How We Use Our Homes Has Changed

Over the past few years, the style of our homes and how we use them have changed considerably. This covers the layout of properties and the contents within them. By looking at contemporary properties, we can get a glimpse into the changing lifestyles of British people and what is important to us.

A report from Lloyds Bank Insurance has looked at childhood properties and how these compare to the homes we live in now. Their Britain at Home survey found that over 25% of people saw their true home as the house they lived in when they were little rather than their current property.

The Rooms We Use

There’s no doubting that how we use properties and the time we spend in them have altered over the years. This can be seen in the type of rooms we have in our homes and which areas we class as a priority. The report found that 28% of homeowners have space for an office now, even if this is below a custom staircase, but they didn’t have one when they were a child. On the other hand, around 50% of homeowners grew up with a pantry, but they don’t have one now. Even the exteriors of our homes have altered, with 20% of people having a greenhouse or shed in their childhood home and not in their current one.

Live Like Our Parents

Whatever type of property we manage to buy, many people still aspire to have a home like that of their parents. This could be because of the size of the property, the custom staircase or just the feeling we get when we go back home. However, today’s generation don’t believe that their lifestyles are the same as when they were growing up. 20% of people don’t spend as much time as a family at home as they did when they were younger. However, almost a third think they entertain more than they did in their childhood home.

What’s in Our Homes?

It’s not just the design of our homes that has changed — what we have in them also differs. According to the recent survey, 60% of homeowners think that they have more in their house now than they did as a child. In terms of the cost of items, the living room now has the most expensive products. On average, we have £5,000 worth of equipment in this room, with 86% of households having a flat-screen TV.

There are also many items that have disappeared from our homes in the past few decades. According to those who responded to the survey, 52% no longer have an open fire and 44% don’t own a record player. Other items we had in our childhood homes that are disappearing include a video player, Teasmaid, electric knife, sandwich maker and CD rack.

Homes are constantly evolving to keep up with people's demands and the pace of technology. They will undoubtedly have changed again by the time our children reach adulthood.