"Whether it’s buying new cushions, putting up a photo of our loved ones or giving an old chair new life by painting it, we often try to improve the feeling of hominess."

"More and more people also appreciate the experience of doing DIY jobs and 'hacking' their things. In our study, 37% say that they enjoy making, modifying and assembling things for their home. Those who do, even report being more satisfied with their lives. On the positive side, some researchers claim it’s not the modifying as such that matters, but the fact that we are interacting with and caring for our objects. We can see an example of this 'caring effect' in the use of 'dementia dolls' in care homes. Patients are given plastic dolls to look after, with reports of reduced anxiety and aggression as a result. It seems we have a lot to gain by personalising and taking better care of our things, not only for our wallets, but for our well-being and feelings of hominess too."

From the IKEA "Life at Home" study. 

ADDED: You need to try to picture how this insight plays out in products and advertising. Like: It's rewarding for us to have to put the IKEA furniture together. And if we understand that, we may refrain from seeking psychic comfort by sprucing up the things we already have.