Pilkington: glass and glazing sector holds key to the perfect home

Flooding rooms with natural light is the most sought after feature in what people want in a ‘perfect home’ – pointing towards an opportunity for the glass and glazing sector to support home improvement projects, according to new research by Pilkington UK Ltd, part of the NSG Group.

In the manufacturer’s poll of more than 2,000 UK adults, two thirds (66%) of respondents agreed that lots of natural light was key to meeting their vision of the ‘perfect home’. Meanwhile, three in five (60%) wanted a spacious garden, with half wanting spare bedrooms (53%) and lots of open space (48%), in their dream property.

While almost two thirds (64%) citied natural light as being ‘very important’ for the home, the living room was the preferred space to have the most natural light (73%), followed by the kitchen (57%) and the master bedroom (27%).

More than half (54%) saw double-glazed windows in their dream home, with one in five (17%) wanting bi-folding doors and 14% looking for skylight windows.

While 86% agreed that having the perfect home was important during the pandemic, 44% expect they will never achieve their dream house, with money being the top barrier – cited by 68% of those polled.

Julia Berkin Brand & marketing communications manager at Pilkington UK, said, “The glass and glazing sector really does hold the keys to UK residents’ perfect home, with natural light trumping big gardens and huge rooms in the shared vision of an aspirational house.

“The findings point towards an opportunity for the sector to help homeowners as they expand glazed areas, build conservatories or install skylights in the pursuit of perfection.

“And while money is naturally a barrier to many wanting to make home improvements, measures like the recently launched Green Homes Grant are offering a leg-up to some of those looking to install better performing windows in their properties. The new consultation expected on boosting the energy-efficiency of rental properties and social housing also holds promising signs for making attributes of the perfect home, like double-glazing, more accessible to tenants.

“We’re working at the side of our customers as they consult with homeowners looking to create their dream homes, with our new Ask Pilkington portal answering all homeowners need to know about glass for their projects.”