As living standards improve in China and the government opens up the property market so interior decoration, design and DIY are becoming popular pastimes in certain key markets. In line with the interest in home decoration and improvement has come a desire for better quality materials. In the 1990s, with the emergence of better public housing, improved incomes and raised expectations of households, the market has moved beyond the provision of shelter to the quest to provide pleasant homes tailored to the households needs. The result of this trend has been for the Chinese government to begin to sell-off state housing and create a class of homeowners, primarily in the larger cities but gradually throughout the country. With the future development of a secondary housing market, eventually it is envisaged that the Chinese housing market will come to resemble that seen in mature private property markets. Home ownership has been the catalyst behind the home improvements market and has encouraged consumers to engage in DIY and home improvement/ decorating activities. Additionally, this growth in private housing is attracting domestic and foreign retailers such as B&Q, OBI and IKEA to China. As the market opens, so China is becoming increasingly ‘house proud’ while the home improvements industry is becoming an increasingly established part of the Chinese retailing and consumerist landscape.