Today, IKEA UK releases its 10th annual Life at Home Report – revealing the secrets to a happy home. Over the last 10 years, the IKEA Life at Home Report has become one of the biggest annual studies in the world on how we live and what really makes us happy at home.
In this year’s report, IKEA has reflected on a decade of data collected from a total of more than 250,000 research participants covering 38 countries across the world, to analyse the eight essential needs for a better life at home previously identified by IKEA – Control, Comfort, Security, Nurturing, Belonging, Enjoyment, Accomplishment, and Aspiration*. The report finds that those who often feel their emotional needs are met are much more positive about the future.
Drawing from the insights gathered over the past decade, IKEA continues to partner with organisations, such as homelessness charity Shelter and the Royal Foundation Homewards programme, to champion the need to create a better life at home for people across the UK. With a focus on stability, and the fundamental right for everyone to have a safe place to live, IKEA continues to advocate for the construction of 90,000 social homes a year to alleviate the housing crisis.
The IKEA Life at Home Report 2023 – Key Findings
According to the report, 45% of people in the UK say that home is their favourite place in the world. The most important factors in making a home are Comfort (85%), Security (82%) and Enjoyment (80%).
The ongoing cost of living crisis continues to affect the most fundamental requirements we have for our life at home – Comfort, Security and Control. As inflationary pressures and some household costs show very early signs of reducing, this pressure has started to ease and these needs can be better met.
In 2023, household finances and disposable income remained the biggest concern for 45% of the population, an improved outlook compared to 12 months ago, when 58% of respondents highlighted this as their main worry. A better relationship with finance in the home allows us to meet the needs (Comfort, Control and Security) which IKEA categorises as our Everyday Essentials.
Looking forwards, there is a more optimistic outlook, with 56% of respondents agreeing that they have a positive outlook for the next two years, more so the younger generation with 60% Gen Z echoing this sentiment.
This confidence goes beyond our Everyday Essential needs, satisfying our desire for Aspiration (most important to 74% of respondents) as many of us look to what is next for our home lives. As mortgage rates and rents see continued instability, Gen Z in particular are bucking the trend with more than half (54%) considering a house move in the next year (vs 29% of all respondents). The main reasons being to have more space (28%) or to be closer to friends, family or work (18%).
The report also looks at what we want from our homes, with 49% of people wanting to relax and unwind and 38% needing a space for hobbies or activities. It’s the simple things that matter for many, with 40% of people suggesting a hug is the key to making home enjoyable, more important than a home cooked meal (32%) or fresh bedsheets (30%).
Maria Jose Tassani, country home furnishing retail design manager, IKEA UK and Ireland, said: “It has been incredible to reflect on the last decade of Life at Home research worldwide, which gives us a true, and ever evolving, understanding of people’s needs and dreams of home. With these insights, our product range and bespoke planning services, we want to help everyone tackle common challenges and create a home which truly fits their needs and helps them to live a more fulfilling life at home.”
How we are lived in 2023 – six key insights:
Looking beyond the socio-economic factors which impact our lives at home, the report highlights six key trends on how the UK is living at home. These explore some of the ways we are meeting our need for Enjoyment at home, which 80% of respondents deemed most important to them.
Paws for thought
Pets have been named as a top factor that helps people feel secure at home – with nearly half (46%) of pet owners attributing a sense of security to their furry friends. Spending time with pets was a core driver of enjoyment within the home for over half (51%) of owners, while a fifth (20%) admit that simply watching their pet sleep makes their home joyful. Over a quarter (27%) of pet owners even say their pets rule their home.
Mental wellbeing
Three in 10 (31%) of the population named their mental health as a main concern around their life at home. Thankfully, people are finding ways to take care of their mental wellbeing when spending time at home – with relaxing to TV, music or a good book taking the top spot (44%), while having a clean and tidy home helped a third of people feel better. Sleeping also took a top spot, being an important pillar of mental wellbeing at home for 32%, satisfying our need for a nurturing space, one of the eight essential needs
Sleep well
The report takes a deep dive into our sleep behaviour showing that the right environment is key to a good night’s sleep. For nearly a third that means total darkness (31%) but for others it’s a favourite pillow (22%). Beyond this, security assures a sound rest for others, with 26% checking that the door is locked and 3% checking under the bed before hitting the hay.
Green space
The need for and love of green space flourished as a top source of comfort for Brits at home. Over a quarter (27%) name it as amongst the most important things to maintain a sense of mental wellbeing at home. A quarter (25%) also pinpointed connecting with nature as the most important factor in an ideal home and 20% say it gives them comfort. No wonder, as feeling the sun on your face was the fourth biggest driver of enjoyment at home (32%).
Multi-functional homes
With almost a third of people (32%) noting that they sometimes work from home, above the global average of 24%, home working spaces are key. At the other end of the spectrum, having space for hobbies and activities at home is the second most important thing within an ideal home, with 38% of people agreeing it’s importance. A trend which supports the pursuit of the need which 74% deemed most important, Accomplishment.
Being your authentic self
The report shows that our homes are a place of real joy, where we spend our time in some interesting ways. For example, 40% dance when nobody is watching – 10% more than the global average! And 26% are feeling so entirely comfortable in their space that they walk around in the nude, while a further 9% admit to hiding from other members of their household!
Katie McCrory, who leads the Life at Home Report at IKEA, says: “After years of uncertainty and a cost of living crisis which continues to impact many, people are starting to see positive sentiment, particularly from Gen Z, looking to the future. There are ambitions for our homes, which must serve as an office, a social space and a place to sleep, which we are looking to meet.
“There are tried-and-tested ways that we can showcase our cherished items and optimise our space so that the home we live in reflects us. We know from years of doing the Life at Home Report that the better we feel about home, the better we feel about ourselves”, added McCrory.
