​​the platform is to help young people who are looking for cheaper rent, in addition to promoting new friendships and connections with different generations.

For Curioni, if these housing centers for groups of people are to prevail, “furniture should follow the metric of robustness, ease of cleaning and maintenance, and the ability to perform more than one function.” The architect’s bet on trends for furnishing these homes includes so-called nomadic furniture, which can be taken from the kitchen to the living room, and from the living room to the bedroom. “In this case, high-tech synthetic materials capable of withstanding heavy use and different demands will be necessary,” believes the specialist. “We are talking here about fabrics capable of stretching without deformation, or foams for indoor and outdoor use, without visual differentiation, metals with alloys that withstand different weather conditions, scratch-resistant, fire-resistant or crack-resistant synthetic stones and woods,” he adds.

Beatriz cites other examples of furniture for shared homes: Sharepool and Delaktig. The first is a multi-tasker on wheels that combines a stove, refrigerator and microwave in a single piece, and also comes with an app that allows users to rent and share its features. Ikea’s Delaktig is an adaptable piece of furniture that meets the needs of different consumer lifestyles and family compositions. “The structure can become an armchair, sofa or chaise longue and can be equipped with various attachments, including a side table and a lamp,” adds the Spark:off collaborator.

In contrast to coliving, there are independent singletowns, people who prefer to live alone, not because they are lonely, but because they seek the freedom to do whatever they want, whenever they feel like it. For Jane Moo, most people who live alone do not consider a large apartment as a priority for them. Therefore, knowing how to make the most of the smallest spaces in the house is an important point for this group. “A technology startup from the United States, Ori, has launched a line of robotic furniture that can adapt to various configurations, such as transforming a bedroom into a work area at the touch of a button or suspending a bed above a living area when not in use, with the intention of optimizing smaller residential spaces,” highlights Jane. She also believes that a strong trend in singletowns will be the use of the ceiling as a fifth wall. “San Francisco startup Bumblebee Space has created a smart storage system for compact living, with furniture and belongings hidden inside ceiling boxes, which can be raised and lowered by touching an electronic device or using voice commands,” explains Jane.

Architect Tiago Curioni also thinks like the expert. “It can be assumed that highly customizable products capable of meeting the highest user demands will be used to furnish single towns.” According to him, “it is possible to assume that brands of exclusive products, with limited runs and even that keep the identity of their customers confidential, will emerge more frequently to meet unique and even unimaginable demands.”

Finally, Paulo Escrivano, New Business Manager at Spark:off Brazil, suggests another housing trend of the future: multigenerational homes. According to him, these will be properties designed for people from different generations who choose to live in the same space. “The great advantage of living in a multigenerational home is the possibility of family life, where no member has restrictions or their privacy invaded, but for this to happen, the needs and lifestyle of each resident must be respected.” The idea of ​​these homes will be based on functionality and democracy, so that each environment will be adapted to mitigate the natural differences between generations. “Jonathan Wolf Architects, based in London, is developing extraordinary homes in Europe and Africa that provide a new design for multigenerational living. It’s all about creating connections to varying degrees,” comments Escrivano. “To a certain extent, it’s like the idea of ​​a tenant, it’s about figuring out where you want to behave in a community, and where you don’t,” he adds.

And anyone who thinks that these changes in people’s way of living will take a long time to become a reality is mistaken. “The changes are already happening and new living concepts are already being incorporated by architects, designers and engineers who are connected with the consumer of the future,” says Escrivano. For him, the explanation for these accelerated changes lies in the global Covid-19 crisis that encouraged home office and, consequently, redefined the way homes are used. “Total flexibility is now a key factor for furniture, appliances and architecture and there is a great opportunity for brands to achieve the balance between multifunctionality and ease of use, without sacrificing simplicity,” reiterates the New Business Manager. Curioni believes that the secret of the furniture of the future will be in the mix of superior quality raw materials and high-tech manufacturing solutions. “In addition, it is necessary to ensure that these products are presented virtually and delivered globally in a short space of time,” concludes the architect.