The definition of home
Cooking smells and fresh linen make it more than just a house, study shows
THE smell of meat roasting in the oven and fresh linen on the bed are among the top things that turn a house into a home, according to a survey.
It reveals a host of things which turn mere bricks and mortar into somewhere homely, with the smell of meat roasting in the oven coming top (53 per cent).
Fresh linen on beds (51 per cent) and a well-stocked fridge (45 per cent) were also at the top of the list.
According to the 1,500 adults surveyed, framed family snaps (44 per cent), the sound of a boiling kettle (32 per cent), scented candles (30 per cent) and comfy throws (29 per cent) are also some of the most comforting things in a home.
But it’s not just what we find inside the house that counts.
Freshly cut flowers (32 per cent) and even the sound of a lawnmower in the distance (19 per cent) were found to help people feel happiest at home. Other favourite features included music playing at the weekend (28 per cent), the smell of cake baking in the oven (25 per cent) and shelves overflowing with books (24 per cent).
And the UK is clearly a nation of cat lovers, as the research reveals another way to make your house a home is by having a feline friend (19 per cent).
The research, by kitchen towel brand Plenty, also found that 70 per cent agree that a home should feel relaxed and lived in – not overly clean and tidy.
So it’s no surprise that almost half of us (48 per cent) are sick and tired of seeing social media images of pristine, ‘Instaperfect’ houses with no mess. And 42 per cent admit that while their home may not always look clean and tidy, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Leanne McLeod, from Plenty, said: ‘Our research reveals that Britons really do prefer a relaxed space. With mess comes irreplaceable memories which fill a house with love.’
Psychologist Emma Kenny, who appears on ITV’s This Morning, said: ‘We are led to believe we should aspire to impossible standards we see on Instagram. But it’s reassuring that 70 per cent of people who took part in this survey believe that a house should feel “relaxed and lived in”.’