How often you should redecorate a room to stay on trend – the results are in!

Is the answer every three months, two years, or longer?

When was the last time you picked up a paintbrush? Last weekend? Last summer? Last century? Until now, there's no official line on how often you should redecorate. But the people of Britain certainly have some strong views on the subject, if the results of a recent survey by Anglian Home Improvements are anything to go by.

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And interestingly, the 'right' answer all comes down to how old you are.

green living room with cupboard and books

(Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore)

Those aged 18 to 24 are most likely to harbour a decorating addiction. One in three of those in this age bracket think that you should redecorate every THREE MONTHS!! We're exhausted just thinking about it!

And it's not just those fresh out of college or uni. The highest proportion of 25-34 year olds also feel the need to switch things up every 12 weeks. To that 21.8 per cent, decorating must feel a lot like painting the Forth Bridge – the task is never done!

A huge 91 per cent of millennials said that they already have at least one of the UK’s hottest interior trends in their home. Favourites include brightly-coloured front doors (26 per cent) and sage green colour schemes (22 per cent).

Inspired? Green living room ideas – redecorate with the summer's most harmonious hues

wooden exterior with yellow door and bench

(Image credit: Future PLC/David Brittain)

As we get older, it seems our need to stay on top of the latest trends begins to wain. In both the 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 age categories, two years seems the appropriate time between makeovers, chosen by 27.8 per cent and 33.7 per cent, respectively

At the other end of the scale, people between the ages of 55 and 64 are the most likely to “never” redecorate (14%), as their interiors “will come back into fashion eventually” anyway. Half of people (51%) in this age group say they don’t follow trends.

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So do these results make sense? We think so, and Liza Wrigley, digital marketing manager at Anglian Home Improvements, agrees. 'Young people tend to move out of the family home between the ages of 18 and 24, and our research suggests they make having a stylish house a priority,' she says.

'While it seems that many young people feel you need to redecorate every few months to stay on-trend, following classic styles with just a few choice on-trend items can ensure your house stays perfectly fashionable, and provides excellent value for money too.'

Amy Cutmore
Contributor

Amy Cutmore is an experienced interiors editor and writer, who has worked on titles including Ideal Home, Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, GardeningEtc, Top Ten Reviews and Country Life. And she's a winner of the PPA's Digital Content Leader of the Year. A homes journalist for two decades, she has a strong background in technology and appliances, and has a small portfolio of rental properties, so can offer advice to renters and rentees, alike.