Home Sweet Home - a snuggly sofa tops the list of housing must-haves
A comfy sofa, good neighbours and a large bed are three key ingredients for a happy home, it has been revealed. The study of 2,000 people across the UK was commissioned to take a closer look at British culture and what makes us happy about our homes.
Results revealed the top 20 things which contribute to the perfect home life, with Brits ranking nothing more important than snuggling up on a nice comfy couch in the dark, winter months.
Off-road parking, a spare room and an en-suite bathroom were also deemed essential, as were trees in the garden, a well-maintained lawn and fast internet access.
Cable or satellite TV, a fire place and a large fridge also made the list, while the perfect happy home also needs at least two pets.
The research, which was commissioned by Banner Homes, also found being less than two miles from a supermarket, feeling part of the local community and having the countryside no more than five miles away were important to people’s happiness overall.
While privacy is important, the average Brit felt the nearest neighbours should be just a few yards away and three in ten said their local landlord knowing their name contributes to feeling content.
Piers Banfield, Group Sales and Marketing Director for Banner Homes said: “As a nation when it comes to home comforts, we like nothing more than a place we can unwind and recuperate at the end of the day and it’s no surprise that we value a good sofa so highly.
“While physical comforts like a large bed are obviously key to home happiness, the results show having good neighbours close by strongly influences how content we are.
“Community spirit and a close bond between neighbours is arguably a little harder to come by these days, but the study proves it’s something we still view as integral to being happy with where we live.”
A third of Brits are convinced that having pets is crucial to a happy home life, with two being the ideal number and dogs preferred to cats.
The key to a happy home also includes at least two televisions, with the ideal screen size given as 37 inches, while seven in ten Brits thought a television in the living room was absolutely necessary to harmony.
To be perfectly happy with their home. the average Brit likes a corner shop within a mile of them and a supermarket no further than two miles away.
Safety and privacy are of course key priorities, while the ability to go for scenic walks is important to six in ten Brits and being on good terms with several neighbours was also deemed a big bonus.
Unfortunately, six in ten Brits don’t feel they are a part of their local community, blaming not knowing many people near them- half were convinced there was actually no community spirit in their local area.
In fact, the average Brit attends just two events in the local community each year.
A tenth of respondents went as far as to say they didn’t feel able to trust a single one of their neighbours.
Piers Banfield of Banner Homes continued: “People are very realistic when it comes to the small things that make them happy at home and the formula for achieving this is hopefully quite attainable for most.
“Features like a nice dinner table were ranked highly, proving that the ability to sit down together in our homes as a family is something that’s still very valued among increasingly hectic lifestyles.
“The research has also highlighted that even the small things like the local landlord knowing your name or having good neighbours close by that we can trust is a really important part of creating that community feel and being settled in an area. At Banner Homes we always ensure that our new developments are designed to create friendly communities by encouraging new neighbours to meet each other when they first move in.”
Features if a happy home
1. Comfy sofa
2. Good neighbours
3. Front and back gardens
4. Large bed
5. Off-road parking
6. Fast internet
7. Spare room
8. Bookshelf
9. Nice dinner table
10. Cable TV
11. Fire place
12. Large fridge
13. Garden shed
14. Dishwasher
15. Trees in garden
16. Well-maintained lawn
17. En-suite bathroom
18. Barbecue
19. Patio
20. Fitted wardrobes
