In timely news (with Christmas on the doorstep) IKEA’s latest Life at Home Report has found that memories are key to making a house feel like a home. Whether it’s the scent of a much-loved family recipe or the sound of a familiar Christmas carol playing in the background, the report found that almost half of Aussies agree that a place is considered home because of the happy memories associated with it.
“As an interior designer it’s important to me that where we live is a place we can call home for many reasons. Home should be functional, comfortable and beautiful. It’s a place that truly represents who we are. The one thing that never goes out of style is the nostalgia we feel when we step inside our home. Home should be a space where your family and friends can celebrate and enjoy all the big and small moments together,” says IKEA Australia interior design leader Christine Gough.
The study also found that over a third of Australians believe home is the place where they spend time with loved ones, and that home is wherever their loved ones are. In fact, three in ten Aussies feel more at home in places outside of their home with one in three feeling more at home in their parents’ home than their own abode. Furthermore (and rather interestingly) 16 per cent feel more at home in friend’s home.
Personally I’ve always believed that beautiful design has value well beyond aesthetics. Without stating the obvious, if a home not only looks great but feels comfortable and welcoming, people are more likely to spend time there and from that memories grow.
“Nostalgia is a key element of what makes a home a home. This insight shows that homes are so much more complex than simply just the four walls around you. Everyone has a unique memory about what makes their home special, whether it be how incredibly comfortable your parents’ sofa is, the smell of your grandparents’ cooking that you can’t find anywhere else or the feel of the grass from playing in your backyard with your friends. These details are what makes a home a home,” says Christine.
And proving that our homes are filled with more than just ‘things,’ over half of Australian’s (53.5 per cent) state that furniture items connected to specific memories make a house feel more like home. “We’re a sentimental nation and we’re often guarding trinkets and treasures that are close to our hearts. Anything that evokes positive memories are worth having a special place in the home,” says Christine.
