Buying your own home is a big decision but it’s one of life’s most exciting achievements. From deciding where to put down roots to decorating it to match your style and kitting it out with brand-new furniture, it’s an exhilarating time in your life. In 2021, many people had the same thoughts as there was a 35% increase in the number of first-time buyers stepping onto the property ladder compared to 2020.

With house prices at an all-time high though, many homeowners are turning to decorating and renovating their homes themselves, inspired by social media and home decor gurus alike. If you’re a fan of frequently refreshing your interior decor, or looking to buy a new home, but don’t know where to start looking, we looked into the best places to live for those who love making their house a home.

We looked at some of the biggest home DIY and decor shops in the UK including B&Q, Ikea, B&M, Home Bargains, TKMaxx, among others and cross-referenced how many of each there were close by to the top UK cities to discover the best places to live for home enthusiasts.

The best places for home and DIY lovers

Being able to decorate your home the way you want is part of the fun when buying a house. From comfy sofas in bright colours to hanging as much art on the walls as you want, we love refreshing the style of our homes. By looking at UK cities with the most combined decor and DIY stores, we’ve revealed the best overall places to live in 2022.

1. Salford - first for home enthusiasts

A North-West neighbourhood of the city of Manchester, Salford has been revealed as the best place to live if you love decorating your home interiors. This metropolis has plenty to offer any new homeowner. From Salford Quays with its cultural and entertainment hub to The Lowry Centre for performing arts, Salford is an up-and-coming area to move to, bolstered by the excellent home shops.

Boasting a whopping 30 B&M and Home Bargains shops each, this is the place to be if you love homeware on a budget. Salford is also one of the cities to boast the most B&Q stores - 30 to be exact - perfect for DIY enthusiasts as well.

2. London

The capital city is a hub of cutting-edge street style and fashion inspiration but it’s also the second city on our list if you love homeware and decor.

London has the highest number of Ikea stores out of all the cities we looked at with 4 different home superstores to buy from. For those looking for a more unique decor style, there are a whopping 35 different TKMaxx and Homesense stores to be found around the city but if DIY is more your speed, you can find the most Homebase stores in London. Unfortunately for those who like to find a bargain, there are only 10 B&M stores and 7 Home Bargains stores to be found here.

3. Manchester

Coming in third, Manchester is one of the largest UK cities. It’s famous for its red brick buildings, rich culture and, of course, football. But it’s also an excellent place to live if you love to decorate your home.

Manchester boasts the second-highest number of B&M and Home Bargain stores in the whole of the UK. Although it has more of these stores than London, it loses out to the capital as it has fewer B&Q and Ikea shops as well as a lower number of homeware stores overall.

The best places for DIY fans

When it comes to home renovation, more and more people are turning to DIY rather than hiring carpenters or painters to do it for them. This, combined with a boom in more affordable shopping and an abundance of “hacks” online leads to some serious creativity and spaces we can truly call our own without having to spend a fortune.

1. London

For diehard DIY lovers, London is the place to be. You have plenty to choose from in the capital city so whether you’re planning on installing your own panelling or walls of bookcases with a secret reading nook behind, this is a great place to move to. No less than 17 B&Q’s, 7 Homebases, and 4 Ikea's grace this city - ideal for any renovations projects you have in mind.

2. Salford

Although it came out on top as the overall best place to live for home enthusiasts, Salford is only second in terms of DIY stores with 36 in total. But making your dream bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen a reality is still within reach. B&Q dominates the DIY scene here with Wilko and Homebase bringing up the rear, perfect for updating your garden with french doors. There’s only one Ikea but when you’re refreshing your internal bifold doors or fitting a brand-new kitchen, that’s all you really need.

Steer clear of Lichfield

If you love nothing more than starting new DIY projects on a weekend or bank holiday, you may want to steer clear of moving to Litchfield. A Cathedral City located in Staffordshire, Lichfield may look idyllic but those who enjoy renovating their home may want to think twice before setting down roots here. With only 13 total DIY shops to its name and the nearest Ikea at least a half-hour drive away, Lichfield comes last in our rankings.

Methodology

Leader Online analysed UK cities to see which had the greatest number of home stores within a 10-mile radius. Location data from 2708 stores of 10 popular homeware retailers was sourced to determine this. Data was collected in Q1 2022.