Millions of Brits are struggling to relax in their “stressful” homes, new research has revealed. A study of 2,000 adults found a lack of space, poor natural lighting and paintwork which needs touching up mean more than a quarter are unhappy with their home's appearance.
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The study by David Village Lighting found that around one in eight went as far as to say it leaves them feeling stressed in what should be their sanctuary with women far more likely to feel this way.
Stressful homes
Just two thirds consider their home to be relaxed, with another one in seven describing it as a 'chaotic' environment. It also emerged nearly a third think more work is needed on their home to optimise the space they have.
A spokesperson for David Village Lighting said: 'Our homes reflect our personalities, so it’s important to make the most of what you have, even if space is at a premium. Small improvements and adjustments to elements like lighting, furniture and even arrangement can completely transform a space, and many homeowners may not realise what these tweaks can achieve.'
Giving the illusion of a larger space was one of the main aims to make a stressful home feel a little more peaceful. 44 per cent have tried to strategically place mirrors around their home in order to make the space appear larger than it really is. More than six in 10 have even tried re-painting a room to give the illusion of a bigger space while 27 per cent have turned to lighting to make their home feel bigger than it is.
While, a fifth wish their home got more natural light from outside, when it comes to lighting, half of homeowners make decisions on which type of light to use based on the kind of mood they are trying to achieve. One in five use a smartphone app to control their lighting, dimming it from your phone.
The stressful homes feeling might come from the fact that the study identified 45 per cent think their living room is the best room in their home, and 18 per cent like their bedroom best. If your bedroom isn't up to scratch it can be challenging to get a restful nights sleep and destress.
Despite this, 73 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, enjoy decorating their home, and 12 per cent of those surveyed will make tweaks to their home décor every six months. When saying what there first course of action when sprucing up there home would be nearly two thirds said they had touched up the paintwork in their home, and 59 per cent have bought new furniture to give their space an update. Half have also fitted new lighting themselves.
While two-thirds opted to over-haul there stressful homes themselves, a third have hired outside help from painters, decorators and builders to make their dream interior a reality.
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'A home should be an ongoing project, with incremental improvements and changes made regularly to achieve your vision, as well as keep on top of trends,' a spokesperson for David Village Lighting added. 'A homeowner should never feel like their dream aesthetic is unachievable, and we would like to encourage readers to consider their home as an evolving space which grows with them over time.'
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