Pre-pandemic it was impressive kitchens with features like butler's pantries and bathrooms with spa baths that gave homes an edge in the market. In the age of Covid there is another room becoming essential on buyers' wish lists - a Zoom room.
KR Peters director Ian Harris says a large closed study at the entry to a home is fast becoming a must-have trend in house design.
"With a huge proportion of the workforce now working from home for parts of the day or week, having a fully enclosed 'sanctuary' to lock yourself away from the rest of the family is the latest necessity," Mr Harris said.
"Covid 19 and the rapid increase in online meetings and appointments have led to a rethink in the best way to orientate and position the often unused study/office in house designs gone by."
Mr Harris said home buyers want a study - be it a dedicated room or a corner nook - to be in a secluded part of the house away from the main hubs where children, partners and energetic pets can be found floating in and out creating noise and disturbance during work hours.
As the Zoom room is visible to work colleagues and management during virtual meetings, it is a space that needs to look professional with an attractive, organised background.
Mr Harris said feature walls, natural light, vibrant plants, colour coded books and sound proof plaster all add to the amenity of a Zoom room. In fact, in many an online meeting the decor becomes a key talking point with comments such as 'Oh, I love that feature wall you have behind you. What colour is that?'
Creating a Zoom room at home is easy. The Zoom Meetings software can be downloaded on a Mac or Windows desktop or laptop. Your computer will need to have a built-in camera and audio, but you can also purchase a quality webcam and a good microphone separately. Airpods, wireless headsets, or even a pair of wired mic-enabled headphones will enhance the experience. A reliable internet connection is crucial.
You can also access Zoom from your mobile phone or tablet simply by downloading the app on your device.
The phone or tablet alone will work; but again, you may wish to plug in to external headphones and microphone.
Mr Harris said study nooks have also become popular among parents wanting a dedicated space for children to do their homework away from the temptation of television, iPads and Playstations.
He advised vendors to look at ways to create an attractively decorated Zoom room before putting their property on the market and strongly encouraged those building a new home to include a dedicated study in their floor plan.
"These changes in the way people use their home are here to stay and Covid-19 has made us all rethink the way we use our homes and the changes we would love to make if we were to design a new home," he said.
"A Zoom room is a sure fire way to add value to your property."

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