SWNYDOMESTIC By Zoya Gervis
New York office - 646-873-7565 / usnews@swns.com
NEWS COPY - WITH VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC
Couples have nearly a hundred arguments or grumbles each year over the home, according to research.
A study of 2,000 Americans explored where and how frequently people had the biggest disagreements and found that in a year, the average couple will have 72 arguments or tiffs around decor, purchasing decisions, and styles for the home.
Surveyed couples experience an average of eight arguments in a store, 15 inside the home, 10 in the presence of family or friends, four in or on an airplane, and 35 in a variety of other place like a movie theater, library, and amusement park.
A study, conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Article, examined the home decor and design journey of 2,000 Americans and found that the biggest disagreement among couples are how to allocate finances (31 percent).
Finances play a big role when it comes to home decor shopping – three in 10 disagree about how much to spend on furniture and home decor.
The study uncovered budget, furniture styles, and colors were the leading frustrations when it came to furnishing a home.
Other tiffs revolve around deciding on what gadgets to purchase (21 percent), the style of furniture (21 percent), and the overall color scheme (20 percent).
When it comes to furniture shopping, 15 percent of Americans avoid going to a furniture store because it always leaves partners grumpy with one another. In fact, furniture shopping with a partner isn’t always a breeze with a quarter of those surveyed revealing the shopping experience to be frustrating. And another 21 percent describing shopping with their partner to be annoying.
Home decor-related arguments leave 58 percent of people holding back from sharing their opinions in an effort to avoid a disagreement with their partner.
“The survey highlights how passionate Americans are about perfecting their home,” said Aamir Baig, CEO of Article, which commissioned the survey. “It’s not surprising allocating finances and how much to spend on furniture are the leading causes of disagreements considering the massive markups in the traditional retail industry. It’s possible to obtain stylish, quality products at a fair price by shopping directly from online brands.”
In examining the intricate process of styling and designing a home, the research also pinpointed the specific things people need to experience in a new place before it can truly be called a home.
It takes two Christmases, two barbeques, two holidays, two family visits, one Super Bowl, and one game night before you can call a house a home.
Nearly half of Americans (49 percent) say a house isn’t officially a home until they have family visit or have photos on the wall (41 percent).
Other hallmarks that make a house a home include celebrating Christmas (36 percent), hosting a barbeque (24 percent), and no longer receiving the previous owners’ mail (22 percent).
But that’s not all – one in five agreed that being on a first name basis with the neighbors was a defining characteristic of going from living in a house to living in a home.
The research also ranked which specific household items bring Americans the most happiness and foster a comfortable feeling in their home – a bed, cozy sofa, comfy mattress, kitchen table, and utensils finished high on the list.
On average, Americans spend 216 hours in a lifetime searching for the perfect bed, bookshelf, a television that is at least 42 inches, and other furnishings needed to make a house a home.
“Americans are spending a disproportionate amount of time and money to find the perfect furnishings,” said Aamir Baig, CEO of Article. “As the survey suggests, human experiences are key to calling a house a home. Find ways to make your furniture shopping experience more efficient to make more time for the people and events you’ll want to remember.”
TOP 5 EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE A HOUSE A HOME
Having family visit
Having photos on the wall
Celebrating Christmas
Hosting a barbeque
No longer receiving the previous owners’ mail
TOP 5 REASONS TO AVOID GOING TO A FURNITURE STORE
Dealing with salespeople
Hassle of delivery
Causes me and my partner to get grumpy with one another
I have to give up valuable weekend time
Parking
ARGUMENTS PER YEAR AND WHERE THEY HAPPEN
35 in public
15 in the house
10 in the presence of family or friends
8 in a store
4 in or on an airplane
