Independent furniture retailer Barker and Stonehouse has unveiled the results of a recent survey on UK adults to find out what they regret buying the most, the amount of money they consider themselves to have wasted, and why they regret buying the furniture.

According to the results, which saw 2,000 UK adults being surveyed by OnePoll between 27-29th January 2026, over a third (37%) admit they regret at least one furniture purchase they have made for their home, with over two-thirds (67%) realising they regret their purchase within three months.

Magdalena Gierasinska, Head of Product and Displays at Barker and Stonehouse, examined the results further. “Our survey uncovered a few key findings and really highlighted how susceptible first-time buyers can be to making errors in their furniture purchases.

• They’re the group most likely to make impulse purchases, with 43% admitting that they buy furniture without fully thinking it through beforehand.
• They often opt for cheaper furniture when furnishing their homes, with 38% stating that they had gone for more budget options.
• They end up regretting their furniture purchases in a short space of time, with 22% saying they thought they’d made a mistake within a month.

“It’s clear that the furniture market can be a difficult one to navigate, especially for new homeowners looking to furnish their houses for the first time. We look at a deeper breakdown of the main regrets that we’ve found first-time buyers have, clearing up some of the biggest interior design mistakes people make.”

A primary finding in the survey is that 29% of UK adults regret buying furniture because it’s poor quality or breaks too quickly. Over a third (37%) admit they regret at least one recent furniture purchase, while 60% say they regret mistakes they made in the process of designing their space.

The sofa tops the list as the most common furniture regret, with 8% of people saying it’s the purchase they regret the most. Meanwhile, other furniture purchases that people regret the most include garden furniture (7%), storage units (6%) and dining tables (5%).

In terms of overall design mistakes, 16% of people admit that they chose to cheap out on materials in a bid to save money, while 15% say they made impulse decisions. Moreover, space and functionality are highlighted with one in six (15%) say that they overcrowded their space, while 14% didn’t consider storage. Additionally, 10% admit to buying furniture before measuring their space, leading to a space that feels off-scale.

The survey suggests that over a quarter (29%) report that they regret their purchase due to being poorly made or the item breaking too quickly. Similarly, 27% said that their purchase was uncomfortable, while 20% said the item was rarely used alongside 19% stating the product looked good online but not in real life.

In addition, 88% regret their furniture purchase within a year. Of those, 7% admit that they regretted their purchase immediately, while 19% had doubts whether they made the right investment within the first week of owning it.

When it comes to the cost of furniture regrets, 13% admitted they have spent between £1,000 and £2,000 on their interior regrets, while 6% say they have spent up to £5,000. On the lower end of the scale, Brits have wasted up to £250 (19%), £251-£500 (28%), and between £501 and £1,000 (23%).

Now that we’ve covered some of the biggest regrets, let’s discuss where first-time buyers can overspend and end up disappointed. This can help to refine your spending, ensuring you only invest in higher-quality items.

“The results of our survey showed that 28% of respondents spent between £251 and £500 on items they disliked after purchasing,” Magdalena said. “Though not drastic amounts of money, this still represents a meaningful expense where any losses can certainly be felt. Especially if this happens multiple times with items in this price range, it’s a cost that could quietly add up over time.

“Furniture that resides in this price bracket can often be purchased without people completely testing it or thinking it through. Though appearing as value for money with them being cheap enough to feel safe, they’re also a high enough cost to matter.”