HELSINKI, Finland — Those interested in home décor are shopping lots of outlets, including second-hand stores and even picking up street finds to furnish their homes.
A survey of 5,500 respondents associated with the real-life design simulation game found that about one-fourth of them find the majority of their home décor and furniture from second-hand outlets such as Goodwill, Facebook Marketplace and Upcycled. This number was highest among Gen X (26%) and lowest among Gen Z (19%).
While more than one-fourth (28%) buy from traditional channels such as brick-and-mortar chain and retail stores, they also explore other options, including family, friends and street finds (20%); online stores (11%); and local boutique shops (7%).
Nearly half (46%) put cost ahead of aesthetics (18%) as the most important element to think about when designing a home. Other considerations were sustainability (7%), comfort (15%) and family/lifestyle needs (14%).
Despite the low percentage who would make sustainability the most important on the list, most said sustainability has been a factor in a home décor decision, with 73% of Gen Z saying it has vs. 62% of Millennials.
One intriguing finding from the survey was that 50% of all respondents agreed they would consider living in a “tiny home,” which the survey defined as a standalone, fully contained dwelling of 100 square feet to 400 square feet, and another 26% answered “maybe.”
More than half of Gen X (53%) and nearly half of Baby Boomers (48%) were on board with this small-space living idea, which could signal a new approach to what “downsizing” really means.
Most respondents (46%) considered themselves minimalist decorators vs. 21% who opted for the “maximalist” label.
Looking at recent décor trends, 18% of respondents considered the use of fake plants “the cringiest,” followed by blobby furniture and word art/quote signs (9%); cluttercore (8%); and peel-and-stick wallpaper and bean bag chairs (7%).
Other cringeworthy decorating faux pas mentioned were couch covers, nautical motifs, wicker furniture, monochrome, white appliances and mason jars.
The Redecor survey of 5,500 respondents included 70% from the United States and 16% from Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and South America. Nearly all (95%) of respondents were female.