Some Americans own their living spaces, such as homeowners, while others rent their living spaces, such as those who live in apartments. Some Americans are college students in dorms, and others live in high-rise condos. But what they all have in common is the need for quality furniture to make any living space complete. All people need furniture, even minimalists who avoid materialistic excesses. Basic furniture such as a bed, dresser, table, and a few chairs are needed, and bookshelves, armoires, couches, and TV stands are also quite commonly found in any living space. What is more, some furniture is even more specialized, such as custom furniture or comfort sleepers, sleeper sofa beds, and storage beds. A comfort sleeper may be particularly attractive, and a shopper living in the Washington DC area may search online for them with queries such as “comfort sleeper DC” to find local furniture stores stocking them. Searches such as “comfort sleeper DC” may be refined further, such as with the customer’s ZIP code or the size or material of comfort sleeper desired. “Comfort sleeper DC made of leather” or “high end comfort sleeper DC” are also examples of a good search for furniture.
Americans and Furniture Shopping
All living spaces big and small have furniture in them, and furniture is one of the biggest expenses a person may have in their adult life alongside cars and houses. A vast quantity of furniture is made every year, and Americans spend many millions every year on furniture pieces of all kinds. And they are picky about it, too; high end and more budget-oriented shoppers alike demand that furniture be comfortable and durable. No one wants a shoddy chair or couch that will soon fall apart, as a piece of furniture is meant to be used for many years on end. Wooden and metal furniture alike is expected to hold together for five to 10 years, if not longer, and 91% of surveyed couch buyers agree that quality and durability are important when they make a purchase. Older Americans with a robust budget and money-conscious college students alike will want durable furniture, as it may be a real hassle to have to remove broken furniture and buy and install new pieces too often.
How to find the right furniture? Today, furniture of all sorts can be bought either online with catalogs, or buyers may visit a store in person. E-commerce as a whole is growing rapidly in the United States and the rest of the developed world, and now, 12.9% of all furniture purchases are made this way. Meanwhile, many shoppers are still visiting local furniture marts in person to find a new piece of furniture, usually so that they can test the furniture in person. Store staff typically allow customers to sit on or lay on furniture to test its comfort level and durability, and the store associates can be asked all sorts of questions to help make the shopping trip easier. And whether furniture is bought online or at a store, a customer may expect the seller to ship it to their residence with a truck. Most furniture is too large or heavy to fit in a sedan, and even a pickup truck may be a poor choice for some furniture pieces.
Some buyers like Amish-made furniture in particular. Amish craftsmen are known for making hand-crafted wooden items of great quality and durability, from park benches to chicken coops to tables. Such woods items can be shipped nearly anywhere to customers when completed.
Furniture in the Home
Many homeowners will buy particular furniture to match both their taste in aesthetics as well as their current lifestyle, and the furniture in a house may reflect who lives there and what they do. When parents are expecting a child or adopt one, they may buy a baby crib, or they may buy kid-sized furniture such as a bed, desk and chair, toy chest, and more. And when an adult child moves out, the right furniture can be bought to convert that old bedroom into a hobby room or a guest bedroom. Guest bedrooms tend to have furniture with neutral aesthetics for broader appeal, rather than personalized tastes. This is a factor for the bed, desk, dresser, and more.