The Ideal Home Show (10-19 April 2026) has announced a new partnership with Furnishing Futures, a UK charity dedicated to transforming empty social housing into safe, furnished, trauma-informed homes for women and children escaping domestic abuse.
Within a key area of the iconic Ideal Home Show at Olympia London, Furnishing Futures will creatively reimagine a room in the life-sized Ideal Home, transforming it into a powerful ‘healing room’. Through this immersive installation, visitors will be able to see and feel the profound difference a furnished, safe space can make to families rebuilding their lives after domestic abuse.
The Ideal Home Show will support Furnishing Futures by donating furniture from the exhibition and fundraising onsite, helping to furnish future ‘healing homes’ and turn inspiration into meaningful, practical and sustainable change.
The installation will bring to life the charity’s work, highlighting the often-overlooked reality that furniture poverty affects more than 14 million people in the UK – a hidden crisis occurring behind closed doors. With less than 2% of social housing provided furnished, even with flooring or white goods. many vulnerable families find themselves placed into empty properties with bare floors, no beds, and no essential items. For women and children fleeing domestic abuse, this can compound trauma, worsen financial hardship, and hinder their ability to rebuild their lives.
At the same time, an estimated 22 million pieces of furniture are sent to landfill each year, many in new or as‑new condition. Furnishing Futures bridges this gap by rescuing high‑quality furniture and homewares from the interiors industry and repurposing them to create safe, comfortable, fully furnished homes for survivors who need them most.
Giles Perry, Ideal Home Show Director, said: “The Ideal Home Show supports a wide range of charities throughout the year, and we’re proud to be working with Furnishing Futures as part of the 2026 show. A safe, welcoming home is something many people take for granted, yet for women and children rebuilding their lives after domestic abuse, even furnishing one room can be out of reach. The work Furnishing Futures does is vital, and we’re pleased to use the show to help support and raise awareness of their important work”.
Emily Wheeler, Founder & CEO of Furnishing Futures, said: “Furniture poverty is devastating, especially for women and children rebuilding their lives after domestic abuse. With support from partners like the Ideal Home Show, we can create healing homes that help families feel valued, secure, and ready for a fresh start. We’re delighted to be working together to drive awareness and make a tangible difference”.
