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2020: Monthly Home Decor and Renovation Articles to Check Out
By Christine Simard
Updated on November 7, 2023
We finally made it and reached the end of December, the final month of the year 2020. Now, as much as things won’t magically fix themselves on December 31st at 11:59 pm, there’s a sort of comfort knowing we’re finally closing the chapter on what was this long and exhausting year and moving on with our lives.
If you’ve been an avid follower of our series about the best articles on renovation, design and decor found on the internet every month, you probably noticed we missed November. This is because we decided to bring you a complete recap of the year, month by month, of the best articles we could find for each of them!
Narrowing down such a thing proved to be a demanding task, but if you’re an interior design lover just like me, you know all this research and reading proved to be worth it. So without further ado, here are the best articles I could find about renovation, interior design and decor for the entire year of 2020!
2020: Monthly Home Decor and Renovation Articles to Check Out
1. January: Revisiting the year before switching to a new decade
I decided to include an article about 2019 in this list because, in my opinion, a look back on some of the biggest home decor trends for the final year of an entire decade is something big. Trends change faster than seasons and this is also valid when we talk about interior design.
Here is what my favourite architecture and design blog had to say about 2019 and what 2020 predicted for us!
To read the full article, head on here.
Bonus article: Learn more about how the Netherlands uses amazing architecture to feed the rest of the world, being the second-biggest exporter of agricultural goods in the world (which is a lot of responsibility to carry for a single country!).
Source: Dezeen
2. February: Eastern townships family retreat is a dream come true
Tucked away in Quebec’s eastern townships is this family home, imagined by couple Lucy Riddell and Katherine Nikidis. Built with the help of their son’s friend François Abbott, who was a recent graduate of Dalhousie School of Architecture in Halifax, this house is what every minimalist lover’s dreams are made of.
To see more of the beautiful home, head to Remodelista’s article here.
Bonus article: The team of Remodelista also shares 15 tips on how to incorporate marble scraps in your decor, bringing luxury to your decor on a budget.
Source: Remodelista
3. March: How the city of Austin in Texas chose to tackle homelessness
In a city facing rapid growth in homelessness (about a 13% increase since the 2015 numbers), the task of finding a solution for the issue quickly fell into the arms of nonprofits, after both the mayor of Austin and the governor of Texas failed to conclude the matter.
This is where Community First! Village comes in, offering over 51-acre of affordable housing and safety to the homeless community of the municipality. The tiny homes were built with the help of local architecture firms, with some of them offering their services pro-bono.
To learn more about this fascinating project, head over here!
Source: Dwell
4. April: This amazing rammed earth hospital bringing affordable medical care to rural Nepal
Just like our previous article, the focus here is about caring for your community and this is just what the new Bayalpata Hospital, located on a hilltop in Nepal, is set to provide. With a goal of serving more than 100,000 patients a year for its surrounding areas, it’s set to provide low-cost and high-quality care to these small rural areas.
Even more fascinating with this project is the impeccable and interesting architecture of the building, made out of rammed earth.
To discover more about the hospital and its architecture, head over to Inhabitat's article.
Source: Inhabitat
5. May: Ray Eames, the woman behind the famous design name
Now, this is an article that caught my attention very quickly as I am a big Eames fan. What I’m even more a fan of is learning about the many women who, back in these times, sadly often stood in their husband’s shadow.
Learning about Ray Eames and the impact she had on the famous household name only after her death in 1988 surely is a shame, but it also somehow pushed her legacy right into her well-deserved spotlight.
To read the full story, get the article here.
Source: NY Times
6. June: Interior designers predict the future of post-covid renovations
After being confined at home for several months, with most of us working from our living rooms, the walls around us that make up our homes probably started feeling a bit too familiar and boring. Worse, maybe you realized your layout isn’t proper for you to work from home at all.
These 5 designers answered your cries for help and broke down their predictions about the future of remodels post-lockdown.
To discover these trends, read the full article here.
Bonus article: Maggie’s is a U.K. charity that recently expanded its free cancer patient care by completing its new Maggie’s Leeds Center, inspired by nature and biophilic design. It’s open to patients, family members and friends, a safe haven for those who need it most.
Source: Domino
7. July: The designer who creates furniture to inspire connections
In this time of social distancing, designer Kusheda Mensah shares her furniture designs, making us realize that we might have needed a change well before the coronavirus pandemic. After contemplating how stress and anxiety was a specific issue among her generation, she decided to use furniture as a way to encourage meaningful social experiences.
To learn more and discover her designs, read the full article here.
Bonus article: On a lighter note, I found this article and couldn’t resist including it. Everyone that knows me at RenoQuotes.com knows that I’m their #1 go-to person when it comes to astrology. In this article, discover how, according to your sign, you would decorate your dream home!
Source: Vogue
8. August: The evolution of space in an increasingly dense architecture
This is a subject we see mentioned often on architecture blogs. With big cities growing and seeing an increase of inhabitants each year, this issue poses the question about the utility of space vs. an ever-growing density in metropolitan areas.
To read more on the matter, get the full article here.
