2020 will forever be remembered as the year Americans developed an entirely new relationship with their homes. Changes in seemingly all aspects of society brought way to new behaviors, which contributed to an increase in skills, confidence and desire to improve their homes.
Lowe’s commissioned a study to explore the connection between people and their spaces that was reignited in 2020, and the home improvement projects Americans are most excited to tackle in the year ahead – here's what we found.
FALLING IN LOVE WITH HOME ALL OVER AGAIN
In 2020, we saw closets turn into offices, garages into weight rooms and kitchen tables into classrooms, transforming into the backdrop of nearly every pivotal life moment. Thanks to this shift, the survey found that nearly two-thirds (64%) of homeowner respondents said that home means more to them than it did a year ago, and more than half (55%) said they like their home better than they did in 2019.
Home transformations in 2020 prioritized utility and self-care, with rooms taking on hybrid functions due to more time spent at home. Just how many consumers used their spaces for non-traditional purposes in 2020? Lowe’s found that:
Revitalizing outdoor spaces was hugely popular in 2020 as well, with more than half (51%) of respondents stating that having additional outdoor space became more important to them. Popular projects tackled by respondents included transforming their outdoor spaces into outdoor escapes (31%), socially distanced socializing destinations (24%), grocery store aisles (21%) and kids summer camps (15%).
MAKING HOME FEEL MORE LIKE… HOME
As a proportion of their household budget, the survey found that 33% of respondents said they estimate they’ve spent more on home improvement during the pandemic than they did before.
Forty-six percent of respondents said they spent money on home improvement in 2020 that they would normally have spent on something else. Looking ahead to 2021, 84% of respondents said they will continue to spend at least some of that money on home improvement after the pandemic.
2021: WHERE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE AND CLEAN & HEALTHY HOMES AWAIT
2020 was just the beginning of home improvement possibilities! More than half (55%) of respondents said they have even bigger plans for their home now than they did a year ago. The top projects consumers have planned for 2021 are:
- Plant something (65%)
- Reorganize their closet (64%)
- Update their décor (53%)
- Paint a room (52%)
- Organize garage or storage area (51%)
Sixty-five percent of consumers surveyed are ready to put their green thumb to the test, and 45% are planning to create or improve an outdoor living space in 2021.
The global pandemic also kicked off a desire for clean and healthy options, and respondents say that trend is only expected to rise in 2021. Respondents said reorganizing will continue to be one of the most popular home improvements in 2021, with 64% of respondents saying they plan to reorganize their closets and 51% of respondents saying they plan to reorganize a garage or storage area.
Consumers surveyed are also planning larger projects in 2021, including repairing plumbing or electrical (35%), remodeling their kitchen (26%) and finishing their basement (16%).
Given everything Americans experienced last year, self-care and healthy habits will almost assuredly serve as the motivators for continued home improvement as a means for self-improvement – and 2020 will be forever remembered as the year we were reminded that home is the home of endless possibilities.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
TRUE Global Intelligence, the in-house research practice of FleishmanHillard, fielded an online survey of 2,005 Americans aged 18 and older between December 13 and 16, 2020.
The survey results have been weighted to reflect the U.S. adult population in terms of age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, and parent status.
