Italians are increasingly investing in their homes. In addition to the 79% of people who say they own a home, an additional 15% plan to purchase one in the near future. This desire is also making inroads among the under-30s, where 38% say they already own one.

After the lockdown that forced many Italians to stay indoors during the pandemic, today this place increasingly takes on a multifunctional connotation, where 73% of people want to share happy moments with family and friends and 38% want to spend their free time.

Moreover, for almost 4 out of 10 Italians, the house is perceived as a "guarantee for the future," as a legacy for their children and useful capital in case of need (46%) and as a safe investment (35%).

These are some of the trends emerging from the research just published for the third edition of the "Change Lab, Italy 2030" Observatory. The survey, which investigates the main trends that will change the living habits of Italians by 2030, analyzed the relationship with one's home and how this will evolve over the next 10 years.

The survey confirms that after the lockdown period, in which it had been a safe haven where they could protect themselves from the risk of pandemic contagion, the home has returned to being for Italians an environment to be lived in fully, a hybrid and multifunctional space. Compared to the past, as a result of changed habits, Italians are spending more time in their homes, sometimes the entire day: working in smart work, pursuing their hobbies, meeting friends, shopping online, and, in all circumstances, they want to feel protected, because today more than ever they feel new needs for security.

In addition to the hours of sleep, more than half of Italians (55%) spend between 4 and 6 hours a day at home and choose their home as the preferred place to share time with loved ones and devote themselves to their hobbies. Only 9% stay less than 3 hours a day while 36% live it for more than 6 hours. Among the rooms considered most important, for 53% of respondents the room of the heart is the living room/living room, followed by the kitchen (37%) and the bedroom (31%). If Italians could have one more room, 39% of them would allocate it to their hobbies, confirming the trend of also wanting to spend their free time at home, 26% would use it for sports while 28% would host friends and relatives.

This is today, but in 10 years' time how do Italians envision their home? For 44% with a large outdoor space such as a garden or terrace, 27% independent, 26% with a large living area and 20% with a sizable kitchen. This house then, will have to be energy efficient for 6 out of 10 Italians. The 18-34 age group also dreams of a green space to garden (39%) and 13% would furnish it with eco-friendly furniture. Finally, in the house of the future, 35% of respondents predict that to curb water consumption the bathtub will disappear, while for 13% the bookcase will no longer find a place as we will increasingly read on digital media.