It’s no secret that 2020 forced us all to look at our homes in a different way, the pandemic kept us at home with kitchen tables becoming schooling desks, living rooms became office spaces and home offices became long term places of work! The knock-on effect of Coronavirus has made us adapt and turn our home spaces into multifunctional spaces for work, rest and play.
One area of the home that has seen much activity and set to continue in 2021 is the development or redesign of rear spaces upon properties, such as kitchens and traditional dining rooms. These areas are perfect for combining outdoor space with indoors to provide multifunctional areas, often open plan and full of natural light.
To achieve the goal of bringing the outside in and vice versa, glass is often the ‘go to’ choice given its’ obvious opacity benefits. In 2021 we will see further use of glass partitioning within our builds and renovations. Seamless glass sliding doors systems are set to be bang on trend again in 2021, they are ideal for creating unimposing partitions and light filled interior spaces. ONLEVEL witnessed an increasing demand in 2020 for Banana Slide, their sleek glass sliding door system with its clean lines and a minimal appearance.
The British weather will no doubt bring an equal measure of sunshine and showers this summer, but we don’t see this stopping the need for relaxing outdoor environments, decked areas and alfresco living! Given the unpredictable British weather it’s no surprise that our outdoor spaces will see greater demand for glass screens and balustrading to reduce the severity of the wind and rain. Glass windscreens and frameless glass balustrading will no doubt be a popular choice for those wishing to create a relaxing and refreshing outdoor spaces without compromising on light and the benefits of the outdoors.
As traditional older decked areas become subject to the incumbent British weather, 2021 is likely to see an increase in the need for new and more resilient decking. ONLEVEL recently launched DEKTEK a fully non-combustible aluminium decking system. The A2 fire rated aluminium decking system features non-combustible deck boards, subframe and adjustable cradles. DEKTEK has been designed to replace frequently used non-fire rated products to provide peace of mind, better performance, and easier installation.
For those in apartments or above ground living spaces balconies have become such vital areas of the home to take in fresh air and natural light. It’s no secret that glass balustrading, whether frameless or a post system, have been extremely popular and ever present for some time. The demand for frameless glass balustrading with its clean lines and minimal disruption on the eye is set to continue in 2021, showing no signs of abating.
Interior spaces above and beyond ground level don’t always have the luxury of a balcony or veranda type space. Many homeowners in their need to convert bedrooms and living spaces into fitness or working spaces are choosing to maximise the flow of natural light into via slimline glass Juliet balcony screens.
The term ‘Juliet balcony’ can be misleading as typically there is no balcony to step onto, it is essentially a screen (or railings/iron work if not glass) across the window or door opening. Glass Juliet balcony systems are perfect for providing an unobtrusive barrier, to let in natural light and air without concerns about open windows or doors. In 2021 the demand for Juliet balcony systems is set to continue with the emphasis being on slimline glass systems that don’t impose on the buildings overall aesthetic appeal.
ONLEVEL’s SKYFORCE Juliet balcony system has been leading the way for some time, not just because of its unobtrusive minimal look. It’s a big hit with installers due to its simplicity and ease of installation.