Eco-friendly and simple with plenty of storage, three bedrooms and a surprisingly modest garden: these are assets that make up the UK’s ideal home.
Based on their latest research about what qualities Brits look for in a home, GoCompare Mortgages worked with Marc Sawan, an architect from eye-kon, a visual creation studio, to create the UK’s ideal home using computer-generated imagery.
According to the imagery, Brits would love to inhabit an ‘eco-minimalist’ detached home complete with three bedrooms and a modest, medium-sized garden.
GoCompare Mortgages teamed up with Marc Sawan, an architect from eye-kon, to create the perfect home using computer-generated imagery. It is modest, modern and in a suburban location
LOCATION
Over half of respondents view home as a place to seek solace away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, with a third placing their ideal home in a village and one in five in a small town.
INTERIOR
Although a modern, simply designed sustainable home was favoured by more than a quarter, a more traditional route was taken when picking interiors. Over half selected either a traditional or a country house style for their interior.
When it comes to design, men and women wanted modern simplicity. Interiors-wise, they opted for traditional, country home furnishings
The traditional and country house style interiors are the embodiment of elegance and comfort. Both styles are quite versatile in that they can be combined with other interior design elements without becoming confused.
Instead, a wonderful layering effect of designs is created with changes made over time by different generations adding in fashionable features and fabrics. When done well these styles strike the perfect balance between grand design and lived-in comfort.
Brits prefer an open plan living style and want the interior to be the embodiment of elegance and comfort
LAYOUT
Along with a traditional interior design, a conventional layout is preferred with over half opting for communal rooms, such as the kitchen and living room, downstairs and bedrooms upstairs.
Scottish homeowners were more open to breaking with tradition, with a third picking a mixture of rooms across both floors. Meanwhile, more than 14 per cent of Londoners pushed traditional boundaries even further opting for communal rooms upstairs and bedrooms downstairs.
The home was a lot more modest than most might expect and features modern interiors and just three bedrooms
While Brits are happy with three bedrooms, rooms are large, light and airy with modern floor-to-ceiling windows
STORAGE
We’re all guilty of keeping clothing that no longer fit so naturally storage was an important factor when designing the ideal home.
When it came to selecting additional rooms, the three most sought-after spaces were a garage, a conservatory and a utility room.
The need for storage wasn’t just limited to the house; nearly two thirds selected the option for a storage shed in the garden.
When it came to selecting additional rooms, a utility room was essential for most Brits, who also wanted a garden and conservatory
GARDEN
Overall, a fuss-free garden was favoured, with a quarter opting for simplicity. Yorkshire and the Humber proved the biggest nature lovers with 27 per cent saying they’d want a wildlife-friendly garden, followed by the North East and Scotland.
Being near or around water can have a positive impact on a person’s mood, health and well-being so it’s understandable why water features proved popular outdoor additions. More than a third wanted a water feature, a quarter craved a pond and splashed out on a hot tub.
Overall, a fuss-free garden was favoured, with a quarter opting for simplicity
ECO-FRIENDLY ADDITIONS
Awareness of global warming and climate change seems to be taking effect, with the majority choosing to include eco-friendly features in their ideal home.
Solar panels proved the most popular eco-feature with 59 per cent including them in their ideal home. Large proportions of respondents also said they’d include rainwater harvesting features and eco-friendly lighting.
SO HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH?
The company spoke to CPS Homes, who said they couldn’t estimate a price, explaining: ‘It’s all about location really and the demand for certain areas is what really influences prices.
‘Factors which largely increase demand include school catchment areas, good transport links, the health service provisions available, employment opportunities as well as areas of natural beauty.’