Contents

Survey says...

From our survey, we discovered that Brits are pining for a four-bed, detached home, with a modern contemporary style and a kitchen island.

Fill this space with your favourite things and family (52% said that family would be the first to be invited round a new home) and there’s no arguing that those elements are a great foundation for a dream home.

The UK’s dream kitchen, as designed by AI.

Structural style 

A detached property was the most popular choice for those who responded – 31% said that detached would be their dream home style over other options such as terraced properties, farmhouses, and even mansions. 55- to 64-year-old respondents were most likely to opt for this style of property (39%) compared to 18- to 24-year-olds (15%).

A cottage came in second place, with 13% of Brits desiring cottagecore vibes with country gardens, rustic features and open fires.

Finally, bungalows were another popular choice and another 13% of respondents said they’d see themselves in one for their dream home. Unsurprisingly in our survey, bungalows were the most popular choice of dream property type for over 65s (27%) but have recently increased in popularity with first-time buyers in the UK snapping up bungalows more than ever as they’re a cheaper way of climbing the first rung on the property ladder.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a dream home list without a mansion featuring and these impressive properties came in fourth with 12% wanting one for their dream home. The younger age bracket leaned towards mansions as their preferred dream property style. They also wanted a whopping four bathrooms!

Farmhouses followed in the top five dream property styles, with 10% seeking a little slice of country life – and maybe a vegetable patch or two.

The UK’s dream dining room, as designed by AI.

Location, location, location 

The South West came out as the top location for many who took part (18%) with stunning spots such as Cornwall, Devon and Somerset to choose from in this region.

Idyllic beaches and rustic country settings appear to tempt Brits most. However, 11% would choose Scotland for their dream home setting – and with rolling hills, untouched natural beauty and the best tap water in the UK, Scotland is a dream for many.

Of course, the capital also had to feature in the list of dream locations and came in joint second with 11% claiming their ideal home would reside in the bustling Big Smoke. 53% of Londoners who took part in our survey even claimed that they would want their dream home here.

We found that 24% of 18-24 year olds who took part in our survey also chose London as their dream location, compared to just 3% of those aged 65 and over. For those who want to be where the action is, it makes sense to set up in the city.

The South West was most popular with those aged between 55 and 64 (26%), compared to just 4% of 18- to 24-year-olds. Scotland was fairly popular across all age ranges, suggesting that its natural beauty appeals to everyone. Maybe the lower house prices help with the appeal too.

Those already living in South West and taking part in the survey were also more likely to want to stay in the area, with 64% wanting their dream home in the region. The same could be seen from respondents in Scotland, with 74% of those who already live there not looking to move away for their dream home.

The South East and Yorkshire were also popular dream home locations, both with 9% of people saying their dream home would sit pretty here. In the South East, you have the popular coastal hotspots of Brighton and Hove as well as the historical city of Oxford where great-looking architecture and a plethora of libraries tempt bibliophiles to play house.

In Yorkshire, there are the bustling streets of Leeds to explore or the spooky coastal town of Whitby where Dracula first arrived in Bram Stoker’s famous novel.

Finally, 11% stated they simply weren’t sure where they would want their dream home in the UK – it’s no surprise when research suggests that we’re an indecisive nation that apparently lose 43 nights of sleep each year making decisions.

The UK’s dream bathroom, as designed by AI.

Function over fancy  

We asked those taking part in our survey what they would want most as a ‘luxury feature’ in their dream home. The options available ranged from professional coffee machines to freestanding bathtubs and wine coolers.

Those weekend family fry-ups and fancy Friday night dinners likely had an influence on the results, as a quarter of respondents chose a kitchen island as their most desired luxury feature in their dream home. Respondents aged between 25 and 54 were the most likely to select this option.

Another quarter went for something practical, opting for heated flooring to keep toes toasty and the winter chill away.

Women were more likely to opt for heated flooring than men (27% of women and 22% of men) while smart technology and high-tech sound systems were considered more important features for men.

