As IKEA prepares to expand its presence in Brighton, the team has been working to understand the everyday lives of Brighton and Sussex residents through home visits and focus groups. This process builds a deep understanding of local needs and aspirations, allowing for a tailored customer experience that means no two IKEA stores are the same.
Brighton’s diverse population is brimming with personality and a shared pride in what makes the city unique. Life at home in the city is also distinctive with residents proud of their “street treasure” – unwanted furniture and home furnishings commonly left on the city’s pavements for other people to adopt and give a second life.
IKEA’s Life at Home findings will be reflected in the way IKEA’s new store presents its range, creating inspiring solutions with thoughtfully designed and realistic room settings that resonate with the local lifestyle.
Lisa Ward, life at home expert at IKEA UK, said: “At IKEA, we strive to create a better everyday life for as many people as possible. To achieve this, we need to understand how people live and the challenges they face in their living situations. By doing so, we can create a fantastic store filled with bespoke roomsets and home furnishing solutions relevant to the Sussex area’s wants and needs. This makes for a tailored shopping experience, helping people to live more functional, sustainable, and beautiful at home, all at an affordable price.
“Above anything else, visiting Brighton residents to learn about life in the city has been great fun. From colour drenched interior design to houseplant obsessions and thrifted ‘street treasure’ transformations, these homes are brimming with personality.”
Understanding Brighton’s demographics and living conditions
Brighton and Hove is home to nearly 280,000 residents, with a median age of 38 years1. The city is known for its vibrant and diverse communities, with a significant student population and a strong LGBTQ+ presence. In the most recent UK census, Brighton and Hove was the local authority with the largest population of gay, lesbian, and bisexual residents, earning its reputation as the “unofficial gay capital of the UK2.”
The city’s housing landscape reflects its diversity. Brighton’s homes are a mix of rented and owned properties, with a notable trend towards renting compared to the rest of England. Half of households in Brighton own their homes, while the other half rent3, in comparison to the national average of 35% renting and 65% owning.4 The high rental market, combined with the city’s compact living spaces, presents unique challenges and opportunities for home furnishing solutions.
Unique features of Brighton homes
Brighton homes vary widely in size and type, from period properties with architectural features like bay windows (in 23% of homes) and chimney breasts, to modern apartments with roof terraces.
Common frustrations for residents include lack of storage space, difficulty personalising rental properties due to restrictions enforced by landlords, and the challenge of creating multifunctional spaces in small homes.
Living rooms: Often the hub of the home, living rooms in Brighton serve multiple functions, from relaxing and entertaining to working and exercising. The need for multifunctional furniture and smart storage solutions is paramount, especially given the common presence of fireplaces and alcoves that require creative furnishing solutions.
Bedrooms: for many Brighton residents, particularly those in shared accommodation, the bedroom is the primary private space. This makes personalisation and efficient use of space crucial. Storage solutions for clothes, personal items, and working from home are essential to meet the needs of residents who often use their bedrooms for multiple purposes. Residents favour larger bed sizes where possible, with 48% sleeping on a double bed and 39% on a king-sized bed.
Kitchens: Brighton kitchens are typically compact, with many homes featuring L-shaped or galley layouts. It is also the common place for laundry appliances, creating the need innovative designs to separate cooking and cleaning spaces. The new IKEA store will feature kitchen displays that highlight space-saving ideas and multifunctional furniture to inspire Brightonians.
Outdoor spaces: despite the compact nature of many homes, outdoor spaces are highly valued in Brighton. Gardens, balconies, and even small patios serve as vital areas for relaxation, socialising, and enjoying the city’s mild climate. Flexible, storable outdoor furniture is in high demand to maximise these spaces’ utility throughout the year.
Ward continued: “By interviewing and listening to people’s needs and aspirations for their homes, we can better showcase ideas and solutions to help them achieve the home of their dreams. This understanding will be at the core of our new store, ensuring we meet the unique needs of the Brighton community.”
Meeting the needs of Brighton’s residents
IKEA’s approach in Brighton will be guided by the insights gathered from understanding local living conditions and cultural habits. The goal is to offer solutions that are not only functional and affordable but also resonate with the city’s unique lifestyle.
Storage solutions: With 39% of residents dreaming of a built-in wardrobe solution with sliding doors, addressing the widespread need for more storage across all areas of the home will be a priority in the new store. Innovative, space-saving designs will give inspiration how people can maximise their living spaces, regardless of size.
Multifunctional furniture: rooms are often multifunctional, as 31% of homes have their dining table and chairs in the kitchen and half of bedrooms feature TVs. Many of the inspirational areas in the new store will therefore focus on providing versatile furniture that can adapt to various activities and needs.
Personalisation options: for renters and those in shared accommodation, easy-to-install and remove decor and storage options will aim to give ideas how to personalise spaces without violating rental agreements.
Sustainable home furnishings solutions: The new Brighton store will feature a range of solutions that help people live a more sustainable life at home, including products made from renewable and recycled materials, energy-efficient lighting, and water-saving solutions.
Ward ended: “Our next step now is to plan the store meticulously, ensuring every detail aligns with the insights we’ve gathered. We are incredibly excited about this new chapter and look forward to opening our doors in Brighton, where we can bring locally relevant solutions to life for the vibrant community here.”
The exact opening date of the store will be announced at a later stage. It will follow the opening of the IKEA Oxford Street store in London this Spring.
Some of the findings IKEA has gathered:
- 48% sleep on a double bed and 39% on a king-sized bed
- Half have a TV in their bedroom.
- 39% of people dream of having a built-in wardrobe solution with sliding drawers
- Bay windows are common featured in 23% of the homes
- The most common sofa formation is two sofas, creating an L-shape
- 31% of homes have their dining table and chairs in the kitchen
- 31% of homes have their dining table and chairs in the kitchen
