The pandemic shifted people’s priorities when it comes to the home, with quality and comfort winning over proximity to city centres and offices. Yet while some are abandoning built-up hubs, older people are laying claim to urban living, and as the world reopens, workers are looking to stake a claim in reimagined metropolitan spaces. Ways of searching for homes and renovating domestic environments are evolving into the digital world, and people are looking for support and flexibility with how, where, and when they put down roots.

Gen Yers, or Generation Rent, have had a hard time getting on the property ladder but they’re increasingly pooling resources to buy homes with friends and partners. A mix of burdensome debt, soaring house prices, and a non-conformist attitude has led to a generational embrace of co-ownership.

Fed up of flat-shares but struggling to get a foot on the property ladder, 'micro-flats' are growing in popularity among young urbanites. With the average UK apartment size shrinking but the desire for seamless comfort on the rise, interest in smart design for compact spaces is set to grow.

What’s driving people to make big changes to their living arrangements? Why is plant care being embedded into daily domestic routines? What new roles are emerging as family dynamics diversify? And how are people crafting more meaningful connections both online and off?