As evidence shows that house sizes in Britain are getting smaller, it’s more important than ever that all the space in a property is fully utilised.
The average property has around £3,066 worth of space taken up by clutter, according to new research commissioned by Samsung, which amounts to more than £100bn in homes across the country.
While almost half (49%) of people say their living room is their favourite room in the house, a similar proportion also say that they don’t think they’re utilising the space they have in their homes. Televisions are also getting bigger, becoming the focal point of most people’s lounges after a 38% rise in sales of 65-inch or larger screens.
Perceived lack of space
However, while TV screens might be growing, room sizes are shrinking, according to research published earlier this year by LABC Warranty. Living rooms have lost as much as 31% of their space compared to the 1970s, with a reduction from 24.89 square metres to 17.09 square metres in today’s new-builds.
This means that any home that isn’t maximising its space is going to have less available floor area than ever – and this could impact those trying to sell their homes, as well as landlords hoping to rent their properties out, as people are put off by a perceived lack of space.
How to maximise your home
Mel Massey, an interior designer working with Samsung, said: “With space in our homes being as precious as ever, and most homeowners agreeing that they would like some more space, we have had to become space savvy with the way we design and style our homes and appliances – and our TVs are no exception.
“In the past we have only ever have two options when it comes to displaying our TV, either in a cupboard out of sight or on a stand in the room – as an interior designer I would always choose for it to be out of sight.”
“Now we have a way of displaying it that enables us to use the TV as a feature,” added Massey, referring to Samsung’s latest space-saving product offerings.
For landlords offering furnished homes, it might be wise to think about space-saving options including wall-mounted televisions, smaller furniture and storage solutions, attracting potential tenants by creating more space for their own belongings. Decluttering is always a good idea when either trying to sell or let out a property, to help anyone looking around to envisage how they would live in the property.
