Survey Reveals Our Homes Are Where Our Hearts Are From Trends

The results of the 1999 Home & Garden Television Lifestyle Trends Report reveal a significant amount of information about “home enthusiasts”--people whose strong devotion to their homes sets them apart as consumers.

This is HGTV’s second annual Lifestyle Survey. For the past two years, HGTV has commissioned Yankelovich Partners Inc. to conduct in-depth interviews with American homeowners about their homes and home projects.

Home & Garden Television, with headquarters in Knoxville, Tenn., is a network devoted to home enthusiasts.

According to the 1999 Home & Garden Television Lifestyle Trends Report:

* Relax! Enjoy life! Plant a shrub: Over a quarter of the U.S. adult population finds gardening a way to relax (27%). More gardeners (42%) relax by gardening than by socializing (40%), going out to eat (37%) or going for a drive (34%).

* Decorating wins out over the movies: In their spare time, women home enthusiasts would rather decorate or organize their homes (42%) than go to the movies (39%).

* Renovations are revving up: According to the report, 58% plan to remodel or build in the next five years, up from 25% in 1998.

* You are what you do, not what you wear: Even among young home enthusiasts, ages 18 to 34, do-it-yourself projects are a more popular means of self-expression (60%) than “wearing clothes that express your personal style” (39%), or “driving a car that expresses your personal style” (21%).

* The search for antiques is more popular than museum hopping: For fun and enjoyment, more urban home enthusiasts prefer antiquing-collecting (31%) to going to a museum (23%) or attending live performances or concerts (26%).