A study by Money.co.uk found that 77% of UK homeowners spent money on changing or improving their properties last year - a lockdown-triggered trend which is looking likely to continue throughout 2022.
Home Office
With so many of us now adopting some form of hybrid working scheme, the once novel work-from-home lifestyle is now a permanent reality. So, if you’ve managed to hold back from investing in your home office so far, this might be the year to take the plunge.
Finding the perfect balance between practicality and style is essential when creating a space to motivate and inspire you throughout the working day. Our Ruark MR1 does exactly that, combining high-level audio and connectivity with a sophisticated, and crucially compact design which doesn’t crowd the desk space. Whether you’re a radio lover, podcast fanatic or classical music aficionado, the MR1 offers unrivalled sound clarity to complement your WFH listening habits. And one thing’s for sure – you’ll never want to take a Zoom call through your computer’s speakers again.
Outdoor Living
The Money.co.uk survey also found that in 2021, one in five UK homeowners spent the majority of their home improvement money on gardens. As a retreat from the many hours spent inside over the past two years, gardens have become sanctuaries for wellbeing – a place to plant, relax and even work out.
In 2022, we’ll see the demand for garden rooms continue to rise, blurring the lines between indoor and out by extending the boundaries of the traditional living area. New structures such as log cabins and garden pods are also set to expect sustained growth – an area we’re pretty familiar with having supplied the ever-versatile MR1 to all Hot Pod Yoga Studios for the past three years.
We love the idea of investing in garden spaces and believe our products can help renovators when creating the perfect atmosphere for their outside havens. Many might associate outdoor listening with small, tinny speakers, which is simply not the case; our Bluetooth R1 radio offers exquisite audio quality whatever the location, and is designed with a stylish wooden grille to blend with any chic outdoor area. With the addition of the new BackPack 3 battery pack, the R1 Mk4 can offer users up to twelve hours of portable listening – perfect for those long summer evenings alfresco.
Entertaining Spaces
Throughout the Pandemic, people picked up home-orientated skills such as cooking, baking and cocktail-making. While the banana bread phase stayed firmly in 2020, many of these learned skills are continuing to influence various micro-trends within the interiors industry today.
For example, home bars and drink trolleys are still on the rise, with homemakers now looking to kit out their entertaining spaces for social occasions. And the perfect accompaniment to any drinks party? You guessed it. Our evening speaker of choice is the R5 - the multi-room-ready system which produces powerful, class-leading audio with enhanced stereo sound. Guaranteed to get the party started, every time.
