Inside Houzz: What Makes Us Happy at Home?
The Big UK Houzz Report results are in and we can finally reveal where people feel most content in homes across the UK
‘There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort,’ wrote Jane Austen in 1815. Fast-forward almost 200 years and very little has changed. According to our recent Big UK Houzz Report, 74% of people are proud of their home – but for different reasons and in specific areas.
Some of us appreciate the warmth and privacy of a lavishly furbished bedroom, ensuring sweet dreams after a busy day. Others love how a living room can become the hub of a home, providing a place in which to entertain and affirm our own sense of style through our choice of furniture and art.
Here are some the most interesting things we’ve learned…
Some of us appreciate the warmth and privacy of a lavishly furbished bedroom, ensuring sweet dreams after a busy day. Others love how a living room can become the hub of a home, providing a place in which to entertain and affirm our own sense of style through our choice of furniture and art.
Here are some the most interesting things we’ve learned…
Similarly, 44% of those who are happiest among their pots and pans have invested in a kitchen island. Throw in a limitless range of colourful appliances, gadgets (13% own an ice-cream maker) and utensils (50% of us can’t do without a garlic press) and there is every opportunity to make this the bespoke jewel of your happy home.
The living room is another pleasure centre of the home, with 35% of us saying we are happiest when lounging. Again, this could be down to the personalised sense of comfort we can create in the room – many men love their smart TVs and other technology, while women tend to value creature comforts, such as an open fire and chunky sofa, more highly.
All of us enjoy hanging artwork in the living room – 55% to be exact. Feature walls are very popular, with just over a third of Birmingham and Manchester residents adopting this look. Trending colours include grey, green and dark blue. Dreams are also made and remade in this space, with 31% of us planning to redesign our living rooms this year.
Who doesn’t like to wrap up in a thick duvet and snooze into slumberland? That’s what the bedroom was built for and 11% of us feel happiest when we snuggle down here. There are ways to make this space even more calming and cosy, too, from light colour schemes and soft bedding to thick carpets – popular with 74% of people in the UK.
TV addicts find it hard to break away from the box, with 34% of us dozing off to our favourite programmes and films in the bedroom. There is also room for a little extravagance: 4% of us have a freestanding bath beside the bed, bringing a little boutique hotel heaven into the home.
The bathroom is where we primp and pamper ourselves, so it comes as no surprise that many of us feel refreshed after spending a bit of time in here. In fact, the feel-good potential is so high, it’s often hard to prise ourselves away.
Functionality is a key consideration in a bathroom, but we all crave a little luxury: 9% of us have invested in a roll-top bath, and almost a fifth have added underfloor heating. Manchester residents have even richer tastes, with 1 in 12 people owning a Jacuzzi. Tub-based TV watching is becoming increasingly popular, too, with 6% of us catching up on the latest series over a bubble bath. Smaller indulgences are also popular, including mosaic tiles, chosen by 16% of us.
We all know how important outdoor space is, and not just from an investment perspective. Fresh air and the restorative power of the sun give everyone a boost. A whopping 87% of us have a back garden and more than 75% have a lawn. What we do with this space varies from home to home: patios, terraces, sheds and greenhouses are old favourites, frequently given a new twist by landscape architects and garden designers.
But the real essence of happiness in gardens across the UK is the smoke and sizzle of the BBQ – 55% of us own one and fire it up at every opportunity. It’s a medium rare treat, but all the more succulent because of that!
What do you love about your home? Tell us in the comments below.
What do you love about your home? Tell us in the comments below.
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