No place like...a beachfront cottage
When it comes to daydreaming about our dream home, us Brits are shunning a big manor house in favour of a chocolate-box cottage near the coast.
More than one in two people (53 per cent) of people polled by Cottages4you admit they while away hours daydreaming about what and where they would live if ‘real life’ didn’t get in the way.
1,000 people were quizzed on the lifestyle and location they fantasise about, with a traditional chocolate box style cottage the most popular (32 per cent), followed by isolated properties in remote beauty spots (16 per cent) and city pads coming in at number three (15 per cent).
The most desired UK locations were:
1. Devon or Cornwall (36 per cent)
2. Lake District (15 per cent)
3. London (14 per cent)
4. Scotland (13 per cent)
5. Yorkshire Dales (12 per cent)
Almost one in three Brits (29 per cent) admitted they like to try out their dream house and location even if it’s just for a week on holiday. One in six (16 per cent) felt doing so spurred them on to think they could one day make their fantasy a reality and 65 per cent of people hope that one day they will achieve it.
Living the dream, even for a week or two, can boost wellbeing, happiness and motivation, says psychologist and life coach Anjula Mutanda.
She explains: "Actually doing what you have dreamt about, even for a short period of time, has positive benefits on wellbeing and creativity. Visualising your ideal lifestyle is an incredibly effective way to mentally rehearse what you want. But taking another step, like booking a holiday which mirrors that dream, becomes a concrete and real expression of it. Taking action like this not only boosts motivation but can then become the first step in the practical planning of a real change."
The research also showed women are more likely to daydream about their ideal lifestyle than men (57 per cent vs 47 per cent). But interestingly, women are less likely to think they’ll achieve it, with 62 per cent of them considering it a genuine possibility compared to 69 per cent of men.
More women than men dream of living by the sea (45 per cent vs 38 per cent), while the countryside is more popular with men (40 per cent vs 31 per cent of women). Those aged 45-54 are the most likely to crave seclusion living in the middle of nowhere, with one in four (24 per cent) saying it would be their preferred choice.
More than one in two people (53 per cent) of people polled by Cottages4you admit they while away hours daydreaming about what and where they would live if ‘real life’ didn’t get in the way.
1,000 people were quizzed on the lifestyle and location they fantasise about, with a traditional chocolate box style cottage the most popular (32 per cent), followed by isolated properties in remote beauty spots (16 per cent) and city pads coming in at number three (15 per cent).
The most desired UK locations were:
1. Devon or Cornwall (36 per cent)
2. Lake District (15 per cent)
3. London (14 per cent)
4. Scotland (13 per cent)
5. Yorkshire Dales (12 per cent)
Almost one in three Brits (29 per cent) admitted they like to try out their dream house and location even if it’s just for a week on holiday. One in six (16 per cent) felt doing so spurred them on to think they could one day make their fantasy a reality and 65 per cent of people hope that one day they will achieve it.
Living the dream, even for a week or two, can boost wellbeing, happiness and motivation, says psychologist and life coach Anjula Mutanda.
She explains: "Actually doing what you have dreamt about, even for a short period of time, has positive benefits on wellbeing and creativity. Visualising your ideal lifestyle is an incredibly effective way to mentally rehearse what you want. But taking another step, like booking a holiday which mirrors that dream, becomes a concrete and real expression of it. Taking action like this not only boosts motivation but can then become the first step in the practical planning of a real change."
The research also showed women are more likely to daydream about their ideal lifestyle than men (57 per cent vs 47 per cent). But interestingly, women are less likely to think they’ll achieve it, with 62 per cent of them considering it a genuine possibility compared to 69 per cent of men.
More women than men dream of living by the sea (45 per cent vs 38 per cent), while the countryside is more popular with men (40 per cent vs 31 per cent of women). Those aged 45-54 are the most likely to crave seclusion living in the middle of nowhere, with one in four (24 per cent) saying it would be their preferred choice.