What Really Makes Us Happy at Home? Find Out From a New Houzz Survey

Feeling a bit down? Maybe it’s time you redecorated your living room or finally tackled that remodeling project. No, seriously. In a recent Houzz survey, 87 percent of the more than 6,000 respondents said that their home design impacts their overall happiness. So if you’ve remodeled or redecorated your home in the past two years, you might be among the 74 percent who say they are now happier at home as a result. Of those who describe their home as being “in need of work,” only 51 percent reported feeling happy at home.


For you to be happy, your home doesn’t need to be a palace draped in gold. In fact, according to the survey, all it takes is big windows and comfortable furniture. Those two elements (74 percent and 70 percent, respectively) topped the list of what makes people happiest at home.


Sure, I like putting my feet up and enjoying a nice view and abundant sunshine at home — just as long as it doesn’t interfere with the baseball game I’m watching on my big-screen TV. Am I right, guys? The survey found that men are more than twice as likely to derive happiness from a big-screen TV than women (40 percent versus 17 percent). What’s more, the sound of a big-screen TV is three times more popular among men than women (15 percent versus 5 percent). That means dudes don’t even have to be looking at the TV for it to make them happy. Amazing.


Overall, homeowners are happiest in rooms that are clean and organized (72 percent) and comfortable (68 percent). Guys prefer comfortable rooms, though, while women favor rooms that are clean and tidy above all.


The majority of men surveyed (one-third) enjoy the sound of music in the home, while women (one-third) prefer the sound of family. There are differences based on where you live, though. Rural homeowners prefer the sounds of wildlife, while suburbanites love to hear the conversations among children and family members. City dwellers dig music the most.


What about smells? (I love the smell of a big-screen TV in the morning. Don’t you, guys?) The scent of good food cooking or baking topped the list, with 39 percent of respondents saying it made them happiest. A fresh outdoor breeze makes 33 percent happiest; candles, 14 percent.



Inside the home, 42 percent of you say you’re happiest in the living/family room, while 15 percent of you say that the kitchen is your happy place. Plus, being surrounded by immediate family is preferred. Forty-nine percent say they are happiest with just their immediate family in the house, while 29 percent say a home bursting with friends and family makes them happiest.



People who say that their homes are “in need of work” report that they’re happiest in the bedroom (23 percent). Maybe they’re hiding from the mess in the house? Maybe it’s the last refuge where there isn’t a big-screen TV? Perhaps the constant reminder of disarray makes them tired? Or maybe they don’t care about a house in need of work because they’re too busy getting busy?

So what doesn’t make us happy? Well, dishes, for one thing. Regarding chores to skip, homeowners say they’d be happiest if they never had to clean dirty dishes left in the sink (32 percent). And 16 percent say they’d love to skip making the bed.

In the end, it seems, the love you put into your home can in turn reward you with happiness. After that, it’s up to you to just enjoy it.

Tell us: What makes you happiest at home?

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