The average person in the UK will redecorate their home 36 times in their lifetime – spending a whopping £36,205 in the process, according to a new study.
Researchers found jobs within the home typically take 18 days to finish – meaning a typical Brit will spend almost two years of their lives decorating, with every job leading to an average of three arguments.
The study of 1,006 adults highlighted how quickly Brits grow bored of their interiors, with over half (55 percent) planning on giving their home a makeover within the next 12 months.
It also emerged 45 percent view their home as a ‘work-in-progress’, while only 22 percent said they love their home, just the way it is.
Melanie McDonald from Anglian Home Improvements, which conducted the survey, said: “It is interesting to see the commitment people show to improving their homes, proving that décor is as important as ever for house proud Brits.
“The results highlight the value we all place on having a home which is tailored to our own sense of style. And it comes as no surprise that decorating causes arguments in the home, as our interiors choices are so personal and so important to many of us.”
The study also found unsurprisingly that women (47 per cent) still have the final say in home décor, compared to just 37 per cent of men.
And while home improvement television shows are the biggest inspiration (28 percent), a quarter admit to sourcing ideas from a friend’s house and 21 percent find it within the pages of a magazine.
The internet is also proved a common source of paint-spiration, with one in ten getting decorating tips from Pinterest, eight percent favouring Facebook and five percent using Instagram.
Researchers also found a fussy 15 percent give a room a splash of paint EVERY year, while nearly one in five (23 per cent) get their paintbrush and rollers out every two years.
One in ten admitted they were stuck in their ways when it comes to re-styling their home, waiting a whopping ten years or more before deciding to freshen it up.
And 55 per cent of those who took part in survey said they were planning to decorate within the next year, while one in four (23 percent) are already in the process of revamping their property.
A stressed out 13 per cent said their home required ‘a lot of work’, while around one in five (18 percent) said their home needs a bit of TLC.
The nation’s bathrooms and living room’s (33 percent) are most in desperate need of a make-over, closely followed by kitchens (32 percent) and a quarter (32 percent) of master bedrooms.
Melanie McDonald added: “It’s interesting to see so many factors can have an impact on our décor choices. Whether we are relaxing in front of the television or dropping-in on a friend, we are all continually getting inspiration for our interiors. And it’s great that men are taking an interest in the decision-making process when it comes to decorating, with 37% having the final say.
“With over 50 years’ experience of helping homeowners tailor their homes, at Anglian Home Improvements we see day-in and day-out how making changes to the home can be a real labour of love for Brits.”
TALE OF THE (MASKING) TAPE
Money spent a year on decorating- £557
Number of arguments- 3.2
Times we regret a style or colour- 1.7
Time taken per job- 18 days
Decorating jobs carried out every five years- 2.8
Women have final say- 47 percent
Men - 37 percent
Currently decorating- 23 percent
Home is a work-in-progress- 45 percent
Happy with their home- 22 percent
Planning to decorate in the next 12 months- 55 percent
Number of rooms currently needing work- 2.7
Jealous of friends’ homes- 14 percent
ROOMS WAITING TO BE DECORATED:
Bathrooms - 33 percent
Living rooms- 33 percent
Kitchen - 32 percent
Master bedroom- 25 percent
Other bedroom- 23 percent
Hallway- 17 percent
Stairs / landing- 14 percent
Dining room- 10 percent
Utility room- 7 percent
En-suite- 5 percent
Cloakroom - 4 percent
Conservatory- 2 percent
DECORATION INSPIRATION:
Home improvement shows- 28 percent
Friends’ houses- 25 percent
Magazines- 21 percent
Other TV shows- 18 percent
Relatives’ houses- 17 percent
Pinterest- 10 percent
Facebook- 8 percent
Neighbours’ homes- 7 percent
Instagram- 5 percent
YouTube- 4 percent
Colleagues’ homes- 4 percent
Twitter- 2 percent