Is there is growth in joymaxxing?

Hidden rooms behind kitchen cupboards. Appliance garages. Wine fridges. Lights that come on when you clap. None of it strictly necessary. All of it, according to the people who have it, completely worth it.

Three quarters of British adults say not everything they buy for the home needs to be practical. Half the country either has or wants a secret room behind a cupboard door, something that costs more, takes up more space and makes less practical sense than a standard layout. Nearly half have made changes to their home in the past year for no reason other than they seemed fun.

New research from B&Q, surveying 2,000 UK adults, finds this is happening at a time when household budgets remain under real pressure and the cost of living is front of mind. The report calls it optimising for “joy per square foot.”

Aston spoke to David Bell, head of insight at B&Q.

Photo by Colin Watts on Unsplash