Bonus article: Our favourite Montreal-based duo of designer brothers is once again making the headlines with this piece written by Elle Decor, interviewing the siblings about their homes in the famous Habitat 67 buildings!
Source: ArchDaily
9. September: Discovering Latin America’s architectural hidden gems (with a bonus stop in India)
When we talk about architecture and history, our minds often drift to countries of Europe, rich in historical landmarks and signature styles that defined their eras through time. What we tend to forget, however, is that European architecture isn’t all that exists, with other continents offering beauties of forgotten civilizations and empires that once had their own architectural prowesses.
In honour of the hidden and the unknown, ArchDaily compiled a list of Latin America's hidden architectural gems worth the attraction.
Similarly, blog MessyNessyChic wrote a piece on the Indian city of Oz and its structures made entirely of concrete, another gem often overlooked but sure to amaze any architecture enthusiast!
Source: ArchDaily & MessyNessyChic
10. October: Kristal Hansley, the first black woman to create community solar energy
Affordable and accessible solar energy: that’s what WeSolar provides to low- and moderate-income families. Its CEO, Kristal Hansley, was inspired by her grandmother’s love for community in order to create a project of her own.
In an industry that is predominantly run by white men, Kristal became the first black woman to launch her solar company, cleverly celebrating this aspect by launching her business on Juneteenth.
To read the full story and her full journey, head over to this article.
Source: Vogue
Bonus article: If you miss travelling and discovering this world’s architectural wonders, this photography book about the most charismatic homes around the world is for you!
11. November: An online tour inside the world’s most beautiful conservatories
Architectural Digest takes you through some of the most impressive and beautiful glass structures around the globe, also known as conservatories. Once built from wood and glass to protect fragile greenery from harsh European winters, they have now morphed into one of the most beautiful structures, with clever architectural designs.
To see more, read the article here.
Bonus article: Designer Alex Eagle shares 5 design tips and lessons she got to learn while creating her book More Than Just a House: at Home with Collectors and Creators.
Source: Architectural Digest
12. December: Top 10 Sustainable Homes of 2020 with Dwell
In today’s world, a growing concern for the environment also brought a growing demand for eco-conscious and sustainable living. Whether it’s a carbon-negative cabin or a prefab farmhouse, discover the sustainable homes that caught Dwell’s attention in 2020.
Bonus article: This wouldn’t be an end of the year recap if we didn’t present an article about what interior designers predict for the coming trends of 2021. Get to know what 11 designers have to say on the matter!
Source: Dwell
The best articles published on the RenoQuotes blog in 2020
For 2020, just like all these blogs, our redaction team at RenoQuotes kept busy trying to get you through some weird times, doing our best to publish articles that would keep you busy reading. Here are some of the highlights from me, Amanda, Lea and Karine!
1. January: Decoration and renovation around the world: Portugal
If you miss travelling, here is an article I wrote back in January exploring the history of Portugal’s beautiful and colourful architecture, with some pictures taken by yours truly!
To discover more about the subject, read the article here.
2. February: Home Office Design: 10 Inspiring Examples
With most of us having to work from home still to this day, 2020 was probably the year to invest in an office corner at home. This is why, back in February, we found you the best inspiration in order to do so.
3. March: 8 Ways to Divide your Space in an Original Way
Just like home office organization, some of us probably found 2020 to be the year to finally get our homes organized practically. Here are some ways we found for you to separate your interior spaces cleverly.
4. April: How to Take the Ultimate Staycation at Home
For anyone else that was looking to make the most of their stay at home life, Amanda came up with this practical guide in order to have the perfect staycation.
5. May: Reno Inspiration: 10 Examples of Original Patio Designs and Decors
Back in May, we hopped on the summer trends and gave you 10 examples of patio designs to get ready before the hotter days.
6. June: Renovation and Commercial Design: 10 Montreal Businesses Worthy of Magazines
In a time that is critical for small local businesses, we present 10 Montreal locations that inspire us with their decors, worthy of a spot in any design magazines!
Discover these businesses here.
7. July: Renovation Inspiration: 10 Dream Bedrooms for Children
For your little ones, we also found some of the best inspo in order to give them their dream bedroom!
Discover the complete list here.
8. August: Reno Inspiration: 10 Examples of Practical Interior Storage Spaces
For those still looking for clever ways to organize your home, these storage ideas will probably offer some inspiration when looking for storage space solutions.
9. Design and Architecture: How to Combine Old and Contemporary Styles
Now, this is a subject that fascinated me for years and this is why I decided to tackle it in this article.
10. 10 local furniture and home decor stores in Montreal
Just like before, local support for small businesses during this past year has been more important than ever, especially with the holidays.
See what stores we found for you in this article.
11. Reno inspo: 10 examples of beautiful loft designs
For November, we give all you loft lovers some great inspo on how to design your future home!
12. The Best Design Practices for a Small Apartment or Space
And finally, for December, we make sure once again that all you readers living in smaller spaces are making the most of your space with these practical designer hacks to help you.
Alright, folks, that’s all for this year! Wishing you a happy new year, with lots of love and friendships to come! See you next month.
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