According to new global research conducted by Swedish furniture giant Ikea, only around one-in-three people (32%) are happy with the kitchens in their homes, generally blaming a lack of space.
This was one of the findings of the Ikea Cooking & Eating Report 2026, which collected data from more than 31,000 participants across 31 countries about their global cooking and eating habits.
With only around one-in-three being personally happy with their kitchens, Ikea said 25% of people felt like they had a lack of storage, and 25% said their kitchen had “insufficient surface space”. In addition, 24% of those polled also felt like their kitchen was too small.
Additionally, the report found that fewer than half of people (44%) tend to eat dinner at the kitchen table. On a global scale, one-in-five people (18%) opt to eat meals on their sofa, 4% tend to eat in bed, and another 4% stand and eat in their kitchens.
In the UK specifically, the number of people who eat on their sofas rises to about half (48%), with only 31% saying they tend to eat at their kitchen table. In fact, Brits were found to be three times more likely to not have a kitchen table at all.
Meanwhile, Ikea found that Americans and Hungarians were disproportionately more likely than any other cultures to eat meals in bed, with roughly one-in-ten (9%) in both countries admitting they eat their meals where they sleep.
“How we live in our kitchens is transforming,” explained Nanette Weisdal, Ikea’s range manager for kitchens and appliances. “These spaces are no longer just for cooking, they’re where we gather, connect, and create memories. As homes become smaller and the kitchen naturally blends into the living room, we’ve reimagined what a kitchen can be. We know that every centimetre matters, so we’ve focused on solutions that make the most of the space people have, without compromising warmth or personality.”
