What makes the ideal home?
Aug 1, 2023
There’s no place like our own home, especially during times of uncertainty, to provide a safe haven of comfort and security. Worldwide research shows that we’re more likely to feel good about home when it reflects our personality. The unique ways that people live at home makes life feel better for everyone living there.
Every year IKEA speaks to people all over the world to find out what life at home means. Over 37,000 people living in homes of all shapes and sizes across 37 countries were surveyed. More than half of people (54%) surveyed believe the most important aspect in an ideal home is the ability to unwind and relax.
A home that reflects who we are is better for us, but creating that home is tough when we struggle to find inspiration. Around 40% of people agree that space for needs and interests is important for a home to reflect their identity.
WAYS TO MAKE HOME YOUR OWN
This doesn’t mean we’re all looking for the biggest house in the area, just to know how to use our space to do what we want. Almost 1 in 3 say that their possessions help to recall important memories and experiences. When our most treasured objects are on show, they connect us with familiar cultures, communities and traditions.
This doesn’t mean that people want Swiss-army-knives type rooms adaptable to every scenario; for bedrooms to double up as work and workout spaces, for example. One in 3 people say their ideal home would make better use of the available space. The pandemic demanded more from our homes but now people are frustrated by rooms that have become too multifunctional.
TOO MUCH ‘STUFF’
For our home to truly reflect us, it must include space for our needs and interests. But it’s a juggling act – rooms still need to have a defined purpose, and they need to provide everyone with a place to be alone, together.
Sometimes, our belongings become a source of household tension. Clutter makes cleaning hard work and acts like a barrier preventing our true identity from breaking through into our home.
Read the IKEA Life at Home Report 2022 (pdf) to explore practical ways you can bring more of your personality into your space and make yourself at home.
