Home Classrooms: Another Pandemic-Related Home Innovation

Homeowners have added a number of spaces to their residences that would have seem completely superfluous prior to the COVID-19 pandemic: the home office, the home gym, the extra bedroom for family members moving in, even “cleaning stations” where those concerned about the virus can remove potentially contaminated garments and scrub their hands before entering the main residence. To these areas we can now add another space: the home classroom.

Many homeowners – noting that much as they need designated spaces for and exercise, so too do their children need their own areas for learning and schoolwork – have opted to create these spaces in their residences. Indeed, as school districts across the US wrestle with mask mandates and the safety of classroom instruction, and as interest in home-based learning rises, it is expected that increasing numbers of home builders and home owners will create these spaces to make homes more suitable for families.

This increase in interest in home classrooms is expected to boost demand for a wide range of building and construction materials, such as:

• shelving, cabinetry, and home organization systems to store school supplies when not in use
• furnishings, such as desks and chairs, to outfit these areas
• drywall and lumber to create interior walls and other partitions to create separate areas for learning and instruction
• paint, especially vibrant hues to create a more lively appearance

For more information and discussion of opportunities, see The Freedonia Group’s extensive collection of off-the-shelf research, particularly in the Construction and Building Products. Freedonia Custom Research is also available for questions requiring tailored market intelligence.