Furniture

'''Furniture''' is the collective term for the movable objects which support the human body (seating furniture and beds), provide storage, and hold objects on horizontal surfaces above the ground. Storage furniture is used to hold or contain smaller objects such as tools, books, and household goods. Furniture can be a product of artistic design and is considered a form of decorative art. In addition to furniture's functional role, it can serve a symbolic or religious purpose. Domestic furniture works, in conjunction with furnishings such as clocks and lighting, to create comfortable and convenient interior spaces. Street furniture is the collective term for pieces of equipment installed in the street, such as street lighting, traffic signs, traffic signals and waste receptacles.

Furniture Forms

bed
bedroom set (group)
bench
bookcase
Cabinet
chair
chest
china cabinet
coffee table
couch
cupboard
desk
dinette (group)
dining set (group)
end table
headboard
hutch
love seat
ottoman
recliner
sofa
settee
sideboard
table
wardrobe

see also: furnishings

List of Residential Furniture Manufacturers (Extant)

American Drew - Expensive bedroom, diningroom, and occasional furniture
American Oak - Inexpensive dining furniture, entertainment Furniture, home office
Baker - Expensive bedroom, diningroom, livingroom and occasional furniture
Barcolounger - Expensive uphostered furniture with built-in recliners
Bassett - Medium priced bedroom, diningroom, livingroom and occasional furniture
Berkline - Medium priced upholstered furniture with built-in recliners
Best Chair - Low to medium priced chairs and recliner furniture
Broyhill - Medium priced bedroom, diningroom, livingroom and occasional furniture
Canandel, Canada - Upper medium priced dining furniture and bar stools
Century - Expensive bedroom, diningroom, livingroom and occasional furniture
Crescent - Medium priced, Solid cherry bedroom and diningroom furniture
Cox
Crawford - Medium priced, Solid cherry bedroom and diningroom furniture
Davis - Imported livingroom and bedroom furniture
Dutalier, Canada
Drexel
Eldrich Mills
Franklyn - Medium priced uphostered furniture with built-in recliners
Global - Inexpensive, solid wood, bedroom furniture
Hammary
Hancock and Moore - Expensive leather upholstered furniture
Henredon
Highland House
Hooker
King Hickory
Jackson
Klausner
Kroehler
Lane Action - Medium priced uphostered furniture with built-in recliners
Lane - Upper medium priced bedroom, diningroom, and occasional furniture
Largo
Lazy Boy
Lea
Liberty - Inexpensive, imported, bedroom, diningroom and occasional furniture
Ligo
Magnussen
Milling Road - Division of Baker Company
Northern Harvest
Pennsylvania House
Powell - Inexpensive imports
Stanley
Sealy
Simmons
Thomasville
Vaughan
Vaughan Bassett
Webb

List of Office Furniture Manufacturers (Extant)

Haworth
Herman Miller
Hon Company
Steelcase, Inc.

List of Furniture Manufacturers (Defunct)

Berkey & Gay Furniture
Dunbar
Heywood Wakefield
Jasper Cabinet
Kroehler (name reused)
Tell City
Unagusta
Unique

Trivia

In the dystopian movie Soylent Green, the term furniture refers to a futuristic and organized form of prostitution.

Selected Bibliography

Gloag, John. A Short Dictionary of Furniture. New York: Holt, Rhinehart, and Winston, 1965.

Hayward, Charles H., Antique or Fake?: The Making of Old Furniture. London: Evans Brothers, 1971.