A freestanding bathtub was another luxury feature preferred by women (13%) compared to their male respondents (8%) and they were also more likely to want luxurious thick carpet in their dream home (16% of women chose this luxury feature compared to just 10% of men).

Cosiness is the dream it seems with 20% also wishing for a real fireplace in their living space and another 17% were keen to have an American-style double-door fridge freezer to keep stocked up.

The UK’s dream bedroom, as designed by AI.

The numbers game 

Many of us need a certain number of bedrooms in our homes and in the UK four bedrooms appear to be the dream amount for many (30%). Whether we want to convert one into an office or even a playroom for the little ones, you can’t beat having that little extra space.

More women than men in our survey results would prefer to have this many bedrooms – 32% of women chose four bedrooms in their dream home compared to 29% of men.

Two bathrooms also worked out as the ideal total with 38% opting for an extra toilet while 29% would have three bathrooms – great for hosting! We found that 34% of 25- to 34-year-olds were most likely to want three toilets compared to just 29% opting for two bathrooms.

Ensuites were also nearly 10% more popular with women than men and 50% of those aged over 65 would want one of these in their dream home.

Most people would also choose to have an ensuite bathroom (33%) over a dedicated utility room (31%), walk-in wardrobe (28%), and even an indoor pool (22%) or cinema room (18%)! Who knew laundry would be more important than early morning laps?

45- to 54-year-olds were more likely to swing towards that separate space for the washer and dryer (28%) and most of these were women – with 41% desiring this dedicated space compared to just 21% of men.

We also learned that gyms were a more popular dream feature with 18–24-year-olds (23%) as well as an outdoor pool (20%).

The UK’s dream living room, as designed by AI.

Dressing the space

So, we know what people are thinking when it comes to rooms and décor but what do they want to fill their dream home with?

Corner sofas were the top choice when it comes to that important seating set up in the living room, with 19% opting for these space-enhancing features.

Chaise sofas came in a close second (17%), great for lounging and long evenings spent relaxing and getting cosy. Finally, recliners pipped in at third in popularity with 12% of people looking to lay back in true comfort.

Leather was the most popular choice of material for a sofa with 28% stating that they’d opt for it – easy to clean, great looking, long-lasting, a great all-rounder! Men opted for leather more in our survey, 30% compared to 25% of women. Cotton was the next most popular sofa fabric overall (18%) followed by velvet (13%).

Women were a little more adventurous with their sofa fabric. More women chose velvet, linen, chenille and boucle than men and these fabrics were also more popular with respondents aged between 25 and 54.

It’s no surprise that velvet came out in the top three choices, as it has become a staple sofa material in recent years. It’s easy to brush down to clean, always looks good and is available in some stunning colours.

When it came to bedtime in one of those four bedrooms Brits would have in their dream home, divan beds came out top with 30% of respondents opting for them and were most popular with our over 65 respondents (47%).

Divan beds are great space savers, which means you can make more use of that potential walk-in wardrobe. Headboard beds (16%) and sleigh beds (14%) came in second and third, proving they’re classic choices no matter your style.

The UK’s dream garden, as designed by AI.

What are people doing if they can’t find their dream home?

A little DIY, of course! Or dressing up the space with new and improved furniture.

Home improvement is rising in popularity. Worldwide, the home improvement market value sits at over 750 million – that’s a lot of DIY going on!

Bathroom renovations appear to be the most popular form of home improvement in the UK between 2017 and 2020, with 38% of people taking on this job.

A new kitchen came second (34% of people had this done) followed by a new boiler (34%) and replacing the windows (29%).

As budgets get tighter, it sometimes makes sense to opt for renovations over those huge moving costs and a new bathroom could even increase the overall value of your property by 4 to 5%.

Kitchens are also potential money-makers, and a good renovation can increase the value of your property by 7.23%. The average house price at the time of writing sits at around £286,000, so a new kitchen could bump up the value by an incredible £20,677.

In the future, you might just enjoy that extra equity to put towards that four-bed dream house with two bathrooms, a kitchen island and a gorgeous soft neutral colour palette.

The UK’s dream home office, as designed by AI.