Cozy in quarantine: Most Americans are redecorating their homes for ‘coziness' during COVID lockdowns

NEW YORK — Most people have found themselves with lots of extra time at home during the coronavirus pandemic. According to a new survey, many people are choosing to use that time for some redecorating. In fact, 71 percent of Americans say they plan on doing even more redecorating and refurbishing in 2021. Their top priority for all these home improvements — being cozy in quarantine!

The OnePoll survey of 2,000 U.S. adults finds a whopping 78 percent say that when it comes to home décor, “coziness” is priority number one. Similarly, 73 percent agreed with the statement “my home is my sanctuary.”

Respondents listed a comfy couch (27%) and bed (27%) as the two main items key to a truly cozy home. In all, 55 percent of Americans made “significant changes” to their home décor in 2020.

So, what do survey participants have planned for the new year? Many want to get their hands on some smart furniture (34%). Others want to incorporate more natural elements (31%) into their home and 28 percent are looking to put up some colorful statement art. Sustainable design (26%) and light-colored woods (26%) are also on Americans' 2021 décor wish lists.

This research, conducted on behalf of Puffy, also asked respondents about specific design styles they pursued in 2020. Most updated a room in their home with a more modern look (35%), while others opted for a more traditional (22%) or mid-century modern (12%) redesign. Fewer redecorators went for something more abstract, such as eclectic (9%) or minimalist (9%).

Is COVID causing people to redecorate?

All of this is quite interesting, but it poses one nagging question: why? Why did so many Americans start redecorating last year? The answer may surprise you.

The top response to that question turned out to be “I was craving a home with more luxurious items,” with nearly three in 10 Americans choosing that answer. After that, creating a place that felt more like a sanctuary (25%) came in as the second most common motivator. Another 12 percent set out to redecorate because the pandemic had caused their home to take on more functions (such as working from home), and 11 percent say they just needed a change of scenery.

TOP DECOR TRENDS FOR 2021:

1. Smart furniture (34%)
2. Natural elements (31%)
3. Colorful statement art (28%)
4. Sustainable design (26%)
5. Light-colored woods (26%)
6. Grey color palettes (21%)
7. Deep blue color palettes (20%)
8. Modern rustic fixtures (19%)
9. Polka dot print (17%)
10. Neutral color palettes (14%)