Furniture Design and Function

Furniture dates back to ancient times. In modern times, furniture is used primarily in the home to furnish living rooms, bedrooms, and even kitchens and hallways. Furniture generally refers to movable objects designed to support different human actions including seating (e.g. chairs, stools, and tables), eating (teeth), and resting (chairs and tables).

Furniture can be made from many different materials including metal, wood, plastic, glass, and fabric. Furniture is typically separated into two categories: furniture that add utility and beauty to a room and furniture that serve only as decorative ornaments. Examples of utility furniture include couches, sofas, chairs, tables, and beds. Examples of beauty furniture include beds, dressers, paintings, wall hangings, glass jewelry, wall decorations, and decorative lamps and lanterns. Furniture that only serves as decorations may be used as decorative items in combination with other items.

Furniture that is made out of wood, on the other hand, is usually considered more decorative than utility-oriented. However, not all types of furniture are created equal; some furniture is actually made from solid wood (not pressed wood or plywood) while some is only partially constructed out of wood. Some furniture, especially the latter, is only partially constructed out of wood because the frame is not required for support; instead, the frame is covered with hard plastic or metal. Generally speaking, the less fabric used in the construction of furniture, the more durable and attractive the furniture will generally be.